Alternative to a phone camera, not too bulky and not too spendy.

General chat topics, anything and everything you want or need to discuss
User avatar
gremlin
Posts: 5930
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2020 3:12 pm
Location: Kent (AKA God's own country)
Has thanked: 810 times
Been thanked: 4805 times

Alternative to a phone camera, not too bulky and not too spendy.

Post by gremlin »

I'm off to Vietnam end of next month, which I believe will provide opportunity for many an arty photo shot. My trusty ol' Galaxy 10 has a relatively ok camera, although I'm sure if you showed me photos taken with a spanking new phone I'd eat my words. Anyhow, I'm thinking of maybe getting a little dedicated camera. Don't want anything huge i.e., requires a camera bag, pocket vest and Trilby with a 'Press' sticker in the band. Half decent optical zoom would be good.
Did Sony (?) used to do a very compact body with interchangeable lenses? Thinking of going the eBay or Facepalm marketplace for a secondhand bargain. Shift it on again if I find I don't use it.

What so the Litchfield and Baileys of RTTL?
All aboard the Peckham Pigeon! All aboard!
User avatar
Yorick
Posts: 16750
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 8:20 pm
Location: Paradise
Has thanked: 10271 times
Been thanked: 6887 times

Re: Alternative to a phone camera, not too bulky and not too spendy.

Post by Yorick »

User avatar
Rockburner
Posts: 4379
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2020 11:06 am
Location: Hiding in your blind spot
Has thanked: 7819 times
Been thanked: 2530 times

Re: Alternative to a phone camera, not too bulky and not too spendy.

Post by Rockburner »

You want removable lenses? or just a solidly attached lens with a half-decent optical zoom?

Pretty much everyone in the market place certainly used to make nice little digital cameras with varying options. I'm not sure what the market is like now given that camera phones seem to be able to mimic 90% of the functionality.

The Sony system you're thinking of was (iirc) the Alpha series and they had a good rep, and the bodies were nice and small (for a replaceable lens system), but still a touch larger than the "point&shoot" units.

FWIW we have a nice little Nikon Coolpix P6000 which iirc is pretty good and nice and small. It even has a viewfinder for people like me who just don't "get" screens. Should be able to find something like that for peanuts on ebay.
non quod, sed quomodo
User avatar
gremlin
Posts: 5930
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2020 3:12 pm
Location: Kent (AKA God's own country)
Has thanked: 810 times
Been thanked: 4805 times

Re: Alternative to a phone camera, not too bulky and not too spendy.

Post by gremlin »

8 pages? Fuck off, I don't on here come to read and make rational decisions. I expect to be spoon fed the answer. ;)
All aboard the Peckham Pigeon! All aboard!
cheb
Posts: 4908
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2020 6:51 am
Been thanked: 2618 times

Re: Alternative to a phone camera, not too bulky and not too spendy.

Post by cheb »

gremlin wrote: Fri Nov 15, 2024 9:26 am I'm off to Vietnam end of next month, which I believe will provide opportunity for many an arty photo shot. My trusty ol' Galaxy 10 has a relatively ok camera, although I'm sure if you showed me photos taken with a spanking new phone I'd eat my words. Anyhow, I'm thinking of maybe getting a little dedicated camera. Don't want anything huge i.e., requires a camera bag, pocket vest and Trilby with a 'Press' sticker in the band. Half decent optical zoom would be good.
Did Sony (?) used to do a very compact body with interchangeable lenses? Thinking of going the eBay or Facepalm marketplace for a secondhand bargain. Shift it on again if I find I don't use it.

What so the Litchfield and Baileys of RTTL?
Go old school with a plate camera: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from ... &_osacat=0

Sculpt your (meagre) facial hair in a Victorian stylee for extra points.
User avatar
gremlin
Posts: 5930
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2020 3:12 pm
Location: Kent (AKA God's own country)
Has thanked: 810 times
Been thanked: 4805 times

Re: Alternative to a phone camera, not too bulky and not too spendy.

Post by gremlin »

cheb wrote: Fri Nov 15, 2024 10:07 am
gremlin wrote: Fri Nov 15, 2024 9:26 am I'm off to Vietnam end of next month, which I believe will provide opportunity for many an arty photo shot. My trusty ol' Galaxy 10 has a relatively ok camera, although I'm sure if you showed me photos taken with a spanking new phone I'd eat my words. Anyhow, I'm thinking of maybe getting a little dedicated camera. Don't want anything huge i.e., requires a camera bag, pocket vest and Trilby with a 'Press' sticker in the band. Half decent optical zoom would be good.
Did Sony (?) used to do a very compact body with interchangeable lenses? Thinking of going the eBay or Facepalm marketplace for a secondhand bargain. Shift it on again if I find I don't use it.

What so the Litchfield and Baileys of RTTL?
Go old school with a plate camera: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from ... &_osacat=0

Sculpt your (meagre) facial hair in a Victorian stylee for extra points.
Are they USB-C compatible?

(Currently rubbing salt onto my chin so the whiskers get thirsty and come out for a drink)
All aboard the Peckham Pigeon! All aboard!
cheb
Posts: 4908
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2020 6:51 am
Been thanked: 2618 times

Re: Alternative to a phone camera, not too bulky and not too spendy.

Post by cheb »

Up to a point.

That's about the USB, but could also apply to sculpted facial hair.
Mr. Dazzle
Posts: 13954
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:57 pm
Location: Milton Keynes
Has thanked: 2552 times
Been thanked: 6257 times

Re: Alternative to a phone camera, not too bulky and not too spendy.

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

It's a bit spenny, but I can recommend a Nikon ZFC. They're little things like your 80s 35mm, but a 'full camera' too.

Mrs D uses one with a 500mm lens sometimes and the juxtaposition of massive lens + tiny camera makes me laugh.