What camera do I buy? / general gear talk

Any recommendations for a compact pockety camera? Dont really feel like the £1300 for the Fuji.

Just something to keep in a stem bag on bike, as I never end up carrying my main camera around anymore.

Doesn't have to be the best, ideally bit of weatherproofing, smallish, reasonable quality.

iphone

Phone or Ricoh GR III

Fwiw I've been really impressed with the Pixel 7 Pro after initially finding it a bit meh upgrade from the Pixel 5. The photos are solid. "Cinematic" video mode is fun if inconsistent. Macro is very effective and the 5 power zoom thing is impressive though you lose a bit if you're not consuming on a phone - miles better than old digital zoom on previous phones though.

This buzzard was about 200ft up. It's not great but it's detail I never would have had in the past without an actual camera.

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In the off chance you're interested in a Olympus OMD EM5 mk1, I'm going to send mine off to MPB soon. They offered me £100, but would be happy to give it to a LFGSSer for the same. It's a great small camera but would need a lens - I've got an X100V now.

nothing matches an iphone camera at fixed focal length it’s pointless to buy anything else

computational photography/pixel binning > wank megaixel wars

i have a ricoh griiix, full frame leica, sony a7something, fuji x100. All shit compared to iphone.

I don't really want a massive phone though, is the new iPhone SE (2022) enough? It is cheaper than a camera....

nah iphone 14 pro with 48mp RAW

I bought a used Panasonic GX7 of a friend, and while it won't fit in a jeans pocket the image quality is very good with the 20mm.
I've ditched both full frame, crop sensor and shooting raw completely.

a small phone and a camera is bigger than a a bigger phone

True, but I don't know if I want a massive phone on me at all times. Where as a compact camera I can keep In the stem bag.

Hmm.

All shit compared to iphone

is there any reason why camera manufacturers aren't doing whatever it is that Apple are doing?

the camera part of an iPhone 14 Pro can only account for a moderate fraction of the overall cost of the product, so cost can't be a reason that cameras makers are not doing this (whatever it is).

edit - to put it another way, isn't it really the processing that's better rather than the hardware?

is there any reason why camera manufacturers aren't doing whatever it is that Apple are doing?

because they are thick cunts stuck in their old ways, why do cameras look like they did 30+ years ago?! There is no innovation in trad camera brands, just keep fighting the megapixel war. Sure if you want to use a tele they are useful but for a 28/40mm focal length there is no point buying ANY digital camera over the latest iphone unless you are a professional photographer.

isn't it really the processing that's better rather than the hardware?

hardware is irrelevant

It can't help that the digital camera market is fairly small. Something like 10 million units per year compared with 1.4 billion smartphones (230 million iPhone). Must make a difference to R&D spend.

In terms of looking the way they do, same as bikes, the basic ergonomic ideal was arrived at eons ago. I can't speak to the quality of new phones because I don't have one, but I hate using a phone to take pictures with.

yes, this occurred to me too.

If the main purpose of the device is to have a big enough screen to play games / browse / watch tv etc, and also to fit into someone's pocket, that dictates a fairly consistent form factor. Hence all smart phones are flattish rectangles.

Similar thing applies to cameras, wrt to the purpose and optimised form.

The innovation stopped in camera industry long time ago. The last successful innovative thing was maybe Fuji's hybrid viewfinder on the X100 in 2012.

How much does an iphone cost?

And if only professionals need cameras I assume no one on here ever buys Dura Ace or Super Record.

iphone 14 pro is £1099
Fuji X100V is £1349
Ricoh GR III is £899

the last two cant be used to make a call

I am only saying because I have done this futile exercise.

Here is a good stem bag camera if you are absolutely set on one: https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/product/sony-cyber-shot-rx100-vii?page=2

If thats too expensive, go a generation lower.

the cameras look the same but what's inside them is totally different.

the bikes look (a bit) different but they both have pneumatic tyres, derailleur gears etc - they basically work the same way.

haha yeah, FM3A is full frame, ZFC is a crop sensor.

So for a 'pockety compact camera' for someone who doesn't want to spend £1300 it's the iphone at £1099. The golf club thread was supposed to have put a stop to all this.