I amn planning a trip to Johannesburg and Capetown soon and have heard the horror stories about the theft that occurs on a regular basis. I am looking for an alternative for my Nikon Z8, thats less obvious. I will still use the Z8 for safari's but around the cities, I think I want something else. Considering the Ricoh GIII X as an option but wonder if any of you seasoned veterans have other ideas? I am worried the Ricoh will not give me the reach I am used to but can overlook that...I think.
Then I looked at Compact zooms like the Canon PowerShot G7 X III or the Panasonic Lumix ZS99 as additional possabilities. I think the Compact zooms are a better option for me.
Compact cameras cost more than full sized ones now. If you just want a lower value camera that still captures nice images, why not just buy a used DSLR? You can get functional full frame DSLR bodies with a kit zoom for <$500.
I recently sold my GRIII Street Edition because I never really liked it. I opted for going with an OM-5. However, I'll echo the suggestion of either getting a used dslr or buying a new Canon T7 outfit ( or a Pentax KF outfit).
I was not considering a compact camera due to price, just that I am less of a target not carrying a regular body and lens. Tour company and travel agent are united in their advice to carry something less obvious and I don't think a DSLR with a kit lens solves that issue.
The Ricoh GRIIIX can't zoom, so you might be doing some obvious photography things like stepping back and forth with the camera out. The Canon and Panasonic zooms should be good. They look like old P&S at a glance and shouldn't attract too much attention if you shoot quickly.
The smallest cameras are "action" style like GoPro. The Sony RX0 might be the biggest sensor in the smallest package. Easily fits in a pocket. Down side is it is a fixed focal length with no viewfinder.
Sony APS-C a6000, a6100, a6300, a6400 bodies can be as small as point-n-shoots. Used ones are a good value. The a6000 + 16-50mm lens can be found for <$600. That has an actual viewfinder which I'd prefer to the LCD only models like the G7 X III or ZS99. The newer a6100 has a touchscreen and the a6400 gets a nicer EVF.
IndyFab wrote:
Have you seen the quality of images a smart phone takes these days, maybe a consideraion.
If theft is the major concern, the last thing I'd want to do is walk around holding my phone at arms length. I suppose you could get a phone purely for photos separate from the one containing all your personal data.
