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Small, advanced compact cameras have changed the way I travel and photograph. They’re not total replacements for interchangeable lens systems found on DSLR and mirrorless cameras in every situation, but there’s an awful lot these little cameras can do, and the image quality that many of them pack into pocket-sized bodies is nothing short of amazing. Here are ten reasons why I absolutely love shooting with smaller cameras and how they’ve helped to change the way I photograph.
1. Advanced compacts are small and lightweight
There are more relatively lightweight DSLR options now than ever before like the Canon SL1 and lightweight mirrorless cameras like the Fujifilm X-T10, Panasonic LUMIX GX85, and Sony Alpha A6300 are really stirring things up, but interchangeable lens cameras just can’t possibly be as lightweight as smaller advanced compact cameras like the Sony RX100 V, Canon PowerShot G7 X II, Ricoh GR II, Fujifilm X100T, and many others.
If you’re the kind of camera user who just pulls their camera out of the bag at family events, weight probably isn’t a huge issue for you, but for photographers like myself though, who travel frequently and walk for miles around a city and hike through forests in search of the perfect waterfalls, weight becomes a pretty serious consideration!
2. Compact cameras are super space efficient
When I travel, it seems like most of my luggage fills up with camera equipment – big DSLR cameras and lenses take up an awful lot of room! There are times when I still bring along my heavier camera gear on trips because sometimes you really do need the versatility of multiple lenses, but I find myself bringing along my small Sony RX100 III which features a 1 inch sensor on more and more trips and leaving much of the bulky gear at home.
3. It’s so easy to access a smaller camera
If you don’t have a camera with you, you’re always going to find yourself in situations where you wish you did. Carrying a bigger DSLR camera with you everywhere you go just isn’t always practical, but I find myself sticking my Sony RX100 III in my pocket nearly everywhere I go.
Whether I’m hiking and backpacking or going for a photo walk on the beach, using a smaller camera makes it much easier to go from seeing something I want to photograph to actually photographing it. While there are definitely advantages to interchangeable lenses and my larger cameras will likely always have a place in my photography kit, it’s so much easier to deploy a compact camera within a moment.
4. The smaller the camera, the less you stick out
I’m pretty passionate about travel photography and street photography and using a camera with a smaller profile is definitely the way to go when it comes to being less obvious. Yes, you can get great candid shots with a bigger DSLR or mirrorless camera, but it’s so much easier with a smaller camera.
5. Compact cameras are less intimidating
Not only are smaller cameras like the Ricoh GR II, Sony RX100 III, Canon G7X II, and many more less obvious, but they’re also a lot less intimidating. Pull out a big DSLR camera at a family dinner, and you’re likely to get some protesting. With cell phone photography so prevalent though, people tend to feel a lot more comfortable with smaller cameras. Small advanced compacts may look less serious to some, but the image quality sure isn’t!
6. The image quality is amazing
Speaking of image quality, most modern advanced compact cameras can capture some pretty incredible photos. Cameras like the Sony RX100 III that I frequently use, and the Sony RX100 V and Panasonic Lumix ZS100 feature a large 1 inch sensor, while others like the Fujifilm X70, Fujifilm X100T, and Ricoh GR II use a larger APS-C sensor, the same size sensor found in many DSLR cameras. Larger sensors mean bigger photosites (often referred to as pixels) which generally translates to higher quality photos.
One of the big arguments for using a DSLR camera, and more recently for using a mirrorless camera is that if you want the best image quality and plan to print your photography, these bigger systems are the only real option. With the kind of quality you can obtain shooting with modern advanced compacts, I think this notion is a thing of the past. Even though the majority of camera buyers never make large prints with their photos, advanced compact cameras are definitely up to the task of capturing print-worthy images.
7. With advanced compact cameras you still have total manual control
Manual control is something I just can’t give up — you can get great photos using auto modes, but I like to have constant control over everything…shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and even focusing sometimes. Small advanced compacts like those mentioned above offer full manual control, which can be exceptionally useful for those times when even the most advanced digital camera can’t read a scene properly. I usually leave autofocus on, but prefer to set my ISO, shutter speed, and aperture manually to have total control over the final image.
8. Advanced compact cameras offer RAW capture too
When people see how small my Sony RX100 III is, a question I often get is, “Can you shoot RAW with that?” Yep! One of the great thing is that most advanced compacts are capable of shooting in RAW, which gives you endless flexibility when processing the image later and allows you to really squeeze every bit of detail out of a photo. Combined with the larger sensor sizes of many of these advanced compacts, the ability to shoot in RAW really provides an impressive level of image quality.
9. I’m more likely to take more photos in more places with a smaller camera
If there’s one reason I love shooting with a small compact camera more than any other, it’s that I take more photos with it, of things I might not otherwise shoot. Because it’s lighter and smaller, I’m more likely to bring it with me wherever I go, and we all know that you can only take a photo if you’ve got a camera with you! Cell phone photo quality has gotten ridiculously good in the last few years, but as a photographer with a bit of a perfectionist streak I still prefer to use an actual camera to take advantage of the bigger sensor, manual control, and even better image quality.
If you don’t have a camera with you, you’re going to let those moments and memories slip away unphotographed — for me, a smaller compact camera ensures that I’ve always got a camera handy. While I always feel a sense of pressure to get a “professional” shot when using my DSLR gear, I’m more likely to use my small compact camera for everyday documentary style photography — the end result is a better record of my life and the places I go — and if I find something that needs a professional quality photo, the little camera is up to that task too.
10. Creative ideas can be easier to execute with a smaller camera
While carrying around DSLR cameras and a camera bag filled with heavy lenses, I’ve often found myself thinking of interesting ideas but being hampered by the size and weight of the larger camera systems. Sprinting to the top of a hill to catch the fading colors of the sunset? Much easier with a smaller compact camera! Holding the camera in the air to get a better view over a crowd or trying to shoot action lifestyle selfies? Again…much easier with a lightweight compact!