Best pocketable point and shoot

[muf]

When defining 'pocketable', I assume you mean that it will easily go in a pocket and you don't feel it is 'squeezed' in there. The Contax T3 is small but is also a little fat, so to speak. If you are wearing snug fitting jeans, not tight, just snug, then you will certainly notice it and it will be a little uncomfortable. The Ricoh GR1 series on the other hand are slimmer, to the point that you can put one in your jeans pocket easily, without stretching occuring with the fabric. The GR1v that I used to own never had to be a 'coat pocket' camera. However, the Contax T3 I had sometimes had to be relegated to my coat if I was wearing 'snug' jeans.

The T3 does however give you the option of getting a little attention from the ladies....

 

[dallard]

Anyone here have any experience with the Fuji Klasse cameras?

 

[OlliL]

I had the Klasse W.

Wonderful IQ and great ergonomics, but more coat pocketable, than something for your pants. 😉
And quite heavy, too.

 

[Corto]

Anyone here have any experience with the Fuji Klasse cameras?

Fairly expensive Camera.

Do a search here on RFF.....

 

[nighstar]

i don't know about film P&S, but for digital my vote goes to the Ricoh GRDIV and the GRD line in general. awesome little camera that even outdoes my Olympus E-P2 at times.

 

[Greyscale]

If you don't mind a little noise, the Canon MC has a terrific lens.

 

[kzphoto]

GRD IV for digital, Fuji Natura Black f/1.9 or Ricoh GR1v for film. The GR1v has really great flash capabilities, the Natura for low light photography.

 

[Rayt]

The GR-1 has mechanical switches for +/- exposure, flash and aperture control. Is there another p&s with these feature? Most cameras have these settings in menu and must be set again when power off. I have come to like the 28mm for street and now prefer it. And don't forget about Snap mode!

 

[OlliL]

Fuji Klasse W does all that, too.
Plus you can set your desired distance for prefocussing.

 

[john341]

Thats easy

Thats easy

I use a Zeiss Taxona, similar to the Tenax. My model has a Tessar lens, drops into my pocket. Top camera. Good old Zeiss!

 

[whitecat]

I like the Nikon 35 ti. Fantastic optics.

 

[Trius]

While a great camera, the XA isn't a point and shoot. Unless by point and shoot you mean you can point it at something, check the exposure, fiddle with the rangefinder focus and then take the shot. By that standard, any rangefinder is a point and shoot. Heck, any SLR is a point and shoot. Why not recommend a Pentax Auto 110—an actual SLR that can actually fit in a pocket. I bet I could even fit two in my pocket so long as I didn't mount the 50mm lens.

With the XA, you just set (hyperfocal) distance, aperture and shoot. Leave the exposure setting where it is until conditions change. Sorta like HCB used to do. I hear he was a pretty good photographer who captured some neat moments.

 

[emraphoto]

still rolling with my Canon s90 after many, many miles. very pocketable and an all around brilliant little machine.

 

[emraphoto]

still rolling with my Canon s90 after many, many miles. very pocketable and an all around brilliant little machine.

 

[eurekaiv]

While you can set it up that way, I think that puts it at a huge disadvantage to cameras that can automatically adjust to the various lighting conditions without user input. Plus it's also fairly easy to inadvertently move the focus dial on an XA. IMO, a P&S has either AF or fixed focus and full AE (at least as an option) or one shutter speed. Scale focus and rangefinders—regardless of how small or easy they are to use—are their own class of cameras and it seems RFF agrees since they created separate forum sections for each.

With the XA, you just set (hyperfocal) distance, aperture and shoot. Leave the exposure setting where it is until conditions change. Sorta like HCB used to do. I hear he was a pretty good photographer who captured some neat moments.

 

[semilog]

I don't know how people serious about photography can be satisfied by Digicams with such tiny sensors, for me they're good for pictures on the internet though.

Under good conditions (what one encounters most of the time), small sensors can yield astonishingly good image quality. Enough, certainly, for a 12x18" print. This is especially so if good technique is used.

 

[AJShepherd]

It all depends what you mean by 'pocketable'. I mean, my Franka Rolfix II will fit in some of my trouser pockets, when folded.

Folded Franka Rolfix 2 by Antony J Shepherd, on Flickr
Admittedly I have to keep hitching my trousers up at that side, and have a tendency to walk in circles, but it's still pocketable!!!

But seriously, I have to say my Ricoh GRD is my most truly pocketable camera and while I've had it six years now it's my go-everywhere digital.

As far as film goes, there's my Vivitar Ultra-Wide and Slim, the Minox GTS, the Rollei B35, the Olympus EE2, the Trip 35 or the Minolta Hi-Matic F, which while it's a rangefinder is full auto for everything else, so I think still counts as a P&S.

 

[Corto]

It all depends what you mean by 'pocketable'. I mean, my Franka Rolfix II will fit in some of my trouser pockets, when folded.

Folded Franka Rolfix 2 by Antony J Shepherd, on Flickr
Admittedly I have to keep hitching my trousers up at that side, and have a tendency to walk in circles, but it's still pocketable!!!

Agreed, As does my Isolette's. But they are Fully manual cameras and not P&S IMHO.

 

[MaxElmar]

Under good conditions (what one encounters most of the time), small sensors can yield astonishingly good image quality. Enough, certainly, for a 12x18" print. This is especially so if good technique is used.

Indeed - technique becomes more important as the format gets smaller! But certainly, even a small sensor camera, when used on a tripod (and getting all the other basics right), can yield amazing results. Unfortunately, P&S cameras don't often get used that way, and their reputation suffers as a result.

I'm quite sure 8x10 and whole plate film photographers said the same about the Leica when it came out. "How can you get good results from such a small-format camera?"

 

[Vics]

Just curious to see what you guys think is the best point and shoot that will easily fit into your pants pocket.

Film or digital. Or both.

I don't know much about digital cameras, but whe my daughter the writer asked for a pocketable digicam for Christmas two years ago, I went down to BestBuy and bought her a Panasonic (don't know the model) that sported a nice little Leica moderate zoom lens for $189, and the pics she gets with it are amazing. Her only complaint has been that she can't really see the screen very well in sunlight. It is VERY thin! A friend of mine bought one the next year just like hers, but his has a built in GPS feature! Shows up as part of the EXIF data. Very handy.