New compact camera for street shooter

G

Gzisis89

Member
Local time
9:48 PM
Joined
May 15, 2023
Messages
18
Hello to the community snd many thanx for the intetesting topics that you often discuss. I need your help with a new camera. I decided to start shooting more street for the next year since after the covid i almost stopped photographing and i miss it so much. I would like a very small camera with a 35mm equavalent lens that focuses quick, has a very good viewfinder. I wouldnt want to give more than 1000 euro at very most for the set. Size is very important cause if its a big camera it will stay home most of the time. What would you suggest ?
 
Fuji X100F (cons: autofocus should be good but these might be hard to find for the price you want since all X100 models have shot up in price due to them becoming popular on TikTok. All X100 models are too big to be pocketable - not big but I don't know how compact is "compact" enough for you)
Fuji X100T (con: autofocus tends to backfocus without strong contrast)
Ricoh GRIIIx (cons: need to buy external viewfinder. 40mm equivalent rather than 35mm equivalent)
Used Nikon Z50 and 24mm ƒ/1.7 (try and find a used body to stay under budget)
Canon EOS M50 Mark II and 22mm ƒ/2 (con: obsolete product line - little future support or new cameras or lenses)
Olympus OMD-EM5 Mark II or OMD-EM1 Mark II and Olympus 17mm ƒ/1.8 (con: the EM5 uses contrast detect autofocus only. EM1 uses phase and contrast hybrid. I hear both are solid, however.)
Fuji XT-200 or X-E3 and either 27mm ƒ/2.8 WR or 23mm ƒ/2 WR (cons: 23mm lens is conical, not a pancake lens. 27mm pancake lens is 40mm equivalent rather than 35mm, 23mm is soft wide open, tech in XT-200 may be obsolete or lacking in features for you)
 
Last edited:
Gzisis89 said:
Hello to the community snd many thanx for the intetesting topics that you often discuss. I need your help with a new camera. I decided to start shooting more street for the next year since after the covid i almost stopped photographing and i miss it so much. I would like a very small camera with a 35mm equavalent lens that focuses quick, has a very good viewfinder. I wouldnt want to give more than 1000 euro at very most for the set. Size is very important cause if its a big camera it will stay home most of the time. What would you suggest ?
Click to expand...
You are really asking the question: what alternatives are there to the X100V, that are readily available in the shops either new or used.

One more to add to the list started by @Judge Holden is the m4/3 GX80/85 or the GX9 plus the superb Panasonic/Leica 15/1.7
 
The Fuji X100 series is very nice but not really a compact camera if you are looking to slide it in your back pocket (I have the X100v). It’s slightly smaller than my Leica M11 with 35 Cron v.2 or 28 Elmarit attached.

I don’t believe the Ricoh has a viewfinder.

I also have a Sony RX100III that is a little fat but fits in my back pocket no problem. It has a very nice pop-up electronic viewfinder as well as a tilting back screen when you want to shoot street surreptitiously…plenty of aperture/priority and manual options…auto focus works well enough as I have shot plenty of street shots successfully with it…
 
Thanx for the suggestions, the x100 series is out for me because of the price and availability and the fact that old models cost too much for me to appreciate them. If the model before the 100v would cost around 500 i would think of it but after that price range it is an old camera. Is the panasonic/leica 30mm equavalent ? How does this work ? Is it more 28 or 35 ?
 
First suggestion would be the Fuji X100V/F but availability is rough.

Next suggestion is LX100 II. Turn off the Zoom on the ring, set Zoom to preset focal lengths and turn Zoom Resume on. Set the camera to 35mm equivalent field of view and every time you turn on the camera it will go to that focal length. Selectable ARs (3:2, 16:9, 1:1, 4:3 without really changing FOV or loosing resolution) and you have the added benefit of 24-75mm lenses if you need a different focal length.
 
Dear Gzisis89,

They are not new cameras, but have you considered any of the Fujifilm X-10, X-20, or X-30 cameras?

Yes, they are older cameras and you would be buying a used camera. But on the plus side they are about the size of a deck of cards, have an excellent 28-112mm F2.0 zoom lens and offer many customizable features and film simulations. Plus, they are really nice to look at, as they are styled like a traditional film rangefinder camera. ;)

Good luck in your search!

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Harrisburg PA :)
 
If I didn’t have anything and had to buy such a camera for street, I would buy a used Bessa L with 25mm Snapshot Skopar with finder. Zone focusing is not difficult with a 25mm. Digital I would get a Ricoh GR.
 
Rayt said:
If I didn’t have anything and had to buy such a camera for street, I would buy a used Bessa L with 25mm Snapshot Skopar with finder. Zone focusing is not difficult with a 25mm. Digital I would get a Ricoh GR.
Click to expand...
The OP said he's looking for a very small digital cam...
 

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VA -$1,000​

Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III -$750​

If you want to go second-hand for less and accept a higher degree of shutter lag, also consider the Canon PowerShot S95, S100, and S120. The size of a pack of cigarettes, shoot jpg and raw, and deliver good results. Cheers, OtL
 
Last edited:
I recently bought the Ricoh GR3X, which is 40mm (rather than 35), the GR3 variety is 28mm. They lack a viewfinder, but I find the screen works better than I expected. APS-C sensor, so the same as the X100 series, but much smaller. The camera is actually pocketable in anything but tight pants. Turns on very quickly. It’s about 1000, or there about s.
 
I always tout the Panasonic Lumix L100 for folks looking for a small camera. It has a micro 4/3 sensor and a roughly 24-70 equivalent lens and when the lens is contracted will fit in your jacket pocket quite nicely. Might come in a little over your budget but not by much.
 
The Ricoh GR IIIx seems exactly what you want. It's about $1000 ( € 900). Add a 35mm optical viewfinder. Done.

G
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom