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Pocket companion to my Fuji rig

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Tom Levenson

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Dear all,

I'm in the midst of upgrading my Fuji gear from an X-E1 to either an X-E2s, and X-E3 or perhaps and X-T20 (thanks to those below who gave good, if diverging suggestions on that choice!)

The other camera change I want to make this round is to add a pocket camera that can go with me on bike rides and all those more casual moments when I'm not actually grabbing the camera bag.

My local camera store (Hunt's, for those of you in the Boston area) has pointed me at the growing number of 1" sensor short zoom compacts. I've not used anything between a phone camera and my Fuji and/or M43 gear for years, so here's my question:

Lots of serious and enthusiastic photo people here: have you felt a similar desire for a pocket camera, and if so, what's your experience been? Any suggestions?

Any and all wisdom (and heck, folly) appreciated.
 
Tom Levenson said:
Dear all,

I'm in the midst of upgrading my Fuji gear from an X-E1 to either an X-E2s, and X-E3 or perhaps and X-T20 (thanks to those below who gave good, if diverging suggestions on that choice!)

The other camera change I want to make this round is to add a pocket camera that can go with me on bike rides and all those more casual moments when I'm not actually grabbing the camera bag.

My local camera store (Hunt's, for those of you in the Boston area) has pointed me at the growing number of 1" sensor short zoom compacts. I've not used anything between a phone camera and my Fuji and/or M43 gear for years, so here's my question:
Click to expand...
I`m not a big fan of the 1" sensor compacts... I find them not to be up to par with m43 and apsc, but only you can decide if it´s ok for you. To me, the Sony is the best in class here with a price to match.
Tom Levenson said:
Lots of serious and enthusiastic photo people here: have you felt a similar desire for a pocket camera, and if so, what's your experience been? Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Yes, always BUT I don´t have one now. I use three current Fujis... X100F, X-T2, and X-Pro2. These are all excellent, fast cameras that can focus fast in low light. I appreciate that. Cameras like the Ricoh GR and the Fujifilm X70 are great, but one step behind in what I appreciate about my current cameras. That said, there are rumors of both being updated in the next half a year. I am waiting for that.
 
I have a great desire for a pocket camera, but I have not been able to find one that pleases me. I'd be happy with a 1inch sensor, but don't want a power zoom, and would prefer a prime to any zoom there is. It should be perfectly possible to make a an excellent camera in the RX100 size class (but with nicer controls), with a 40 or 50mm equivalent prime and a decent evf... But no.

My compromise solution can be found in Fuji's own parts bin--an X-M1 with the 27mm pancake prime. I can't say enough good about this combination. While not exactly pocket sized (thougn it fits in many jacket pockers, cargo pockets, and even large shirt pockets), it is uncompromised in many other ways--sensor size, battery life, and image quality. The 27mm is a great lens, and its one major fault, lack of an aperture ring, bothers me very little on the X-M1, which is a simple camera with a minimal control set. Plus, it is very inexpensive-- I bought both pieces secondhand for less than $500.

This "little monster" kit is a great carry everwhere camera for street, walkaround, and casual shooting, indoors and out, and it doubles as a second camera for any time you are carrying a big camera with a specialized lens. Just throw it into the corner of your bag and you can be back to general shooting with a normal prime in seconds, with no need to change lenses.

Between the two roles, my Little Monster is probably my most frequently used camera after my phone, and it never lets me down. (Search #fujixm1 on my Instagram @kekiongacomics, to see lots of examples.) At this point the perfect pocket camera would have to be pretty darn perfect to unseat it from that title.
 
John Gellings said:
Tom Levenson said:
Dear all,

I'm in the midst of upgrading my Fuji gear from an X-E1 to either an X-E2s, and X-E3 or perhaps and X-T20 (thanks to those below who gave good, if diverging suggestions on that choice!)

The other camera change I want to make this round is to add a pocket camera that can go with me on bike rides and all those more casual moments when I'm not actually grabbing the camera bag.

My local camera store (Hunt's, for those of you in the Boston area) has pointed me at the growing number of 1" sensor short zoom compacts. I've not used anything between a phone camera and my Fuji and/or M43 gear for years, so here's my question:
Click to expand...
I`m not a big fan of the 1" sensor compacts... I find them not to be up to par with m43 and apsc, but only you can decide if it´s ok for you. To me, the Sony is the best in class here with a price to match.
Click to expand...
1" sensor cameras with their 1.8-2.8 aperture gather more light than m43 with their kit zooms(3.5-5.6). That is, even if they are typically one stop worse in iso noise vs m43, with kit zooms, you can decrease iso by two stops, maintaining the same shutter speed. They are usually more compact at the same time.
John Gellings said:
John Gellings said:
Lots of serious and enthusiastic photo people here: have you felt a similar desire for a pocket camera, and if so, what's your experience been? Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Yes, always BUT I don´t have one now. I use three current Fujis... X100F, X-T2, and X-Pro2. These are all excellent, fast cameras that can focus fast in low light. I appreciate that. Cameras like the Ricoh GR and the Fujifilm X70 are great, but one step behind in what I appreciate about my current cameras. That said, there are rumors of both being updated in the next half a year. I am waiting for that.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for these thoughts.

I have an old X100 (the original). I do love it, though it's not the most responsive beast. I really am looking for something that fits into a pocket or an under-seat bike pouch so an more modern x100 is perhaps just a little large.

My problem w. the Ricoh is that I'm not that much of a fan of the 28mm focal length.

So...still looking/pondering.
 
I would go for the Fuji x70. I don't find zooms on those little sensor cameras to be worth much. I get much more out of shooting at one focal length for out and about stuff anyway, but I've never been much of a 'zoom' guy, so ymmv. Ask yourself how important is zooming in the situations you'd use it, and does it trump image quality or cropping?
 
This is an interesting thought. But the size is still a little daunting. The X-M1 is a little larger in every dimension than the 1" equivalents, and when you put the 27mm on it it almost doubles the thickness. I already have an X-E1 on which my 27 mm often sits (I agree w. you -- it's a lovely little lens). That's a little larger still, though not by much, and it's too big for my hoped for use.
 
Re zooming: my test is whether I can get good shots of waterbirds on the Charles: the herons at the dam west of Watertown Sq., swans in the middle of the stream and so on. My phone -- a 28mm eq. -- isn't good enough. I'd like at least a 70mm equivalent. If the new XC 15-45 lens were even more compact, it on one of the XA or XM bodies might be doable, but it isn't, so that won't work. And X-70 with the TCL lens might do it -- but the same problem applies; what started out as a compact camera grows.
 
Thanks. That seems to be a broadly held view. The price is a little rich, and they hold their value in the used market. The little Panasonic (LX10?) seems pretty close, and about half price. I guess that's where I'm leaning now, but I wonder what I'm not thinking about, either with these particular cameras or others I haven't thought of.
 
Fujifilm x70.

I bought a used one recently and am waiting for it to be delivered. I currently have the x-t1 and 18-55 but find that setup to be too big for minimal carry and also miss using prime lenses. The x70 will make up for the discreetness and lens.

The x70 is pretty much an x-e2/x100t internally while being a small camera. lack of a VF doesn't matter much since the camera is meant to compete with the ricoh gr2 and you have a fully tilting lcd screen.

What really influenced the purchase was Lobbamobba's videos and general review researches.




However,

there's the panasonic lx100 or leica d-lux typ 109. MFT, fast zoom lens, discreet and portable. not much of a downside besides its only mft but it can still produce well-developed images.
 
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Well, every camera is a compromise, and a small camera even more so.

I guess i'll compromise size any day of the week in favor of the kind of lens I prefer, good IQ and an enjoyable shooting experience. If i want true pocket size, I have my phone with me all the time and often my iPod ( and the wonderful Lenka black and white camera app) as well.

For me, there is nothing in the middle I care to own, at least right now.
 
I use a Panasonic LX100. m43 sensor, although a lesser resolution. Good low light lens. Not much range on the zoom.

Doug
 
Panasonic LX10. 24-72+ f/1.4 -2.8 lens. No viewfinder but has popup flash.

Price is reasonable.

Loading…

www.bhphotovideo.com

Panasonic LX100. 24-75 f/1.7-2.8 lens. Built in EVF and small hot shoe flash. Lower price as it is several years old but still a very good camera.

Loading…

www.bhphotovideo.com

Sony RX100 V or IV

Small, Expensive, Good.
 
Try before you buy, though. I was all ready to buy the RX100 mark 1 when the mark 2 came out--actually had the money in hand. In cash. Then i picked it up and tried it out--and couldn't put it down fast enough. It may be a great camera on paper, and I know a lot of people like it, but I disliked it profoundly, finding its controls fiddly and its ergonomics not only uncomfortable but actively repulsive.

No camera is good enough technically to overcome a bad fit or just general dislike.
 
I had an LX100 for a while but never loved it, especially how slow it was too turn on and off. I recently went back to a (mint secondhand) Fuji X30 and much prefer it... Lovely camera capable of nice results although ultimately not as good as the larger sensors. Good enough though.
 
Still have my X10 and wouldn't give it up for anything.
 
I bought a used X70 for this. It was between that and one of the Olympus Tough cameras.

The X70 is one of the few small cameras with a flip screen, which I really like. Outdoors it's difficult to see much on the screen, but a viewfinder is hard to find on these cameras anyway. It does have an aperture ring, and the handy Auto switch that Fuji puts on some models.
 
Tom Levenson said:
Dear all,

I'm in the midst of upgrading my Fuji gear from an X-E1 to either an X-E2s, and X-E3 or perhaps and X-T20 (thanks to those below who gave good, if diverging suggestions on that choice!)

The other camera change I want to make this round is to add a pocket camera that can go with me on bike rides and all those more casual moments when I'm not actually grabbing the camera bag.

My local camera store (Hunt's, for those of you in the Boston area) has pointed me at the growing number of 1" sensor short zoom compacts. I've not used anything between a phone camera and my Fuji and/or M43 gear for years, so here's my question:

Lots of serious and enthusiastic photo people here: have you felt a similar desire for a pocket camera, and if so, what's your experience been? Any suggestions?

Any and all wisdom (and heck, folly) appreciated.
Click to expand...
 
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Regarding pocketability, I find the thickness to be a key factor, more so than the height and width. I believe this would be one of the factors making the Sony RX100 (any model) your best bet for now. I have the RX100 II, which I can carry in my pocket most of the time in my daily errands. A larger camera would not fit in a pocket and would therefore be frequently left at home in the daily routine.

The Fuji X70 has been discontinued, it is slightly larger than the RX100, and the lens sharpness appears to be a bit lacking. But aside from this it has most of the features I appreciate, such as a tilting screen, dedicated dials, and of course a larger sensor than the RX100.

I am waiting to see what kind of successor Fuji will bring to the X70, and I am also hoping to see a new model of the RX100, both hopefully later in the year. I am hoping the X70 successor will win me over.
 
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