What I look for in a Canon compact.

Gesture wrote:

Canon compacts are my everyday, carry with me cameras.

My favorites are the Powershot S100 and the Powershot 300HS. Both produce wonderful images. But sometimes, the poor handling of skies, dynamic range, rears its ugly head, as it does on my SX 260 HS and EOS-M. No, reducing exposure isn't the solution. Those sensors just have poor dynamic range and can't handle highlights well, as silly as that may seem.

What are your experiences and recommendations. I'd even consider the near-APS-C compacts, but not if the sensor can't capture an everyday, normally lit, not even that bright scene.

M200 and M50 have amazing DR.

Thanks.

Powershot S100

Actually the original M itself is quite capable; it's just the default exposure it, not smart, and you need to shoot RAW which on the original M, is downright poor performance in terms of FPS capable. I don't know if the original M has highlight tone priority, but if it does, use it and shoot RAW. That'll give you a lot right off the bat, no purchase needed. BTW, I think the PowerShot S100 may support this too, have a look. Give your PowerShot and your original M some more oomph. Should also add, processing these in a modern post processor gives noise reduction a substantial lift over in-camera JPEG too. Both DPP4 (free) and other post processors help. Now again, RAW performance on those cameras is slow, maybe 1 FPS though.

I'm going to side with KEG and say, M200 and M50 are huge lifts over the original M.

Also, the M5, M6, M100, all also share ADC on sensor. You need not go all the way to the latest and greatest. DIGIC7 and the 80D sensor goes a long ways. I do recommend an M200, M50 or M6 II though just so you get DIGIC8; much better AF.

The G1X Mark III itself uses the 80D sensor (ADC onboard) and DIGIC7. It's worth a shout if you want to stay in the PowerShot family. It really is cooking if you ask me. I've shot both the G5X II and G1X III, and I'll say, it really depends what you want to do. Both give unique benefits. I personally favor the G1X III, but, the G5X II's lens is really something with it's reach and speed (aperture).

The G1X III though on the other hand just has more image quality. It is APS-C after all. No way around it, more resolution, more color accuracy. Coin toss.

MichielBd wrote:

Gesture wrote:

Thanks. May look at that M200.

I would not buy the M200 if I were you. It has great image quality combined with the right lens. But I found it to be difficult to hold with for example the EF-M 32mm even with the EH31-FJ face jacket (if you can still get one).

It also has some childish quirks. Like the strange in camera raw processing and the fact that you can't rotate the images 180 degrees in camera.

I am fairly sure that none of the EOS cams support 180 degrees rotation in one step, but both M6 and R support 90 degree rotation.

Gesture wrote:

Canon compacts are my everyday, carry with me cameras.

My favorites are the Powershot S100 and the Powershot 300HS. Both produce wonderful images. But sometimes, the poor handling of skies, dynamic range, rears its ugly head, as it does on my SX 260 HS and EOS-M. No, reducing exposure isn't the solution. Those sensors just have poor dynamic range and can't handle highlights well, as silly as that may seem.

What are your experiences and recommendations. I'd even consider the near-APS-C compacts, but not if the sensor can't capture an everyday, normally lit, not even that bright scene.

Thanks.

Powershot S100

I second a poster on the thread and recommend the Powershot G1X Mark III as well.
It has a very capable APS-C sensor that will render very good results, much more so when edited. I usually take my full frame kit when travelling, but this time I decided to go lighter and I've just returned from a two week trip, and I have to say that camera didn't disappoint. Sure it's a bit short on telephoto as it maxes at 72mm and I might have missed the odd bird here and there that I'd fancied shooting, but those would make about 15% of my total shots. Anyway if one wants a telephoto lens, one wouldn't choose that camera. 
It has plenty of buttons and dials to control your settings, more so than say an m200, it's weather resistant, did get splashed by a bit of sea water and survived. Have to wipe immediately in any case. Has a built in ND filter should you find yourself in very bright scenes or want to try some long exposures.

I've posted a couple of albums on the forum should you wish to check them out.