VRJAKE 

Recent camera thread got me thinking. What is the BEST very small, light digital camera to take on rides (EXCLUDING PHONE CAMERAS, OK)? I've a Sony A6000 mirrorless, great camera, ok if I have a decent sized handlebar bag, but too big for the jersey pocket and sketchy for shooting while riding. Pal just ordered a Sony RX100, think V5. We checked a more recent version out at a pro camera shop, it might just be the deal?

steelbikeguy

Best?
Probably not best, but a good value or compromise would be the Canon Powershop ELPH 350 point & shoot that I've been using for about 6 years.
It easily fits in a jersey pocket and can be pulled out, turned on, zoomed, and composed with one hand.
Great for those quick shots during a ride...



or somewhat more composed shot when stopped...



I think the current version is the ELPH 360.
Your Photos May Vary, as well as your preferences.

I did have to add a stick-on grip to the front of the camera to make it easy to handle with one hand. Not sure who made it, but it's been quite useful!

Steve in Peoria

zandoval 

Just remember, don't take anything in the field you can't afford to loose...

George Mann

My recommendations would only cover film cameras.

davester

For quite a while I was using the Panasonic Lumix GM5 as my cycling/skiing camera. It's the smallest relatively large sensor camera available (Micro four thirds sensor) with interchangeable lenses and a viewfinder. However, the iPhone cameras have gotten so good that now I just use my iPhone 13 Pro with a tether (so that I don't drop it while riding/skiing). It produces images that are as good as, or in some cases even better than the Lumix.

rm -rf

Years ago, I worried about dropping my small Canon Elph, when shooting while riding.
So I used the thin wrist lanyard along with a loop of cord that went cross-body to the lanyard. I just slide the camera through it's lanyard loop, around the cord. That makes a reversible knotted connection to the cord loop. The cord is sized to be comfortably long enough, but not have a lot of excess cord.

Dust. I have a retired Panasonic LX100, with a large sensor and a good zoom in a tiny package. But after a couple of years of light usage, there's annoyingly noticeable dust on the sensor. It's most obvious in blue skies, where it shows up as round blobs. The camera needs to be disassembled to clean the sensor, and that's not cost effective. Dust gets in when the zoom is extended and retracted to it's parked position, there's no way to avoid it. (Perhaps newer cameras have more effective seals and dust filters on the air intakes? Air must enter and leave the lens body or it couldn't change it's length.

{Phone camera warning!} That Canon is long retired. I have a Speck grippy case on my Samsung S21 Ultra, and it stays in my middle jersey pocket. I've never even come close to fumbling or dropping it.
To shoot one handed: Double click the power button to launch the camera app without logging in, then use the secondary floating shutter button, that I've moved to be right under my index finger when holding it one-handed. Fast and effective. An actual camera would be much better with fall and winter gloves, and better in low light or scenes with deep shadows and bright sunny parts. It might be better at video too. Otherwise the phone is very good.

Rick_D

RX100 series a solid choice, biggish sensor, very useful zoom range. No sealing of any kind so needs attention WRT moisture and dust.

The now old Lumix GM series are tiny m4/3 cameras giving access to a huge array of lenses. GM5 has an EVF so more useful, and there are pancake primes and zooms.

Lots of long-discontinued high end fixed lens compacts from all the makers to ponder, such as the Lumix LXs, Canon Gs, etc. Submergibles, such as the Olympus Tough series have no EVF but you do not have to worry about hurting them.

Happy shopping!

nlerner

I tried this one on my last tour. Kind of slowed me down.

etherhuffer 

Gugie can do tripod braze on bosses for your bike-studio!

etherhuffer 

Several thoughts: Pulled my Elph 160 out of my jersey at Cino Heroica (90+ degree day) to find I had 'steamed' the camera. It dried overnight, but visible moisture. My wife took it to Peru and dropped it, dislodging an optical part somewhere in the line, and it's no longer providing a flat field of image. Dead. On a similar level, same thing with one of my non sealed wristwatches, sweated moisture into one. Also, any self extending lens will be prone to dust in the motor drive somewhere. I now relegate the camera to a handlebar bag and use a watch with a sealed back cover.

base2 

I know you said no cell phone cameras. But honestly, 6144x8192 50.3 megapixels in the palm of your hand really is kind of hard to ignore here in 2023...and it's not even a so-called "flagship" model. Just an "off-brand." I have no idea what the flagship premium Apples and Samsungs are doing these days. The Nothing Phone 2 only cost $700. Cheaper than a Sigma SD14 or 15 (If you can find one) & is 10x the effective resolution manzanas-to-naranjas And every bit as equal going the other way(Phone worst to Signa best.)

If I had to take a dedicated, no other utility or function, digital camera only, camera; Then a Sigma with the Foveon direct image sensor would be the bees-knees. I'd definitely pull the filter and always do the always super cool infrared photography thing.

gugie 

I'm assuming that you want to take pictures while riding.

I have two point and shoot cameras for bike tours/rides. The first is a Fuji waterproof point and shoot, for tours/rides that may be on the wet side. The second is a Canon point and shoot for better quality when weather won't be an issue.

If you're riding and taking pictures, the risk of dropping it are reasonably high, so I don't want too much money invested in it. Speed to pictures is another thing I'm interested in, many times there isn't much time to get your camera out, fired up, and picture taken. Lastly, it has to be small enough to fit in the pocket of my front handlebar bag or in my shirt or jersey pocket and easy to get to.

Today's point and shot cameras have tons of pixels, and many have decent optics. Even a relatively inexpensive point and shoot will take a good picture nowadays.

P!N20

C&V approved

rccardr 

On longer tours I use a Canon Powershot Elph. Small, has a lanyard, nice optical zoom, pretty sturdy. Got it used so if it dies I'll just find another one on eBay.
Easy to pull from the pocket, shoot and replace. Takes a pretty decent picture, too.




But most of the time just use the iPhone. Just got a lanyard for it (thanks for the tip, Dave!) so am less concerned about dropping it while moving.
Mrs. Doc has one of those Sony cams. High zoot stuff but I'd hate to drop it.

jamesdak 

For the past couple of years I've been carrying a

Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II.

I got it used and it does better than my cellphone. To keep from "steaming" it up I do carrying it a carry pouch in my jersey pocket. Messed up the built in metal lens cover about a year ago and had to remove it so that the zoom lens would retract. Been carrying it every since with plastic lens cap on it.

Sometimes I want more zoom so I am looking to replace it and will be eagerly following this thread.

George Mann

Well then, my main carry camera is a Nikon FG, with a 35mm f/2.5 Series E lense. I carry it in a small padded fanny pack.

I normally shoot Flick Film Electra 100 (Kodak Aerocolor), Fuji 200, Kodak Colorplus/Gold 200 in it.

When I take out my Nikon FM with my Nikkor 50mm f/2 Ai and 35mm f/2.8 Ai lenses, I shoot Ilford Delta 100 (Toshiba medium yellow filter)

When I am out shooting Kodak Ektachrome E100, I take my Nikon F90x with the 2 Nikkors listed above with the appropriate warming and cooling filters.

All lenses are used with the correct hoods.

I have many other film cameras, and 2 digital cameras (Nikon D2x and D300s). But I don't normally take those out these days.

northbend 

Buying used is a good idea. They live a hard life in a cycling environment.
The best one to pull out of a pocket and shoot on the fly was a Panasonic TS25 (now discontinued).
Small, lightweight, simple to operate, water and shock proof.
I lost it on a rough trail ride in the woods when it bounced out of an unsecured pocket in my h'bar bag.
Sure do miss that little camera.

Looks like you can still find a new one on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMC...00KHW3HRY?th=1

SJX426 

I have a Lumix DMC ZS10 that I use to use a lot until the Pixel 6 Pro phone pictures matched or exceeded the quality. I always carry my phone with me so why carry more?
The replacement Pixel 8 Pro is a 50mp camera with tele out to 30x with impressive post processed pictures. Add AI into the mix and now a majority of point and shoot + capability replaces the bulkier small cameras. Using the volume button for "shutter release" makes one handed picture less risky.
At one point I was considering DSLR, but not for bike rides.
Pixel 8 Pro Technical Specs: Tensor, Camera, AI, Photos - Google Store
PXL_20231020_150446887.RAW-01.COVER bon Flickr
PXL_20231023_213123058.RAW-01.COVER on Flickr

PhilFo 

For sticking in a jersey “scoop”, I love the Ricoh GRD IV. That camera is amazing for what it puts out and what it’s been through. Incredible battery life. That said, if it had to be digital and current, I’d personally go with one of the Olympus Tough cameras that can take water and impacts. If I’m shooting film on a long, unsupported tour it would be a Nikonos V with 35mm and 80mm lenses. If that tour were to take me through a combat zone, Nikon F2.

madpogue 

Wardrobe is what's slowing you down. Try a shorter coat and less baggy pants next time.

Resolution is a relatively minor (bad pun alert....) part of the picture. Sensor size/quality and the glass still make a huge difference.

My P&S are Nikons, all with Nikkor optical zoom glass and built-in flash. Most compact is an S7000; easily fits in a jersey pocket, even with a spare battery in a pouch, but only "scene" options, not a true mode dial, so limited in its capabilities.


Next larger is the S9700 - true P,S,A,M mode dial for manual flexibility, bigger glass, pop-up flash. Only a little larger than the S7000, but a jersey pocket carry is (literally) a stretch:



Larger cousin to the S9700 is the A1000. Feels more like a "real" camera, with an eye-level EVF (handy for bright days), side zoom toggles, etc. 4K video, same battery as the S9700 (bonus). Definitely requires a handlebar bag or rack-topper (or more):


I'm used to shooting aperture-priority otherwise, so I gravitate toward carrying the "middle" of these three. I have carried a DSLR, but that's more for when I'm riding somewhere to shoot, not just shooting while on a ride. Often it's to get quality (good enough to violate OfferUp rules) shots for a bike I'm selling.

George Mann

My F2 is dying to get out, and the way things have been going lately, it may literally be doing so in order to get the picture of the unfolding chaos and calamity!

base2 

I don't doubt that one bit. The Foveon X3 image capture sensor measures 23.5×15.7mm which to my mind sounds pretty big. Here is a very informative link to a Wikipedia article.

I think I like the SD14/SD15, et;al based on the principal of operation nore than any other reason. Actual measure and recording of a given pixels color at each layer as it passes through 3 layers of red/green/blue sensitive silicon rather a single all purpose layer & making the color fit according to a an algorithm based on the pixels surrounding a given pixel...To me, starting with better data, so to speak; the Foveon just seems a better way to make an image than the standard (& probably cheaper to manufacture) Bayer sensor. I can have opinions.

1989Pre 

I use an Olympus FE-310 (8 mega-pixels), but found it can get roughed-up in my saddlebag or fanny-pack, so I now keep it in a pocket on the back of my jersey. Actually, I need to buy a new one, because it getting jostled knocked out the display.

L134 

I used an Olympus TG on tour because it is waterproof and shock proof. For the most part it did what I wanted, is small, and I had no worries about protecting it from the weather.

tremolo1965

Not this...