Pentony Loc: Earth Traveller

Which camera, manufacturer, type and model #?

How many MP's?
Does it shoot in RAW?
What's its f stops (max ~ min)?
What's its lens X (Optical Image: range, mm)?

jkm757 Loc: San Diego, Ca.

I have an old D5000 with a 18-55 lens I keep in my backpack all the time.

HowardPepper Loc: Palm Coast, FL

I have two Canon DSLRs, and came upon the same realization as you... that carrying around a DSLR on a daily basis, would be too much work. I decided on a point and shoot. My first one, a Canon PS A1400, was nice and small, but it didn't allow me to take control creatively, so I just bought a Canon PS G16.

The point and shoot route works best for me, but there are many routes you can take, including using the camera in your cell phone.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

A key feature of DSLRs over Point-n-Shoots is sensor size. For photos we look at on screens, it matters little. For prints, sensor size makes more of a difference.

There are three small cameras that are leading the market in body smallness and sensor bigness. They are the Sony RX-100, Sony RX-100 II and the Panasonic GM1.

An entertaining video review of two of them can be watched here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk8n-V1Afhw

russelray Loc: La Mesa CA

It's only too much trouble if you think it's too much trouble.

I have a Canon 550D that is never more than three feet from me. Most of my friends swear that I have had it surgically attached to my wrist. I take it from room to room in the house, I never leave home without it. It sits in the passenger sit except in the rare times that my husband is riding in my car. As well as going to the San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld with me (it gets in free), it goes to grocery stores, the post office, restaurants, the beach, walks, bike rides, train rides, the mall, Fry's Electronics, Walmart.

The camera is attached to the Canon strap that came with it, and the strap is at its longest length so I can easily slip it over my head and let the camera ride on my back or to my side, making it easy to get to for those times that I need quick access.

russelray Loc: La Mesa CA

Can you expand on that. All of my photos, whether from my little GE P&S, my Canon 550D, or my friend's 5DMkIII look the same whether on screen or in print. I don't think the sensor size makes any difference. Rather, it's the resolution that makes the difference, which is a function of the quality of the sensor, but not sensor size directly.

Papa Joe Loc: Midwest U.S.

Yup, know what you mean. For the 'always there' camera, I carry my Canon Power Shot SD 890 is. Terrific P&S camera, small and easy to carry in a pocket. Ten meg so nice enlargements are quite possible.

lalezo Loc: Gainesville, FL

Though I use NIKON equipment, I have a Canon G12 as my bridge camera and it goes with me wherever I go ... and I've gotten some interesting images. Good luck !

Lloyd

wayupnorth

I always carry a Kodak C190.
It has optical zoom; 12 megapixels; has a panorama mode with auto stitching.
I have been carrying a camera with my attached to my belt for at
least 10 years.
I will attach an example (hopefully) taken a couple of weeks ago.

Paul

(Download)

anotherview Loc: California

I carry a camera with me almost all the time: Canon S100 via a sling with a small pouch that holds the camera, spare battery, and spare SD card. This setup remains unobtrusive, lightweight, and accessible.

A few of my most worthy photographs I've taken with this camera.

fyrlife

Nikon P520-I carry this with me everywhere, gets beat up, and it takes excellent images.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I'm glad your GE P&S shoots as well as a 5DMIII! It may be why the sales of expensive cameras is declining.

My experience is different.

I think that depending on what you are using to view from iPhone to HD TV, the image is processed on a screen. The best I have will do 1920x1080. No matter what you shoot with, I think there is less difference on a screen because of all the processing involved. So, when you view the GE photos and the Canon photos on a screen the difference is magically minimized.

Enlargements and post processing and prints on paper are a different issue. Larger sensors capture more and higher quality light data.

Yes, both quality of sensor and size matter. However, the photos from my Sony HX9V (newer models available) or my son's Panasonic ZS30 with with their small sensors and great zoom do not match the results from my Sony RX100. My understanding is that as you stuff more transistors on to a smaller base they don't perform as well.

My wife has a Panasonic FZ-150 with lots of zoom and a small sensor. She also has a Panasonic GM-1 with little zoom and big sensor. For screen viewing she sees little difference except what she calls "color quality". For larger prints she sees lots of difference.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

It would seem you don't seem to leave us with a lot of choices to offer. You have great cameras but don't want to take one of them with you into the office due to size. It would seem you only have the choice to buy a small camera carrying case to carry one camera and lens into and out of the office every day or buy a smaller camera that you will carry. For the price of a case it seems to me you would be set.

Dennis

mikegreenwald Loc: Illinois

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned the Sony Rx100/2. I'm normally a Canon user, but for an everyday pocket camera just for unexpected opportunities, I know of nothing better than the Sony.

leej

this maybe changing the subject, but what is the smallest, lightest camera with an optical viewfinder? digital, of course