P & S Camera for Newbie

May Tuccolo

Earning My Ears
Joined
Feb 17, 2018
Second time posting...I realized I posted this in the wrong forum the first time lol. I have an iPhone 7 and I’m considering a point and shoot camera for our next trip. I know nothing about cameras and it needs to be simple stupid lol. I want something compact, but that takes great pictures in auto mode, good in low light, and can zoom in more than my iPhone. I wasn’t looking to spend over $250, but if there’s a huge difference in quality I may consider. From what I’ve read the Sony RX100 seems to be what everyone recommends, but I honestly didn’t want to spend that much. I would consider the original RX100 for $450 IF a novice like myself can really take amazing pictures without using manual settings. My husband has the camera in the link below. I'm also wondering if a viewfinder is really needed because of the bright conditions here in the south. I live in Georgia so I will have that issue at more than just Disney. I also really think I would like the 180 degree flip up screen in the Sony RX100 iii. Ugh. Any cheaper comparable to the RX100 iii?

Husbands Camera: https://www.cnet.com/products/samsung-wb150f-black/specs/

Thank you in advanced!!
 
Last edited:
OK. Not trying to be negative but those requirements won't happen for $250. If you can find an original RX100 for ~500, you'll get most of the criteria. But, then again . . .

What%20the%20Duck%20-%20Mind%20Over%20Matter.jpg


The camera is only a tool. If you don't know how to use the tool, a $1,000 camera wouldn't make any difference. Yes, there is an automagic mode on the RX100 but you'll still need to spend some time learning how to use ANY camera under the various conditions you might encounter. With that knowledge, even a less expensive camera will serve you as well w/o spending more money.
 
If you are sticking to pure auto, the iphone 7 will be better than any point and shoot under $250. The iphone 7 is basically a $500 point and shoot combined with a smart phone.

In fact, if you are shooting in pure auto mode, the iphone 7 can beat a $1,000 dSLR:

iPhone lowlight by Adam Brown, on Flickr

A6300 and kit lens auto by Adam Brown, on Flickr

These were taken in low light, comparing the iphone 7 with $1,000 dSLR (actually mirrorless ILC but same difference)....

If you want to pictures better than the iphone 7, the Sony RX100 (and similar cameras) is basically the minimum. It will take good photos on auto, but you would need to really learn the camera to get pictures truly better than your phone.
For under $300, you will find cameras that have more optical zoom than the iphone 7. But not that take better pictures.
 
If you are sticking to pure auto, the iphone 7 will be better than any point and shoot under $250. The iphone 7 is basically a $500 point and shoot combined with a smart phone.

In fact, if you are shooting in pure auto mode, the iphone 7 can beat a $1,000 dSLR:

iPhone lowlight by Adam Brown, on Flickr

A6300 and kit lens auto by Adam Brown, on Flickr

These were taken in low light, comparing the iphone 7 with $1,000 dSLR (actually mirrorless ILC but same difference)....

If you want to pictures better than the iphone 7, the Sony RX100 (and similar cameras) is basically the minimum. It will take good photos on auto, but you would need to really learn the camera to get pictures truly better than your phone.
For under $300, you will find cameras that have more optical zoom than the iphone 7. But not that take better pictures.

Thank you very much! I've been reading about camera settings, etc.. I think I could make simple improvements to take decent photos. I really want better zoom than my iPhone as when I zoom practically at all it's blurry. I'm leaning towards the RX100 (maybe the iii because I like the tilt screen) or the G7X m ii. My iPhone also has my life on it. I'll buy the warranty for whatever camera I get if its expensive enough, but I'd rather lose a camera with some pictures than my iPhone even though I back it up a lot.
 


If you are sticking to pure auto, the iphone 7 will be better than any point and shoot under $250. The iphone 7 is basically a $500 point and shoot combined with a smart phone.

In fact, if you are shooting in pure auto mode, the iphone 7 can beat a $1,000 dSLR:
100% agree here. If you're looking to up your photography but only using auto mode, you won't get much better results than your phone. The RX100 is a great start to learn how to mess with photography settings without investing a ton in a DSLR/mirrorless camera and lenses, but please don't put it on auto.
 
Thank you very much! I've been reading about camera settings, etc.. I think I could make simple improvements to take decent photos. I really want better zoom than my iPhone as when I zoom practically at all it's blurry. I'm leaning towards the RX100 (maybe the iii because I like the tilt screen) or the G7X m ii. My iPhone also has my life on it. I'll buy the warranty for whatever camera I get if its expensive enough, but I'd rather lose a camera with some pictures than my iPhone even though I back it up a lot.

I got the Canon G7X mII last year and have been really pleased with it. Previously I had a Canon elph P&S which as fine, but not a patch on the 1" sensor models. I enjoyed playing around with the more advanced settings and learning about the exposure triangle, and managed to get some really good shots with it, way more that what I could do with the previous camera or the phone. Low light is also a huge improvement over the smaller sensored cameras/phones.

I originally wanted the Sony RX100 but couldn't quite stretch that far, there was about NZD$600 difference between the two (paid NZD$900 for the Canon, Sony RX100IV was $1500). I also considered mirrorless but liked the size and less complications of the 1" models.
 

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