Quality compact for parents.....

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RAB2000

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Rob
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Hi

My parents are off to New Zealand in the new year and currently have a very cheap basic compact camera. I'm thinking of getting them something better.

At the moment I can see the Sony RX100 I is still available new for £241 with cashback. My brothers might chip in and the budget could be stretched up to say £400 but in some ways it's nice not be carrying something too valuable around.

Will be shot in full auto (except for the odd time I get my hands on it!) My dad can see a decent picture but I don't think he's got the inclination to start learning, although perhaps I can encourage.

In order of importance:

- Size, the more compact the better (they travel quite light)
- Ease of use
- IQ
- Good video with no focus issues (I had a Fuji XE-1 once so have ruled out Fuji as having poor video)
- Zoom (standard is fine ie 24-70 equiv, more would be a bonus)
- Low light capabilities

Would consider second hand as well.

The Sony RX100 I covers the above quite well. The RX100 II can be had new for £345 (or 2nd hand for £200-£230). Is it worth stretching to the RX100 II?

Are there any other cameras I should be looking at? The video being the important thing as this seems to vary quite a bit. Some people don't care about the video (eg me) but my dad uses it a lot.

Thank you!
 
I have had a Sony RX100 since they were launched. It is a great camera and is the one always with me if I cannot be bothered to carry the DSLR. Great IQ, genuinely pocketable and good at higher ISO's. Is the MkII better and worth the extra money - I don't know you need someone who has owned both to get a real world opinion.

But if your buy a MkI you (and your parents) will not be disappointed.
 
I cannot comment about the MKI but I have had the MkII and it is a superb camera. It does have a lot of features and controls but just leaving it on Auto will, most normally, produce excellent results. Highly recommended.
 
What if anything do they have now?
Some brands retain similar menu structures but might not be that important if using mainly auto (introduce P mode!)
Another obvious small one is the Canon S120
While image quality and low-light ability seem paramount to more experienced users, a good zoom might be more appreciated (wide and telephoto ends) in many situations.
However this soon results in a bigger heavier camera.
 
I have a Mk1 RX100 and it is very good imo, so much so that I have no desire to buy the later version ...
 
Thank you for the replies and yes, reasonably set on the RX100 I but just wondering about other brands as well.

I'll check out the Canon S120.

Current camera I think is about the most basic Canon compact you can get, c£60 and 1-2 years old.
 
If you've not already done so, why not ask them what their requirements are? If you already have, then ignore the rest of what I've written!

When I was asked a similar question by my parents, they were after something with a nice big screen, a good long zoom and easy to use. Beyond that they weren't fussed, as their pictures are viewed mainly on screen and occasionally as 7x5 prints. I quickly realised that it's easy, as an enthusiast photographer, to overlay your own wishlist of features that quite frankly are of little interest to everyone else and just bump up the purchase cost unnecessarily.

In the end I just advised my dad to go to the local camera shop (a proper one, not Curry's or Jessops), talk to the staff and pick the one which looked the nicest. He ended up with a Panasonic compact of some description which they are more than happy with and if anything is more camera than they need.
 
Your point about '- Good video with no focus issues (I had a Fuji XE-1 once so have ruled out Fuji as having poor video)'

I have noticed a lot of cameras can hunt in auto mode.

I have been after a P&S to do this and you may want to look at the Canon G7X which has touch focus to help with any hunting.
 
I am happy with my G7X. Nice bright lens too. I tend to take it out more than my DSLR these days.
 
I've just come back from NZ shooting with an RX100 (mk1)! When I'm home later I'll post some images from the 2,000 or so I took (and still haven't finished processing!)

I did hanker after my 6d (I didn't take any of my DSLR kit as I was also jungle trekking through Asia and needed something VERY small and light) whilst I was out there but it did a fairly good job :)
 
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Ok, just a few from NZ shot on the mk1 RX100, these are still a work in progress as I've got a lot more to process! This will give you a good idea of what to expect. All shot raw and processed in Lightroom (also posted in the RX100 thread);

211 by Jim, on Flickr

210 by Jim, on Flickr

116 by Jim, on Flickr
 
viewfromthenorth said:
If you've not already done so, why not ask them what their requirements are? If you already have, then ignore the rest of what I've written!

When I was asked a similar question by my parents, they were after something with a nice big screen, a good long zoom and easy to use. Beyond that they weren't fussed, as their pictures are viewed mainly on screen and occasionally as 7x5 prints. I quickly realised that it's easy, as an enthusiast photographer, to overlay your own wishlist of features that quite frankly are of little interest to everyone else and just bump up the purchase cost unnecessarily.

In the end I just advised my dad to go to the local camera shop (a proper one, not Curry's or Jessops), talk to the staff and pick the one which looked the nicest. He ended up with a Panasonic compact of some description which they are more than happy with and if anything is more camera than they need.
Click to expand...

I'd echo this.

As enthusiast photographers we sometimes get a vicarious kick out of recommending over-specified cameras for causal photographers. What do they actually want as opposed to what you think they need?
 
Kaolin said:
Panasonic LX100, hits all your criteria, although it is larger than a Sony RX100. Image quality is excellent, so is the video, lens is 24-70 and works well in low light.
Click to expand...

How good is the auto focus in video mode? Can it handle scenes well without too much hunting?
 
Thanks for the input here. Have gone ahead with the RX100 I, seems good value new for £241 and ticks all the boxes!

Those NZ pictures look great!
 
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