Always-Carry Camera

drd1135

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Location
Virginia
Name
Steve
While we are in the middle of Singles in October, I though I would start another discussion about the perfect compact camera, but with an emphasis on everyday carry. I was thinking of this because of the other thread about grips for the iPhone and that I’m constantly carrying the X70. My though was this: If I could have RX100 quality and capabilities in an iPhone body, would that overshadow all my other cameras in terms of use? This is based on one undeniable fact: the iPhone is something I do carry all the time. In terms of having it with me, nothing else comes close. I have found the X70 to be a wonderful body in terms of ergs and use but a little hefty in the pocket, although it does fit. I really like (as in all the time) to shoot from waist level with the tilt screen, and this wouldn’t work with my hypothetical RX100-phone cam. Still, I know I would adapt to the phone body simply based on ease of carry.

So, what are your minimum ergonomic/IQ requirements for a true always carry camera? As much as anything else, I'm curious how much variety we will have in the answers.
 
I've tried three compact cameras as EDC solutions: the Ricoh GR, the Panasonic LX100, and now the Canon G1X III. This may tell you that I've come to some quite specific conclusions.

a) While I love the GR, handling, IQ and all, I want more flexibility from an EDC, so, I have to have a zoom.
b) While I think bright lenses are nice, bigger sensors are nicer. As good as the LX100's files are, the G1X III beats its performance in all respects, even in good light. Besides, all in all, I don't shoot a lot in (very) dark conditions anyway. The G1X III gains two stops in low light capability over the LX100 in real life - so, problem solved (except, theoretically, for bokeh - but that's not too great from the LX100's lens, either; in fact, the G1X III's tele bokeh looks smoother).
c) I want malleable files from the camera, and that means the best RAW quality I can get. This way, I can salvage images I would have to discard otherwise. The G1X III's sensor beats the already capable one in the GR when it comes to this - not only because of resolution, but also because of better colour at lower ISOs; in fact, the G1X III's sensor gains a full stop over the GR's in that respect.
d) Actually, the G1X III produces very nice JPEGs - so, in a pinch, I can use those; they're quite nice to work on to do a little post processing, too. Neither the GR's nor the LX100's come close (except for the GR's glorious b&w files).
e) Weather resistance - that's a biggy with an EDC; every day means every day this way - not so with the GR (though that's a tough camera, much more so than it looks) or the LX100.
f) Speed - but that's a difficult thing to achieve with a digital compact camera, it seems. My main gripe is with deploy time, actually - AF is good enough from all the cameras listed. The GR appears fastest, but has a nasty habit of destroying a hastily fired shot (you get a corrupted file if the camera's not fully ready). The LX100 is a tiny bit hesitant to deploy, but its main downfall is zoom speed. The G1X III is no speed demon either, but the most fluid and reliable camera of the three mentioned here in all respects. This translates into more usable files and less shots missed.

Now for the elephant in the room: Why no 1" cameras? Well, I tried the RX100 line (to be exact, the I, III, V and VI) and found them terrible to handle, and they're downright sluggish on start-up - so they miss out on a key point in my book. IQ is nice, but not significantly better than the LX100 (if at all - the LX100 is very capable!), and the GR beats them easily - so they're no match for the G1X III, either. I own a Panasonic FZ1000, though - but that's a totally different use case, and it's too big to qualify as a real EDC (heck, it needs its own bag, most of the time - or takes up as much space as a APS-C DSLR; some of my medium format film rangefinders are smaller!). btw. I tried Canon's G7X and G5X (not the G7X II and G9X II, though) and found them both rather nice cameras, but with the same restrictions when it comes to start-up that apply to the Sony line. And actually, the last camera I handled was the RX100 VI - which, in theory, should blow everything else out of the water, but you have to wait 2s for it to deploy and 12s for it to shut down - what gives?!

So, an EDC has to offer as much flexibility and raw quality as possible, and it has to be reasonably fast and reliable. The G1X III does all that for me - and then some. It actually gives the mighty Sony A7 II a run for its money, even when the latter's used with the tiny Samyang 35mm f/2.8, so isn't huge at all - but still about twice the bulk and weight. I think I've probably found what I've been looking for.

M.
 
I'm seriously tempted by the Google Pixel 3 - the "Oooh Aaah" ads aside, I'm looking now at some of the real world shots from it and man, it looks good. And the promised Night Sight mode that's coming soon in a future software update is something that I'm really anticipating.

Disclaimer; I'm a Google Zombie - my information and my primary data interaction devices are now almost all Google (Pixel Gen 1 Phone, PixelBook, scattered remnants of Nexus phones across the house and in other people's hands as a second life phone). But I really believe the future is in Computational Photography enhanced by Machine Learning. That's the amazing thing - Google and other manufacturers able to take the results of a smaller than a pinkie nail sensor, and they're able to squeeze every last possible optimal result out of it, and deliver in less than an eyeblink.

The other reasons? Portability, convenience, connectivity and ubiquity. The last meaning, no one cares or blinks now if you whip out a phone in the middle of the street to take a photo. Or anywhere else for that matter. I'll get hassled, receive the evil eye and curious, sometimes unhappy glares when I frame up even my dinky X30. But no one ever cares now that someone's taking a Smartphone photo. And for me, that's the great thing is to finally be able to capture those candid moments instead of nearly confrontational photography anywhere. And yeah, I'm actually counting on the software saving my shot - from sheer timing, glare, poor contrast, just slightly off-focus - how many of us have missed shots just because of one of those factors? The only thing missing from the phone right now is IP rating. Having survived another August deluge at an outdoor festival because of a Ziplock bag (and even that gave up the ghost just as I found shelter), Immersion Protection is the final factor.

I would love to get a full-frame compact that I could stick in my pocket, no question. And that it would be ready when I am, with weeks of battery life and a see in the dark zoom. But the reality is, I don't have it on me 100 percent of the time. My phone? Yeah. And in the end, the tool is just a means to an end. But it's nice to have a tool for EDC that can meet 80 percent of my use case. To me, it will mean phones for the forseeable future. It won't stop me from getting a really good still camera, but most the shots I'll get will be with the camera that's with me all the time.
 
I have never found the perfect pocket sized camera. A big part of the problem is that, for me, pocketable means it needs to fit in my pants pockets since we use a jacket/coat here for such a small percentage of the year. That means that something like the lx100 or G1X is just too big.

I carried an s95 for a while before upgrading to the rx100 III. I don't love the rx100, it is terribly uninspiring. I just haven't found anything better and it does record nice images for the size. For me, it is a lot better than using a cell phone from both a handling and flexibility perspective.
 
Three things:
1. I should say smart phone and not iPhone.
2. I'm ok talking about hypothetical cameras. For example, there is no reason (that I know) that 1 inch sensor cameras have to be slow.
3. I also find the RX100 series unpleasant to use, which is a shame given that they work pretty well. I'd like an RX100 V in a Fuji X70 body.
 
My current always is my trusty Panasonic TZ60. Its not the best camera, it has a small sensor, but it also has a long zoom and although I like doing landscapey things, I also like shooting birds. Its a compromise. A huge one. But for now its the best I can do.

I have a lot of "better" cameras, but the TZ is the most flexible for what I do. I always have a large bag so carrying in a pocket isnt necessary, and I keep my cameras in cases anyway, in an effort to reduce dust ingress (doesnt work too well, really but I keep trying).

I'm still considering the TZ220, which has a better sensor and a shorter zoom, I dont really need the huge zoom of the TZ60 all the time. But I need/want more than that contained in, say, the LX100/II or the Canon GX1MkIII.

Yes, I always have my phone with me, but it is not the first thing I think of, when I think photography. I mostly use the phone camera for a quick shot to send to someone right away, not as something I want to keep for posterity.
 
My carry camera is the Sony Alpha 5000. Great sensor, very small camera.
It has been dropped many times and still works fantastically. I would struggle to resell it though. The fact that I can remote control it from my iphone is a big plus.

As far as fun is concerned, I just got a D40 which I pair with the 35G and that is enough for me and is now my 2d most used camera lens combo.

When I am really really travelling light, i.e. in town with no bags at all I take my Canon SX220HS.
Does the job but is only marginally smaller than the A5000.
 
I’m using an iPhone 7 right now and it works pretty well as an everyday camera. I shoot DNG and edit in Lightroom with my own custom camera profiles, so I’m pushing the camera about as far as it can go.

I just threw away a Nikon Coolpix P330 with some intermittant problems. At 28mm equivalent, which I use a lot, I prefer the iPhone DNG files over the Nikon RAW files.

I’ve been doing some window shopping lately for cameras. Would I rather spend $1000.00 on a Panasonic LX100 mkII or an iPhone Xs? The iPhone would make a better day to day camera for me than the Panasonic.
 
I’ve been doing some window shopping lately for cameras. Would I rather spend $1000.00 on a Panasonic LX100 mkII or an iPhone Xs? The iPhone would make a better day to day camera for me than the Panasonic.
This is the heart of it. We complain about the cost of the phones but would drop the same money on a camera or, maybe, instead of a camera. Or on a more effective camera?
 
In the past, I carried a Minox35 in its tiny leather case. I still miss it, in fact. But today, it’s the GR or the ‘sacrificial’ older GX200 when the weather is nasty.

Like Steve, I think the X70 is a bit too hefty, and like Matt, I’m not a fan of the RX100 lineup. I want to like the RX100 for the purpose we’re describing, but I just can’t get there.
 
In the past, I carried a Minox35 in its tiny leather case. I still miss it, in fact.
+1 - and what's even better, I still own one and use it occasionally (mine's a GT-E II). It's a fantastic option - even though I miss a rangefinder; IQ beats the XA I inherited from my father, though, so I'd still pick the GT-E over it any time. However, today, I prefer other film cameras - but I can't help but noticing that I define "EDC" very differently from most other people in this thread (I consider the Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta 531/16 a perfect EDC camera - compact enough, but most importantly, gorgeous results).

Looking at the thread, I think I'm in the minority since I don't mind carrying a small bag (ONA Bowery, most of the time) - or rather, I can no longer imagine not doing so; it takes a camera or two (one digital, one film) as well as other essentials, like a book and some small everyday stuff. If that's not feasible, it's because I have to carry bigger bags or backpacks anyway, and those'll take the camera(s) as well. I guess we all differ in our notion of "convenience" ...

EDIT: My Bowery packed for SiO (the book would go in the back pocket - but not today, I have to take the car, so no opportunity for reading ...).
_DSC2514.jpg
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Even the MiNT InstantKon RF70 can be made into an "EDC" ;)

M.
 
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A few observations from my side...
- a smartphone is a more attractive object to thieves than a (compact) camera
- in photography-sensitive northwest africa at least, my fuji x100 got the least number of negative responses, followed by my dinky samsung ex1, with the phone being least appreciated - people understand that a smartphone picture of you could be on the other side of the world before you even got the chance to say, No photos.
- smartphones are ludicrously convenient. All kinds of evil, too, but so damn convenient.
- smartphone images, even what I've seen from the pixel 3, still don't come close to my original x100 for image quality - and that's an issue since I like to print Big
- smartphones don't handle nicely
- i don't carry a dedicated camera on a daily basis, but i would love an x100 type camera that was waterproof and fit in my pants pocket, while still handling better than a smartphone
 
I carry my iPhone SE everywhere and I love it. I take a lot of photos with it but all for work - cataloging discrepancies, document scans, etc. It's indispensable.

I've thought about a dual lens phone for the pseudo isolation effect but I can't get myself to give up the size of the SE.

When/wher-ever the slightest photo opportunity should arise I'll carry an ILC with a few lenses in a Domke 5B series like an X-T2 with a 14 and a 35. Or maybe just a 23. This is still EDC to me because I'm a fanatic and it's literally EDC.
I can count the times I've said to myself I wish I had a camera on one hand in the last ten years.

I've tried the APS-C fixed lens cameras. GR, CoolpixA, X100(all), X-70. I liked them and the 18mm or 23mm is a good viewing angle for me. In the end I find that having a lens instead of a second body/fixed lens is economical and I that I need to follow that rule. I gave an X100f a run as my only camera for quite a while. If the WCL/TCL were just a little wider and tighter I might still be using it.

I've tried a few compact fixed lens zoom cameras, LX100 and RX100 but never really bonded. I tried hard to though and I can't put a finger on the why. I think Nikon was trying to develop and ultra wide to wide fixed lens compact.(?) That would've been something.

I have an X-E3 inbound and am excited to see how it compares to my X-T2. I like having all the external features but honestly I think they're wasted on me. I'm simple. Shaving off a few mms and grams will translate nicely to EDC. I think.
 
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I've already posted about my current situatiion. The original post in this thread included some speculation, so here are a few of my forward looking thoughts.

A phone that gives me 28, 50, and 85mm equivalent photos at the same or better quality than my current 28mm phone camera would be very desireable as an everyday camera.

People are carrying camera bags with them everywhere! I don’t do that, but what if I did? My Coolpix A would go in the bag for sure. Fuji’s Instax Square SQ10 would also fit in a small bag. I’d be tempted to get one, but with a few improvements.

The current SQ10 takes 3.7 megapixel JPEGs with a 1/4” sensor, saves them to the camera, and allows them to be printed on the built-in printer. By swapping out the memory card, JPEGs can be saved to other devices. Also, JPEGs from other cameras can be copied to the memory card and printed in the SQ10.

I’d like an SQ10 with WiFi printing and sharing, the option to save to DNG, and perhaps an upgraded camera. This speculative SQ100 would have a place in my speculative everyday camera bag. :)

Note that Fuji already makes a square format printer that is battery powered and WiFi enabled. The Instax Share SP-3 SQ adds 312 grams to your camera bag, plus film.
 
i don't carry a dedicated camera on a daily basis, but i would love an x100 type camera that was waterproof and fit in my pants pocket, while still handling better than a smartphone

Sealife DC2000. 31mm focal length, and a 1" sensor. You don't *have* to use the waterproof housing, because the internal camera is waterproof too, just not to the depth of the full housing.
 
Sealife DC2000. 31mm focal length, and a 1" sensor. You don't *have* to use the waterproof housing, because the internal camera is waterproof too, just not to the depth of the full housing.
I did look into that one, but it comes up just a bit short in terms of subject separation. That, and i'd like some form of viewfinder and 2 dials for adjusting aperture and exposure compensation. Apart from those points, it's very close to my perfect edc camera.

...Well, since I'm already dreaming, add a tilting screen, image stabilization and 4k video to the list X-D and a focal length of 35-40mm equivalent
 
If I'm concerned about the I.Q. of images I might take, then my X-E3/27f2.8 is my EDC. If I simply want to record very acceptable images regardless of conditions, then my Olympus TG-5 gets the nod. That tiny camera easily slips in to any pocket, and has some amazing features no other camera of it's kind can brag about.
 
This is one of those threads - and one of those questions - that not only has no right or wrong answer, but any answer will be deeply subjective.

I have struggled with this very question for decades. I am still not sold on the portable telephone - no matter how good - as a go everywhere camera because, let's be honest, every single one has the ergonomics of an oily pop-tart.

So.

In the past my daily carry has been, in no particular order...

Konica A4
Contax T2
Yashica T4
Rollei 35
Minox ML
Voigtlander Vito
Minox B
Leica M6
Leica M7
Leica M2
Leica MP
Leica II*
Leica CM
Leica Minilux zoom
Leica D-Lux 4
Ricoh GR (film)
Ricoh GRIII
RICOH GR*
Olympus Trip*
Olympus XA
Olympus XA2
Olympus Mju-II
Fuji X10*
Fuji X100
Fuji X100T
Fuji X100F*
Fuji XF1
Sony RX100 III*

...and those are the ones I can remember... The asterisks? The ones I carry today. I chop and change depending on how I feel on a particular day. I have recently acquired the Sony, after flirting with a later model over the summer. Wow it's a Marmite camera, and really hard to love, but it packs a lot of power in a small space. If Fuji did anything similar in terms of size and performance I would have it in preference, predominantly because I infinitely prefer the Fuji approach to the user interface.

I often carry a bag, so that isn't an issue. If I have a small camera and no bag it's almost certainly in a belt pouch, under my jacket or overshirt.

My ideal camera? A Ricoh GR body size with a viewfinder and a collapsible lens with a 50mm FOV. The nearest I have ever found to that perfection?

My nearly 90-year-old Leica II...

IID 5cm Nickel Elmar.jpg
 
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