Looking for best compact camera for Disney

[Nhebron]

I am going to Disney soon and looking for a smaller camera than my DSLR. My goal is to find something small that I can take quality pics with during the day and then I will bring out my DSLR and tripod during specific times. It was just too much carrying around my camera bag last time. I do have a Canon Elph and an iPhone. Looking for a compact camera that would give me more options than the Elph, particularly for indoor, low light attractions. My DSLR is older and gets noisy at iso 800.

Any recommendations? I googled but am looking for personal recommendations and even examples of pic quality if you are willing to share. I prefer Canons because that's what I know....but am open to other brands.

Thanks!!

 

[boBQuincy]

I am going to Disney soon and looking for a smaller camera than my DSLR. My goal is to find something small that I can take quality pics with during the day and then I will bring out my DSLR and tripod during specific times. It was just too much carrying around my camera bag last time. I do have a Canon Elph and an iPhone. Looking for a compact camera that would give me more options than the Elph, particularly for indoor, low light attractions. My DSLR is older and gets noisy at iso 800.

Any recommendations? I googled but am looking for personal recommendations and even examples of pic quality if you are willing to share. I prefer Canons because that's what I know....but am open to other brands.

Thanks!!

"Best" is a personal choice but here are my recommendations:
Smaller than DSLR with quality pics and good in low light? Yoda might say "a mirrorless you seek, hmm?". Unfortunately Canon was the last to offer one and it is not a good one (EOS-m). Nikon's 1 series has a too-small sensor and very limited lens choices. The best imho are from Olympus and Panasonc, partly because the lens lineup is by far the widest (and they both can use each others lenses).

The choice may come down to whether you want a real viewfinder or not. The top of the class without a viewfinder may be Panasonic's new G-M1, and it is small! Olympus has the E-PL5 and E-PM2. Image quality of these is good though, maybe as good as Canon's dSLRs. For a viewfinder the choices are Panasonic's G5 or G6, and their GX7. Olympus has the E-M5 and the top of the class E-M1. All but the GX7 look like small dSLRs, the GX7 is a rangefinder style.

The reason I would choose one of these over a fixed lens camera is the lenses, for low light we can get a f/1.4 or f/1.2 or even a f/0.95! Also, once you get used to one of these small but capable camera you may not carry the dSLR at all anymore. I just started selling my Canon dSLRs and lenses since I haven't used them for years.

 

[havoc315]

I used the rx100 at Disney a while ago. It easily exceeded my older dSLR in low light performance.
In fact, I was able to get pretty good dark ride shots with it.

I actually found it to be the perfect Disney World compact camera.


Great Movie Ride, Wizard of Oz by Havoc315, on Flickr


Tower of Terror lobby by Havoc315, on Flickr


Epcot Illuminations by Havoc315, on Flickr


Disney Boardwalk sunset by Havoc315, on Flickr


DSC01290 by Havoc315, on Flickr

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Sony RX100 (newest is the RX100 II). If it had a 300mm zoom I'd almost wonder if I still wanted a DSLR.

 

[havoc315]

Sony RX100 (newest is the RX100 II). If it had a 300mm zoom I'd almost wonder if I still wanted a DSLR.

That's what some reviewers are saying about the rx10....
Rx100 sensor with 24-200 2.8 lens. But at $1300... It better be replacing your dSLR. (Just a 70-200 2.8 dSLR lens is over $1300... So if it's replacing a 17-55/2.8 and a 70-200 2.8, it's a "value")

 

[SplashMo]

RX100 would be my choice. RX10, bigger and more money but the lens is longer and faster. Size is similar to a DSLR.

Oly E-M1, E-M5, or for a small camera the Panasonic GM-1. Recommended lenses: The kit lens from the GM-1. Panasonic 20mm, Olympus 45mm. Basically a normal zoom, fast primes. Multiply focal length time two to get 35mm equivalent.

 

[jewood1234]

I made the switch to micro 4/3 a few years ago and haven't looked back. You can small (Panny GM1, Oly Epm1 or Epm2) or a tad bigger and more of the "rangefinder" style.

Agree with posters above that there are good, cheap pre-owned lenses...especially primes that get great dark ride performance. I have the 45/1.8, 12/2, and the 12-50 Olympus. The primes are way better!

Have heard excellent reports on the RX Sonys too!

 

[disneybride96]

I made the switch to micro 4/3 a few years ago and haven't looked back. You can small (Panny GM1, Oly Epm1 or Epm2) or a tad bigger and more of the "rangefinder" style.

Agree with posters above that there are good, cheap pre-owned lenses...especially primes that get great dark ride performance. I have the 45/1.8, 12/2, and the 12-50 Olympus. The primes are way better!

Have heard excellent reports on the RX Sonys too!

Yet another vote for micro 4/3.

 

[Nhebron]

Thanks for the responses and pictures!

 

[boBQuincy]

These photos are from a micro 4/3 camera, a Panasonic G3 (now 3 generations old, I am upgrading soon!). To be fair these photos were taken with an assortment of lenses: 7-14; 12-35; 25; and 45-175. All together the lenses and camera still weigh less than my old dSLR and one lens! Still, if you do not want to carry multiple lenses then a fixed lens compact may be a better choice than micro 4/3.

http://suzieandbob.com/wdw/sep_2012/gene_kelly_1030233.jpg[/img

[img]http://suzieandbob.com/wdw/sep_2012/giraffe_1020824.jpg

 

[Nhebron]

These pictures are great. I think I am leaning towards a fixed lens camera. I just bought a new lens for my DSLR that wasn't cheap. Not sure I am ready to invest in another camera that requires lenses right now....although I recognize that I will likely need an upgrade from my DSLR at some point. It's a canon 50D.

 

[Nhebron]

I bought the Sony RX100 II. Just got it yesterday and trying to learn how to use it!

 

[manning]

I'm in Disney now and using a canon power shot sx 510. Brand new and getting to know it. It is a 24mm to 720mm zoom, 30x. The sx series is long zoom.

I just took shots of the statue on top of the plaza in Italy. Full frame. With the 24mm you don't have to stand way off to get everything into the picture. Last year they were putting up the topiaries for the flower and garden show. I had to take three shots to make a panorama shot of the Snow White and seven dwarfs. Bet if I had this camera I could have done it with one.

 

[Nhebron]

So one of the attributes I was looking for in the new camera was less noise at higher iso. My DSLR is older and gets pretty noisy above iso 800. Didn't want to invest in a new DSLR right now.....looking for something small and not so much of an investment.

I took the following pics using iso 3200. The aperture and shutter speed were slightly different, because I didn't have quite the right lens for the DSLR.

The RX100 II is on the left. Obviously, the WB and focus is off a bit, but I was pleased that it was less noisy than my older DSLR.

 

[Nhebron]

These photos are from a micro 4/3 camera, a Panasonic G3 (now 3 generations old, I am upgrading soon!). To be fair these photos were taken with an assortment of lenses: 7-14; 12-35; 25; and 45-175. All together the lenses and camera still weigh less than my old dSLR and one lens! Still, if you do not want to carry multiple lenses then a fixed lens compact may be a better choice than micro 4/3.

http://suzieandbob.com/wdw/sep_2012/gene_kelly_1030233.jpg[/img

[img]http://suzieandbob.com/wdw/sep_2012/giraffe_1020824.jpg

These pictures are awesome!

 

[Nhebron]

I am planning to bring both my DSLR and the sony RX100 to Disney.

The RX100 will be with me at all times and replace the pics I would have taken by iPhone.

The DSLR will definitely be used for Animal Kingdom, Wishes (planning to shoot from TTC), Illuminations, and some night shots at Hollywood Studios. There are certain evenings I am planning to break out the tripod and use the DLSR.

 

[sjs314]

I love my Oly E-PM1 mirrorless 4:3, especially good in low light situations

 

[havoc315]

So one of the attributes I was looking for in the new camera was less noise at higher iso. My DSLR is older and gets pretty noisy above iso 800. Didn't want to invest in a new DSLR right now.....looking for something small and not so much of an investment.

I took the following pics using iso 3200. The aperture and shutter speed were slightly different, because I didn't have quite the right lens for the DSLR.

The RX100 II is on the left. Obviously, the WB and focus is off a bit, but I was pleased that it was less noisy than my older DSLR.

Especially when shooting jpeg, I have found the rx100 outperforms it's sensor size. I'm pretty comfortable with many jpegs up to 6400. Can't necessarily even say that for most dslrs.

 

[boBQuincy]

So one of the attributes I was looking for in the new camera was less noise at higher iso. My DSLR is older and gets pretty noisy above iso 800. Didn't want to invest in a new DSLR right now.....looking for something small and not so much of an investment.

I took the following pics using iso 3200. The aperture and shutter speed were slightly different, because I didn't have quite the right lens for the DSLR.

The RX100 II is on the left. Obviously, the WB and focus is off a bit, but I was pleased that it was less noisy than my older DSLR.

If you took the photos *before* drinking the beer the focus might have been better!

 

[Nhebron]

If you took the photos *before* drinking the beer the focus might have been better!

Good point