Darrell78

So I am looking to buy a point and shoot camera for my girlfriend. She loves to shoot wide landscapes and
also enjoys taking indoor shots of old abandon buildings or just family in general. So I am looking for something that is possibly got a 1.4 or 1.8 aperture and can also if possible shoot JPEG and RAW images.
I would get her a DSLR but the weight of it would actual hurt her since a few years back she broke her neck.

She is doing really good so I am just wanting to get something for her and keep her encouraged to go out and enjoy life to the fullest and we both love photography so I thought this would be a great gift to start the year when it warms up. Also if possible a LCD that can tilt or rotate with a view finder as well. I have looked at a few but I get these reviews that well confuse me on what to do. Also one that takes crisp images I notice reading a few that they tend to be smooth around the frame. Any help would be very appreciated. Thank You.

Two I considered are these.

Canon Powershot g7 Mark II

Sony Cyber-Shot RX100 IV

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

A couple more for your list. This higher end of small cameras should not be labeled "point and shoot". They are much better than that.

Panasonic ZS100. My wife does very well with it. It has plenty of telephoto zoom. With built in stabilization, the slower lens doesn't matter as much. There is an updated ZS200 version.

Panasonic LX100. My compact camera. Bigger sensor, faster lens and less zoom. Nice external control dials. There is also a updated LX100ii

regularguy55

Have owned both the samples you are considering (except the RX100 I had was model ii). I use the Canon a lot and really enjoy all it offers. My problem with the Sony is it seems to me to be less intuitive and the menus to operate it are at times confusing or hard to navigate. Having said that, the Sony is also an excellent P&S that gives excellent results. I have since also acquired a Bridge camera, Panasonic Lumix FZ1000, which is presently my go-to camera. The reason I use the Lumix more is the telephoto range (400mm or 800mm in digital iZoom) over the Canon. The Lumix line has a number of P&S similar to the Canon which you may wish to review—some of which have extended zoom, such as the Lumix ZS200 which has a 360mm zoom and a view finder which the Canon does not have. You have many choices to consider and should be able to find something she will enjoy. Good luck.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I had an old (10 years+) Cybershot that died on me and I changed over to a G9 X II, particularly because of the ability to capture in Canon RAW. Both Canon's and Sony's models are excellent pocket sized cameras with several models offering subtly different mixes of capabilities, where the G9 doesn't have an articulating / tilt screen, both the G7 and RX100 IV do. All these cameras are just bigger than a deck of cards and great for hiking and easy access from a front pocket of your pants / shorts. For the most part, I shoot the G9 in Aperture priority controlling the zoom and aperture for the composition and leaving the ISO-AUTO. The ability to change to manual helps for situations where I need a faster shutter than the in-body IS (IBIS) provides support for low-light or awkward holding situations. The ability to manually control the flash output is another plus in the list of capabilities. I haven't missed the articulating screen when holding the camera at a crazy angle by just shooting some frames and checking the results, trusting the IBIS and / or adjusting the shutterspeed to get a crisp image after I figure the best angle to hold the camera. These are "real" cameras in all ways except for interchangeable lenses.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

While the 2 models you listed do have the f/1.8-2.8 apertures, I believe the lack of a viewfinder, for me, is a deal breaker. A screen in bright sunlight is problematic. Also, the zoom range is rather low. 70mm isn't much of a tele.

If you want something pocketable, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS-100 ($497.99 new) I have should do nicely, its lens is 35 mm Equivalent 25 to 250mm but only f/2.8 (W) to f/5.9 (T). I have not found the smaller aperture to be a problem. Furthermore, it has a 1" sensor. It has an EVF as well as a fixed screen.

If pocketable is not required, the Canon SX60HS ($449.00 new) should satisfy. I have found the 1/2.3" sensor in my SX50HS to take surprisingly good photos. The 60 has 16MP. It has a fully articulated screen, a hotshoe, a 35 mm Equivalent: 21 to 1365mm, can shoot RAW.
The Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ80 ($297.99 new) is also a 1/2.3" sensor but is 18MP, has a 20-1200mm (35mm Equivalent) zoom lens, has a fixed TOUCH screen.

If 1" is required, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 ($497.99 new) should be a good choice. It has a 35 mm Equivalent: 25 to 400mm f/2.8 (W) to f/4 (T) lens, a hotshoe, EVF, and articulatd screen

I hope this helps

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

"If you want something pocketable, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS-100"
That's what I said!

Darrell78

Thank you I will be looking into these.

Darrell78

Thanks to you all up above for all the wonderful help. I have a lot to look at and those give me some great ideas as well. Thanks again for all the help. I really appreciate it.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

Would the Fujifilm X100F fit what you are looking for?

Darrell78

It's a nice camera just a little too much on the price. I have seen it before and it does take high quality images. Still Thank you for helping out I appreciate it.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

You will find this camera from Sony does it all for a reasonable price.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1437917-REG/sony_dsc_hx99_b_cyber_shot_dsc_hx99_digital_camera.html?sts=pi

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Comparison sites -
(Reviews) https://www.youtube.com/user/TheCameraStoreTV/videos
http://www.cameradecision.com/
http://cameras.reviewed.com/
http://camerasize.com/
http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM
http://snapsort.com/compare
http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/cameras?utm_campaign=internal-link&utm_source=mainmenu&utm_medium=text&ref=mainmenu

Compact $500 -
http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-point-and-shoot-under-500/
http://www.bestproducts.com/tech/gadgets/g706/point-and-shoot-digital-cameras/

Compact $900 - $1,200 -
https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/2017-roundup-interchangeable-lens-cameras-900-1200

malawibob Loc: South Carolina

my backup bridge is the Canon SX50HS which takes very good pictures and large zoom looks good even in digital zoom expansion. Primary camera is Sony A6300. the sx50 is a rare bird anymore but imo takes better pics than Sx60.

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

Have you considered micro 4/3s? I adore my Olympus e-M5 Mark II. It’s lightweight and weathersealed. I pair it with an Olympus 14-150 II zoom (also weather sealed) and can go all day carrying it around my neck or cross body without any pain. I get great images. The two combined weigh about 1 1/2 pounds. If she’s like me, that’s probably less than her purse. Point is, she doesn’t need to be limited to a point and shoot.

tropics68 Loc: Georgia

Not sure exactly what you want in a camera but the Sony HX90V is a real gem. Very small, very sharp, viewfinder, 720mm zoom, under $500. Might be worth a look.

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