Pocket-size camera

[Anita Bower]

I would welcome recommendations for a pocket size camera to carry all the time to use to photograph family events, take hiking, etc, when I don't want to lug around my DSLR.

Thanks,
Anita

[David Stephens]

How 'bout an iPhone 4S? Really, it's gotten that good.

[ericbowles]

I use a Nikon DSLR and have added the Nikon V1. It's a little bigger than pocket sized, but can generate RAW files and with an adapter use Nikon AFS lenses. The P7100 is another food options depending on what features you want.

[Jerry van Dijk]

Hi Anita, we recently purchased an Olympus XZ-1, which has great IQ and can be used in a complete point and shoot modus and in complete manual modus and anything in between (A, S, etc). It also is able to shoot RAW. A big plus is that it's widest aperture is f/1.8, which is excellent for low light or when you want that blurred background. It also has great HD filming capacity. Downsides are that it's lens protrudes quite a bit, due to which it doesn't literally fit your pocket (but it will easily fit a small handbag) and that operating it needs a little getting used to. A little strange is also that you can only charge the battery in the camera, unless you buy a separate battery charger.
If you want more possibilities and don't mind it is a little bigger than a point-and-shoot (but still much smaller than a DSLR), you might want to consider one of the superzoom camera's around. I have been very happy with my Panasonic DMC-FZ18 (there is a much newer model available now, the FZ48), which packs the equivalent of a 28-500mm DSLR lens in a very compact high-quality Leica zoom. I have a small screw on close-up lens which turns the lens into a macro lens with pretty high magnification (higher than my current 1:1 DSLR macro lens). IQ is very good, it has all the possibilities of a DSLR re. control of aperture, shutter speed, exposure compensation etc, shoots RAW as well as JPEG (or both at the same time). Big plusses are the excellent IS (you can handhold most shots at 500mm), a live histogram and that weighs only about 500 gr (including battery). Downsides (compared to DSLR) is clumsy joystick operated manual focus control (practically unuasable with moving subjects), a slight shutter lag, much noise at high (400 or above) ISO and low shot to shot speed. Also, AF is a little slow. These issues may have been addressed in the newer model, check the online test reports that are available. Check my BPN albums (all of those images have been shot with the Panasonic) and my older posts for some examples.
Good luck chosing!

[Anita Bower]

I appreciate all the suggestions! Some of the models I hadn't thought of. :-)

[Anita Bower]

Hi Anita, we recently purchased an Olympus XZ-1, which has great IQ and can be used in a complete point and shoot modus and in complete manual modus and anything in between (A, S, etc). It also is able to shoot RAW. A big plus is that it's widest aperture is f/1.8, which is excellent for low light or when you want that blurred background. It also has great HD filming capacity. Downsides are that it's lens protrudes quite a bit, due to which it doesn't literally fit your pocket (but it will easily fit a small handbag) and that operating it needs a little getting used to. A little strange is also that you can only charge the battery in the camera, unless you buy a separate battery charger.time).
Good luck chosing!

I hadn't looked at this camera and it sounds very good. Thanks.