Compact cameras for advanced shooters (roundup)

Editors' note: This story was originally published on November 21, 2011, but has been updated to reflect more-recent reviews. The latest update adds a discussion of the Nikon Coolpix A and the Ricoh GR in the section about the Fujifilm X100S.

It's a common complaint: you want the photo quality of a dSLR but find you're leaving the camera at home because it's so large.

The compromise is a compact camera with a sensor larger than a typical point-and-shoot -- sometimes even the same size as a consumer or midrange dSLR -- raw file support, and sufficient manual control over aperture and shutter speed to allow for a measure of the creativity to which you're accustomed. What you sacrifice is the speed of a dSLR's faster phase-detection autofocus, and more often than not, the improved shooting experience delivered by a through-the-lens optical viewfinder.

These dSLR complements come in two versions: ones with the traditional larger-than-average point-and-shoot design, and the interchangeable-lens models, which attain a svelter-than-dSLR profile by jettisoning the mirror and prism optical path, which is one factor that keeps dSLRs so large. Of course, once you start adding on to the latter models, like tacking on an EVF and even a modest zoom lens, they start to get pretty big. Still, equipped with a kit pancake prime lens like the 17mm (Olympus) or 14mm (Panasonic), they remain quite pocketable. But they also tend to be quite expensive compared with the all-in-one models.

A new wrinkle in the enthusiast compact segment comes from Sony. With the debut of the Cyber-shot DSC-RX1, the first full-frame compact-ish camera, we have a new definition of best photo quality -- along with a new definition of "high price." At more than $2,500, the RX1 is out of the reach of most buyers; even Leica settles for the lower-cost APS-C segment with its fixed-lens X2.

Still to come: the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7, Samsung EX2F, Fujifilm XF1, Fujifilm X20, Olympus XZ-2, Ricoh GR and Leica X2.

Here's my take on how the fixed-lens models stack up.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100
We finally have a camera that I can call the best overall model. It's fast and compact with a nice lens and excellent photo quality. However, it's also a lot more expensive than all but the Canon PowerShot G1 X, so it's not necessarily the right pick for everyone.
Read the full review.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET )

Canon PowerShot S110
If you want the smallest model, the Canon PowerShot S110 packs a fast-ish, wide-angle lens and a relatively large 1/1.7-inch sensor with a nice manual control ring into a pretty small 7-ounce frame. It's a little faster than the S100 it replaces, but neither doesn't deliver notably better photo and video quality than the much older S95. The S100 had geotagging, which the S110 replaced with lackluster support for Wi-Fi uploading.
Read the full review.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Olympus XZ-1
While none of these models could be considered a speed demon, if every microsecond counts, then check out the fastest model under $400, the Olympus XZ-1, tied with the Fujifilm FinePix X10. The XZ-1 is an extremely good camera that's enjoyable to shoot with, but I found the photo quality fell a bit short, in part because of the unimpressive JPEG processing. But if you're planning to shoot raw on a budget, then this is an excellent choice. (It's been replaced by the XZ-2, but is still available.)
Read the full review.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Canon PowerShot G15
If you need an optical viewfinder, "reasonably" priced choices range from $400 to $800, and trade-offs abound. The Fujifilm FinePix X10 is the fastest performer of the group, and is capable of producing nice images -- but not without some annoying effort. Canon has three models in this class, the current Canon PowerShot G1 X and PowerShot G15, plus the older Canon PowerShot G12. While the G1 X arguably has the best photo quality of the trio, it's also slow and expensive, and the lens aperture narrows so fast as you zoom out that it can be frustrating to use. The G15, on the other hand, has a great, fast lens and improved (but still not great) performance, but it lacks the articulated display of the other two and its photo quality isn't significantly better than the G12's. Nikon dropped an optical viewfinder entirely for this year's P7700, but last year's Nikon Coolpix P7100 and the even older P7000 are still around and both are at the cheaper end of the price range. I think the G15's lens makes it edge out the competition slightly because of the shooting flexibility it provides -- fast with a slightly broader zoom than the X10 -- but none of these cameras inspires an unqualified recommendation.
Read the full review.
Compare these models head to head.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Nikon Coolpix P7700
While I was generally uninspired by the P7700, it does stand out for having the longest zoom range in this class -- 28mm-200mm (35mm equivalent) -- and doesn't sacrifice the apertures to get there; it delivers f2.8 at 50mm and rises to only f4 at 175mm. That said, it produces very good photo quality in bright light but not so much in dim, and it's still kind of slow.
Read the full review.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Fujifilm FinePix X100S
If you want the best photo quality under $1,500, the Fujifilm FinePix X100S delivers it. Plus, it has a very nice hybrid viewfinder that switches between optical and electronic. However, it's kind of big to think of as a compact, the main back control dial can be very irritating, and while it's great for manual focusing the autofocus can be quirky. It also has a fixed focal-length lens with some wonkiness at f2-- which is partly responsible for the high photo quality, but which makes also it less flexible for some shooters. The Canon PowerShot G1 X also has excellent photo quality with a zoom lens, but I found the limitations of the lens too frustrating given its relative price, between the RX100 and the X100S. At $1,100, The Nikon Coolpix A is a few hundred cheaper than the X100S and delivers excellent photos, but if you like a viewfinder it's worth the extra cost for the X100S, and if you're that price sensitive you might want to wait for the Ricoh GR which offers extremely similar specs and features to the Nikon, but costs a lot less. That price sandwich leaves the Coolpix A in an odd competitive position.
Read the full review.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
If money is no object and you simply want the best photo quality, the RX1 delivers that hands down. It lacks some amenities offered by the cheaper X100S, including a built-in viewfinder, but the amazing Zeiss 35mm lens and excellent full-frame sensor slightly soften the sticker shock of this expensive but ground-breaking camera.
Read the full review.