Good jersey pocket sized camera, recommendations.

[DBordewisch]

Cell phone does "ok" however I would like something better. Digital SLR is just way to big. Which of the pocket sized digital cameras do a good job. How many pixels, features that help, those that are not needed. Some of the ride report pics blow and make great screen savers. Thanks in advance!

[joosttx]

Cell phone does "ok" however I would like something better. Digital SLR is just way to big. Which of the pocket sized digital cameras do a good job. How many pixels, features that help, those that are not needed. Some of the ride report pics blow and make great screen savers. Thanks in advance!

Sony RX-100. Don't know all the details but I stand behind it literally and figuratively.

[Bobonli]

There's thread on this topic down in the galleries section that has a lot of information.

Canon S100 user here. Great autofocus, lots of customs settings and manual, too. Nice lens that is sharp across the aperture range. Fits nicely in a jersey pocket. If I wanted utmost image quality but could live with fixed focal length, it would be the Richoh GR hands down.

Caution carrying it in the jersey if you perspire a lot. It's easy to get these things wet. Ask me how I know. Now, unless I know I'm going out for pictures, I just use my iPhone in a Lifeproof waterproof case. The picture quality is pretty good and I'd rather have a multi-tasker (phone, internet, camera) in my pocket than a uni-tasker (phone) and I like that I can post directly to Instagram or this forum.

When I do carry the canon, it almost always goes in a top-tube bag so I can get to it quickly, snap the picture and then stow it away.

[j44ke]

Yeah, the Sony RX-100 is probably the best camera in that size by quite a margin. It is also $700, but it has the image quality to back it up.

Others to look at are the tried and true Canon S1XX series. Current model is the S120 but there are S110's around at lower prices. Smaller and lighter than the Sony but with a smaller sensor. Still head and shoulders above what a phone can produce.

Panasonic LX-7's used here by Mr. Rohner is an excellent camera with lots of photographer controllable versus automatic features.

Panasonic also has a newer camera called the LF1 that actually has a usable viewfinder which is helpful in bright sunlight that can make LCD's difficult to use.

Fuji has a new camera called the XQ1 that is very thin and well shaped (IMHO) for a jersey pocket. And the images I've seen from the camera look great.

[j44ke]

I'll just add this one - the original Olympus E-P1 with its pancake 17mm for about $300. Okay, it is a little bigger than jersey pocket size, but the image quality (especially after you've done a few firmware updates on the body & lens - no difficult) is excellent I think. You can pull the viewfinder off the top and leave it at home. I have the E-PL1 which was the "cheaper" version but with all the same guts, and it does right well I think (and this shot is with the cheaper kit zoom lens no one likes for some reason.)

[joosttx]

Yeah, the Sony RX-100 is probably the best camera in that size by quite a margin. It is also $700, but it has the image quality to back it up.

Not anymore. Sony has released a RX100 II which is bulkier than the original RX100. You can buy a new original RX100 for less than $400 as a result.

[Sbti]

Not anymore. Sony has released a RX100 II

Soon to be out of date:

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III announced. Hey, it has a viewfinder.

[j44ke]

Yeah, and the lens is F1.8-2.8. The zoom range is 24-70mm instead of 28-100mm, but I think 24-70mm is a better range for a small camera anyway. The aperture speed helps keep the ISO down and allows more subject isolation (possibly) for portraits.

Sony makes great sensors. I've been reading up on the new Leica T and comparing specs, I think that camera is using a Sony sensor instead of the usual Panasonic.

[mstyer]

I'm pretty happy with the Nikon AW110 that I bought last fall. It's waterproof to 60 ft, shockproof from 6+ ft, and available in a bright orange that's easy to find if you drop it accidentally.

[xjoex]

I recently picked up a Panasonic GM1 for when I rode with other people. It is a bit deeper than an Canon S110... but the images are amazing. And as a M4/3 user I can use the same lenses.

Check some pictures here: robonza.tumblr.com

-Joe

[xjoex]

Pics of the camera:


And I carry it in a Lowepro Dashpoint 20


More pics:
robonza: Review Lowepro Dashpoint 20

[robin3mj]

If you're also interested in (off the bike) having full manual controls and great ergonomics*, the Ricoh's are great, The GR IV can be had for cheap these days (and is slightly smaller than the new model), whereas the sensor on the new GR is up there with DSLR's.

* You know how people praise a frame by saying the 'bike disappears beneath you'? That's how it is for the Ricoh GR-series cameras once you get them set up to your taste.