Best compact digital camera. raw/lenses?

<p>Hi there. I do own a Nikon DSLR, but I need something less heavy to carry around in my free time (when I don't need to work with camera/do paid photo shoots).<br>

So I was just wondering- what would be the best quality digital compact camera out there that maybe would have raw format available and some changeable lenses. How close I can get to DSLR with compact camera?<br>

Thanks,<br>

Inni</p>

<p>I actually switched from Nikon DSLR to Olympus µ43 and am delighted, but there are a lot of good solutions out there from Olympus, Panasonic, Fuji, even the Nikon 1 is worth looking at.</p>

<p>I would say that Oly, Panasonic and Fuji will give you DSLR performance, image-wise, but you need to handle their offerings yourself to decide which will work best for you.</p>

<p>What do you have now? What is your budget?</p>

<p>Personally I vote for a Sony A6000 with the Sony / Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 OSS, but no doubt there are many good options. A Fuji X-E2 or maybe X-T1 (somewhat larger) would probably be a great choice too, and the Panasonic GX7 looks pretty good. Overall, the image quality should fully equal DSLRs with the same size sensors (APS-C for the first two and M4/3 for the GX7) and comparably-good lenses. Auto-focus performance will lack on some, but the A6000 appears to have great auto-focus (including on-sensor phase-detection), at least with <em>some</em> of the Sony lenses.</p>

<p>But if you really want something small to carry around, I'd think long and hard about giving up interchangeable lenses and getting a Sony RX-100 Mk. III, which will really slip into your pocket. It features a 24-70mm-equivalent, f/1.8-2.8 lens, a 1-inch sensor, and a pop-up EVF.</p>

 

<p>Fuji X cameras get high marks for their lenses. The X-Pro has interchangeable lenses, and adapters for Leica, Canon and others. The Fuji combines the best (and worst) aspects of an optical viewfinder and an EVF. It is, however, an APS-C sized sensor.</p>

<p>The Sony 7/7r/7s system gets high marks for the sensors and ergonomics. It is a full frame, strictly EVF camera which can take other manufacturer's prime and zoom lenses, including Leica, Nikon and Hasselblad. Sony lenses for this camera are few, at present. Other than a couple of Zeiss primes made for the Sony, they have lackluster performance. If you can forgo automatic focus, and a collection of good lenses for other cameras, the Sony is a logical choice.</p>

<p>XE2 is a good choice if you want access to some of the better prime lenses for mirrorless out there -- the 14, 23, 27, 35, 56 are all top-notch. the kit lens is compact but optically superior to other kit lenses, and the whole package is super svelte with the 27/2.8 pancake.</p>

<p>you'll lose a bit of IQ and gain portability with the RX100, but the tradeoff may be worth it. if you can live with a fix-focal prime, the Fuji x100 series or Ricoh GR are high-performance compacts.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>The XE1 is very light by itself but add that 18-55mm zoom and you're back to having substantial weight hanging from your neck. </p>

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<p>Sony...other than a couple of Zeiss primes made for the Sony, they have lackluster performance</p>

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<p>I have both the Sony FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS kit lens and the FE 70-200 f/4 G OSS zooms. They both perform splendidly. The FE 70-200 f/4 bests my Canon IS version, often called one of the finest zooms in it's range, by a noticeable margin.</p>

<p>I switched from Nikon D700 to Fuji X-T1 and haven't had regrets for a second. The weight (a backpack full of equipment featuring the camera, 5 lenses of which one a zoom, flashes and some other gear) is not even a third of that of my Nikon with several lenses. My shoulders are happy and my pictures perfect. The lenses that come along with Fuji are great! Can only recommend it.</p>

<p>Sony and Fuji both have good systems that can easily be SLR replacements - with the caveat that neither one has an AF system that's as good as a good SLR AF system. There are still Fuji X-E1 kits with the zoom lens available for $700 from some stores (I think B&H has them) and unless you need the speed or weather resistance of an X-T1 or have a strong attachment to full frame cameras (only Sony and Leica make full frame mirrorless) I can't think of any reason not to recommend an X-E1.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone. It will be hard to decide which one to get :)</p>

<p><strong>XE2 is a good choice if you want access to some of the better prime lenses for mirrorless out there -- the 14, 23, 27, 35, 56 are all top-notch. the kit lens is compact but optically superior to other kit lenses, and the whole package is super svelte with the 27/2.8 pancake.</strong><br>

As a user of the XE1 and the 14mm plus the 23mm, I agree with Eric.<br>

Good primes are essential to keep it compact. The downside with my XE1 is the time lag of the finder, plus a few minor operational annoyances...but what do you want for $800?</p>

<p><strong>XE2 is a good choice if you want access to some of the better prime lenses for mirrorless out there -- the 14, 23, 27, 35, 56 are all top-notch. the kit lens is compact but optically superior to other kit lenses, and the whole package is super svelte with the 27/2.8 pancake.</strong><br>

As a user of the XE1 and the 14mm plus the 23mm, I agree with Eric.<br>

Good primes are essential to keep it compact. The downside with my XE1 is the time lag of the finder, plus a few minor operational annoyances...but what do you want for $800? The newer XE2 or XT1 are probably better. Still, none of the APSC or M4/3 cameras I've seen have a display of aperture on the top deck of the camera, for me an absolutely required feature if the lens has no, or no marked, aperture ring.</p>