Recommended compact cameras from the DPReview

DPReview published the list of recommended compact cameras (with zoom lens).  Canon PowerShot G15 with 28-140mm (eqv) F1.8-2.8 lens and Olympus XZ-2 are on the top of the list. Surprisingly Nikon P7700 have not made it at all.

Interestingly, it is one of the most commented recent posts on the DPReview site despite the falling sales of compact cameras.  

I was surprised with the image quality and general usability of modern compact cameras after getting the Fuji X10. As many other people I tend to leave a heavy DSLR camera at home, but a compact camera can be in my backpack at any day because size and weight is not an issue anymore. I shoot a lot of macro (flowers and plants in general for identification) and prefer to have a big depth of field. Fortunately, every essential camera maker created at least one advanced compact, so we can choose what we like. Personally I enjoy "snobbish" retro-looking manual-zoom button-driven Fuji X10. I bet the image quality is more or less the same in advanced cameras, such as Canon G15 or Olympus XZ-2, so for me the choice is boiled down to the handling if the specs are more or less similar. For example, I like bright lens, and do not value portability much, so for me Canon S100 or Sony RX100 are not really attractive models. My dream camera would be Nikon-made "Fuji X10"- style compact camera with 1" sensor and two supermacro modes at wide and long ends of the zoom range. Just make a decent lens for it, not f3.5-5.6 kit type thing. As all-in-one solution it will be a dream camera for people like me. No need for a dedicated macro lens, big DoF, reasonable image quality. 

Can any camera maker create a camera for the happy bugs shooters?  

Low noise in Olympus XZ-2

The dpreview site had published "real world" samples from the latest advanced compact camera from Olympus, XZ-2. While the full review of the camera is not available yet, according to comment from the dpreview member the noise level is significantly lower compared to the previous model, XZ-1, despite of having a slightly smaller sensor and higher pixel count. The camera is now also has better user interface. However, Nikon P7700 with its new bright lens looks like a very strong competitor. It is really handy to have 200mm at f/4.

I am not in the marked for an advanced compact camera. I guess Fuji X10 will hold quite well in term of noise against Oly XZ-2 but frankly I don't care. With bright lens and optical image stabilisation I don't need a very high iso with Fuji X10. I do not shoot action very often.

In some sense, Fujifilm X10 is a unique camera. It is very appealing to some people. It is not just about the image quality. It is very pleasant camera to use. You see the camera, and you want to take it in your hands and go shooting. It small enough to be with you in most situations. It seems that I got hooked on Fujifilm cameras after the X10 :)

Swamp lily, from Amaryllidaceae family | Fuji X10

Olympus XZ-2 and XZ-1

The new advanced compact camera from Olympus, XZ-2, got several interesting features such as dual control ring around the lens and tilting touch screen. The previous model, XZ-1, got a gold rating on the preview, and it was considered as [one of] the best advanced compact camera. I doubt that new XZ-2 will have big difference in image quality over the previous model, and now it is possible to get Oly XZ-1 in Brisbane for 375 AUD. But articulated (tilted) screen is very useful on compact cameras, and move mode is also improved on the XZ-2.

Specs of Olympus XZ-2

Photo rumors published specs for upcoming Olympus XZ-2. So, the camera has back-illuminated 1/1.7" 12MP sensor, probably the same as the latest top models from Panasonic and Samsung. [Correction: LX7 from Panasonic has different sensor] The monitor is hi-res swivel touch screen. It probably will be able to take better pictures than XZ-1 but I doubt that the difference will be dramatic. Personally I prefer Nikon P7700: it probably uses the same sensor but the lens goes to 200mm (eqv) / F4.0 compared to 112mm / F2.8 on Olympus.

Considering my current hobby, identification of local plants, a compact camera with 1" sensor and good lens would be the best choice because it still has very big depth of field, very useful feature for taking macro shots of flowers. Sony RX100 is very interesting camera but I like buttons for control. Also lens are somewhat slow at long end plus significant distortion (corrected by camera, so invisible in photos).

Wild Yellow Jasmine, Pittosporum revolutum | September 10, 2012 | Olympus E-30