Hi
I have a D3100 which I unfortunately dropped. I was going to pick up another D3xxx body however something more portable would be ideal.
I don’t require removable lenses etc and pocket size is fine.
Online suggests the RX100 is ideal but they are well of $1k.
Realistically I’d like to spend ~$500
A big bonus if it has weather protection from sand and especially the cold.
Suggestions?
What price range should I be looking?
I’ve used a few phones even latest iPhone and haven’t been impressed with photos compared to what the d3100 produces.
Why haven’t you been impressed with what new phones produce as photos? What does the D3100 do better for your style of shooting?
Shooting both portrait and landscape I find the phone images are not sharp. I often print my photos where it becomes noticeable.
@Low Punt: I suggest you first identify the reason for lack of sharpness, if you haven’t done so already. Lack of sharpness can be due to various reasons such as the lens, the sensor, the shutter speed, the aperture etc.
Agree with @holdenmg, I travel with an older model Olympus TG as I prefer not using my phone in saltwater or anywhere submerged. Microscope mode is pretty cool too.
My TG-5 image quality is worse than a D3100 with kit lense, it'd be a downgrade. It's good for an underwater still images camera though for the price.
Yes, it's not the greatest, but I don't use it for everything, mainly conditions where you othewise wouldn't have bothered to take a shot at all.
I just researched this last week - almost universally the recommendation for compact travel camera is Panasonic Lumix TZ220.
Unfortunately it is $900+.
It also goes by a few aliases such as TZ200 or ZS200
Did you find it on sale anywhere?
Pickup something secondhand.. new model cameras have insanely jacked up RRPs and often you can pickup a 4-year old model which isn't really that much worse for decent prices. Your Nikon D3100 is 13 years old now and realistically second hand body value is below $100 but still a decent camera.
Pick something a bit old for amazingly cheap. Sony NEX-3N for like $150. You'd need to get a new battery though most likely.. get a cheap aftermarket one.
Yep, 2nd hand sony was going to be my suggestion as well. Can often get the twin lens kit with a pocketable prime for under $250.
As a new user/owner of a RX100 M6 I have to say it's an amazing camera if you need ultra portable quality shots. 4K video too so you could realistically call it an upgrade from your D3100. It's not weather proof but how often do you want to shoot in the rain ?
If you're on a budget pick up an older RX100 version with the shorter zoom lens and you'll be happy (If it suits you)
Otherwise as people above me have mentioned, pickup a second hand camera for cheap at Cash Converters. DSLR's are dumped there daily and you can get a very nice camera rig for hardly anything.
Sony family of compacts is pretty good - slightly bigger than the RX100 series, but this is good value:
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/melbourne/search?query=…
If you only got $500 to spend tbh I'd put that towards a better phone unless you actually have a hobby or might be blowing up the photos (or go second hand for a APS-C camera)