Best choice for small (Exilim size) camera with best image quality

[henry_minsky1]

I have the Canon 20D, and am looking for a camera which is tiny and

portable that I can carry with me in my pocket. What I want most of

all is image quality, for which I would be willing to give up most

anything else.

 

That means, for example, I would give up a zoom lens if there were a

fixed focal length camera that had a better image.

 

I'm interested in something the size of the Pentax Optio or the small

Casio Exilims.

 

Does anyone know if there is a tiny camera that has substantially

better image quality than any of the others? I don't care so much

about the number of megapixels, as I do about crisp images with good

color, lack of distortion, etc.

 

So far, I think the Minolta DImage x31 seems to be the best quality

images, and that is about the largest form factor I am interested in.

[andrew robertson]

I don't think you'll be pleased with the control or quality that any of the teeny tiny soap bar

digicams give you compared to the 20D. Most are extremely noisy above ISO 200, almost

all the ultra compacts have no manual control, and unless you use the often fiddly manual

focus the release lag is quite intolerable.

 

I'm waiting for a tiny camera with a fixed lens, a large sensor, a shutter release, and three

knobs - shutter speed, aperture, and focus. I have this feeling I'll be waiting for a very

long time indeed.

[mark u]

If you're really interested in image quality in a pocketable package you should think about an Olympus Stylus Epic and going back to using film. Nothing digital comes anywhere close in that form factor.

[henry_minsky1]

I've already gone back to film for some things -- I have two Pentax Super ME SLRs which I use for stereo imaging.

 

I was able to get these two small high quality SLR bodies with f1.4 50mm lenses with a full frame sensor (35mm film :-) ) for about $70 each on eBay. It will be another ten years I think until this price/performance is available in digital.

 

When the price of the old Digital Rebels falls to about $200, maybe I'll try getting a pair of them for stereo. The real problem is how to display the digital images in stereo anyway.

 

I'm trying to find a pair of small digicams to do stereo imaging, and for that a zoom isn't much use because it can be hard to make sure both lenses are zoomed the same amount anyway.

[test11664875106]

Sony T1 is probably the only of this category I'd buy. Walk into a store and see it yourself.

[dean_g]

"If you're really interested in image quality in a pocketable package you should think about an Olympus Stylus Epic and going back to using film. Nothing digital comes anywhere close in that form factor."

 

True the Stylus Epic is a wonderful little camera. I used one for a few years and loved it. And I believe a well scanned 35mm film slide or negative can equal an APS-C sensor DSLR assuming the image is good to start with.. in theory. In practice it is a pain in the backside and there are small digicams that can offer excellent imaging quality, and allow you to get the picture where you wouldn't otherwise with big gear.

 

 

I get photos from my Ricoh Caplio GX 5meg pocket digicam that are far better _pictures_ than anything I ever got from the Stylus Epic. And the quality DOES come close IMO. Plus it offers lower shutter lag, and the all the usual digital advantages of flexible ISO choices, 28mm - 85mm f/2.5(a faster lens), instant review... for which I give up very little vs the stylus epic.

[aaron_w.]

With similar thoughts in mind, this past December I bought a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-V1 -- a great little 5MP digicam with a very sharp Zeiss Vario-Sonnar lens. It's not as tiny as some, but it is small enough for a jacket pocket or fanny-pack... I really love this digicam!

 

When Sony replaced the V1 with the V3 last year, several stores, including Sears, started blowing out their V1's (I got mine for $299)... If you can still find one around that price, I would grab it. ;)

[richard_meyers]

Henry -

 

You might want to check out the new Olympus D630 - 5MP, 3.1x2.4x1, about $300 when available in April. Just announced at PMA Orlando.

 

http://www.bytecamera.com/content/view/351/2/

[dean_g]

The new Olympus Stylus Verve 5 meg sounds like a nice camera designed very much with the Stylus Epic film P&S in mind. Weather proof too, just like the film version. Just from what I've read.

[andrew robertson]

Henry, it's actually much easier to display digital images in stereo on the monitor than any

other technique I know of. Just put the left one on the left, the right image on the right,

and screw up your vision until they merge. Viola!

[michael_matsil]

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX7. 2 1/2" screen (this screen practically has a teflon finish...very

hard to scratch), Leica 2.8-5 vario-elmar, zoom range about 35-105 (35mm equiv.),

Optical Image Stabalization (if you're careful...handheld down to 1/4-1/2 second and

allows more shooting at low noise 100 ISO!), very nice build and quality (eg: steel tripod

mount). Get the black version; it's got a nice finish that's stealthy and cleans up nicely.)

Get a couple of extra batteries since it's a battery hog.

[peter_werner1]

The Canon Digital Ixus 500 (Powershot S500 in USA) is one of the better cameras in this category. I used one on my last vacation when i did not want to carry around my heavy DSLR and got excellent pictures. If you have time to wait (late march), a few days ago <b><i>Canon</b></i> presented an <a href="http://www.ephotozine.com/news/fullnews.cfm?NewsID=1958" target="_blank"> upgraded 7 Megapixel Digital Ixus 700</a>

[webin_manzana]

It may be a good advice to stay away from Olympus Digital Cameras. I had CCD problem with my C-5050, and it's only 18 months old.