Pocketish cameras to pair with a DSLR

Eventually it becomes kind of a pain to tote around a DSLR (even w/o the vertical grip attached) and in some situations (eg: dining rooms) it can seem downright obnoxious.

I've been looking at a few different cameras to bring along with my DSLR so that should I desire to shoot food porn or just not lug around the Nikon I have a more viable alternative to my Android phone. I was looking at the Leica D-Lux Typ 109 (yes I know aka Panasonic LX-100) as I'm ok with the lens (24-75 35mm equiv) and the speed (f/1.7-2.8). I also like that the controls seem geared toward a manual shooter rather than a muck around in the menu setup. This brings me to the Sony RX100 M4. The Sony seems to have a bigger "better" sensor (but I don't care about action shots or burst firing) and video on either isn't something I care about. If its there, great, otherwise IMO no loss. However the Sony EVF looks like an afterthought (must be manually opened and setup) and the controls seem to be of the muck around in menus variety. The Sony A6300 looked interesting, but then I saw the kit lens that would be near the 24-7x range was supposed to be somewhat less than sharp. At the end of the day the A6300 seemed like just a smaller version of the DSLR with the need for different lenses and the longer ones being fairly large. It's hard when everything I'm looking at has pros and cons that don't seem to outweigh each other in any favorable direction. Anyone have any experience with any of the 3?

I carry my A6000 with the 16-50PZ lens to dinner and frankly, anywhere I go that isn't specifically a photo destination. The 16-50 collapses and with it mounted, the package will hang from a wrist strap comfortably or ride in a jacket or cargo pants pocket. I have considered a RX100 but the A6000 has been handy enough to forstall a purchase.

I don't shoot everything served but I always have a camera!

My 2¢....

Dave

I use the Nikon Coolpix AW130. It's small and waterproof so you can take it snorkeling too.

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Eventually it becomes kind of a pain to tote around a DSLR (even w/o the vertical grip attached)

This is one of the reasons I switched over to micro-four-thirds mirrorless format and haven't looked back.

My small carry-around is an Olympus TG4. It's ruggedized, waterproof, and also happens to support RAW format.

I have experience with 2 of the 3.

The a6300 is a direct complete replacement for an aps-c dslr. There would really be no reason to bring it and a separate dslr, except if you want to carry multiple bodies to reduce lens changing. In terms of image quality, the a6300 is rated among the top 2 or 3 aps-c dslrs.

The kit lens is poor. But I'm a lens snob and I find all kit lenses to be poor. There are better lenses, but then it is not pocketable. The kit lens keeps the size smallest. It's still not going to fit in a jeans pocket but may fit in a larger pocket. (likely awkwardly).

The rx100... I shot with an earlier model. It's a great compromise. Lens is sharp. The camera is more easily pocketable. Your typical manual controls are very easy to reach without menu diving, just like a dslr. But Sony's menu system is a bit of a mess. So for some types of features and adjustments, there may be some menu confusion. But aperture, shutter speed... no menu diving for that stuff.

The EVF is not great. You'd want to primarily shoot with the LCD.

The RX would be my pick from those.

The Panny ZS100 is also a good option.

The Panny ZS100 is also a good option.

The ZS50 or ZS40 is good too. Inexpensive enough to carry in my travel bag.

I have an Olympus TG3 and a Sony TX30. Both are waterproof, shockproof, etc. Nice travel cameras and take great food shots. The tx30 is extremely small, so easy to slide in a pocket or purse. Good for the beach or a rainy day where you don't want to risk your good camera. No viewfinder on either though, so seeing in sun can be a challenge (but if it was a sunny day, I'd probably take my good camera.)

Another option with interchangeable lenses is the panasonic gm1 or gm5. Have viewfinders. I have other micro four thirds lenses so this is an option for me, maybe not for all. Smaller than the original RX100.

I went with the A6300 (should have mentioned I have a Nikon AW100 and was happy with it in water/heavy rain but thats about it). I'll post more in the A6300 thread later. A few issues right off the bat: The printed instruction manual doesn't cover most of what the camera does; if you buy the kit with the 16-50 lens there is no body cap for the camera or end cap for the lens.

I went with the A6300 (should have mentioned I have a Nikon AW100 and was happy with it in water/heavy rain but thats about it). I'll post more in the A6300 thread later. A few issues right off the bat: The printed instruction manual doesn't cover most of what the camera does; if you buy the kit with the 16-50 lens there is no body cap for the camera or end cap for the lens.

Back when I bought my A6000 with lens, I found the same issue.

Body cap/lens back cap available for cheap on Amazon.

They fit just fine...but I've never used the body caps on either the A6000 or A6300 since they are always "lensed". Bought the package above since the combo was less expensive that the rear lens caps alone.

Dave

I have an RX100. Gorgeous images but an ergonomic disaster. It's not my favorite camera. I'm thinking of selling it. I've got an A6000. Amazing camera, truly. But my all time favorite camera is my Fuji X10. Great manual control interfaces and stunningly gorgeous images. Super fast autofocus. Optical viewfinder as well as LCD. You can get a used one in great condition on Amazon. The X20 and X30 are also superb cameras but more expensive of course.

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My DSLR is a Nikon D5300, my pocket camera is the Canon s95. It's a few years old now, but it's a great camera!