Lumix fz200 or Sony rx100

[DisneyFreak06]

Hi everyone, I'm heading to Rio for 2 weeks in July, and I'll be staying somewhere where I probably won't feel comfortable leaving my DSLR and all my equipment. I might be literally sleeping on a gym floor or in a church basement, for all I know.When I'm out volunteering, I may need to be carrying my camera with me in a *gasp* fanny pack kind of thing.

Which means, I need to buy a new camera. I need something that I has some manual controls as I can't go from my DSLR (and all my lenses) to something completely point and shoot.

It does not need to be able to fit in my pocket, that's not a big deal, as long as it can fit in something small enough, like a fanny pack that I can carry around my waist.

I was leaning towards the two I already mentioned, the Panasonic Lumix fz200 or the Sony rx100 (mainly due to pictures I've seen here). I like that the Lumix has the constant 2.8 and the big zoom. The Sony has a bigger sensor and more MPs (which is convenient sometimes).

Have any of you used either of these? I know that at least one of you has used the Sony because I've seen some great shots from it!!!

I can't go into a store to play with them either, because I haven't found any for sale around here. I'd have to get them on line.

 

[havoc315]

Remember, the Sony has a 1.8 lens when wide. It is 2.8 and under, up to about 40mm. It is also a Carl Zeiss lens -- regardless of aperture, I find it far sharper than my dSLR with kit lens. Taking landscapes, I think my Rx100 is actually better than my dSLR with kit lens.

I haven't used the fz100 (or is it 200 now?), but I suspect the rx100 is better in every way except 2:
If you need more overall zoom than 105mm, and if you need large aperture zoom. Those two factors may be very important to you. But if you can live within 105mm (with all those megapixels you can crop to 200mm equivalent or more), and you don't mind going wide for low light, I think you would be very happy with the Sony.

On size, I suspect the Sony will fit much more easily in your fanny pack.

Also in the future, beyond this trip, the size of the Sony may give you more reason to carry it around. While the fz200 isn't really compact enough for a huge advantage over your dSLR.

Anyway, objective comparison :

http://snapsort.com/compare/Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-FZ200-vs-Sony-Cybershot-DSC-RX100

 

[DisneyFreak06]

Remember, the Sony has a 1.8 lens when wide. It is 2.8 and under, up to about 40mm. It is also a Carl Zeiss lens -- regardless of aperture, I find it far sharper than my dSLR with kit lens. Taking landscapes, I think my Rx100 is actually better than my dSLR with kit lens.

I haven't used the fz100 (or is it 200 now?), but I suspect the rx100 is better in every way except 2:
If you need more overall zoom than 105mm, and if you need large aperture zoom. Those two factors may be very important to you. But if you can live within 105mm (with all those megapixels you can crop to 200mm equivalent or more), and you don't mind going wide for low light, I think you would be very happy with the Sony.

On size, I suspect the Sony will fit much more easily in your fanny pack.

Also in the future, beyond this trip, the size of the Sony may give you more reason to carry it around. While the fz200 isn't really compact enough for a huge advantage over your dSLR.

Anyway, objective comparison :

http://snapsort.com/compare/Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-FZ200-vs-Sony-Cybershot-DSC-RX100

Thanks! I still haven't decided... and who knows what will happen since I can't play with them! That's what bothers me. I'd like to actually look at them in person and play with them.

 

[photo_chick]

dpreview.com just had them both on their list of top 5 point and shoot picks. Go check out their reviews and maybe that will help you decide. Personally, given the reviews in that article I'd give the Canon G15 a good look as well.

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/6698413448/dpreview-recommends-top-5-compact-cameras

 

[DisneyFreak06]

dpreview.com just had them both on their list of top 5 point and shoot picks. Go check out their reviews and maybe that will help you decide. Personally, given the reviews in that article I'd give the Canon G15 a good look as well.

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/6698413448/dpreview-recommends-top-5-compact-cameras

Thanks. I used to have the G11 so I'm very familiar with this line.