As an author of books about cameras (Nikon D600, Nikon D7100) I sat down by profession intensely with my cameras apart. My DSLR is a Nikon full-frame, for travel and Ausflöge I have an Olympus OM-D E-M5. Often, however, is also the Olympus system camera still too great and you like what fits in your pocket. In addition, the OM-D with fixed focal length + a small compact with wide-angle lens is the ideal solution for me when traveling. Last accompanied me as a Compact Sony RX100. Frequently Asked Questions for a recommendation for a compact but I answered always with Canon S95 / S100 / S110 / S120, since this is going to have considerably less expensive than the small Sony (650 euro for the RX100 is the majority of people but clearly too much). Now my recommendation Olympus XZ-10th The Reasons: COMPACT: The camera is really compact (the crucial millimeter smaller than an RX100). WIDE ANGLE: With 26mm (KB) has Wide often decisive two millimeters longer than most other compact at 28mm. Adequate but not too much TELE: With 130mm telephoto the XZ-10 more focal length than many compact for demanding, for example, the RX100, without the optical problems that would bring a super-zoom camera. Aperture: In terms of intensity it leaves most other compact far behind. While 1.8 can (or better), other equipment, but at the long end, where light intensity is particularly important, the XZ-10 still has 2.7 others fall to values of 4 and worse. This allows not only photography in low light conditions without a flash, if others can wrap up already, but also a viable cropping of people and objects against disturbing background. Possibilities of aperture priority or manual exposure control have actually already with such a bright lens sense who may choose only between aperture settings from 5.7 to 8.0 at telephoto position of the zoom, might as well dispense with manual settings and go automatically. LENS: The excellent Zuiko zoom is not only very bright but also forms very sharp at relatively moderate distortion from. This is certainly an achievement of no special light-large image sensor: Who built larger sensors in a comparable large housing must reach compromises in the design of the zoom lens. Price of larger sensors are then stop vignetting and significant distortion (with JPEG usually automatically beautiful counted). MEGAPIXEL: Unlike Sony Olympus does not try with meaningless high resolutions to show off. While the RX100 Sony clogged hard drives with huge files, but without any benefit. To test I once counted a RX100-20 megapixel image in Photoshop to 10 megapixels down and then back up to 20 megapixels, with the result that the image quality of the original can not be distinguished from the two-fold result recalculated. How can that be? Quite simply: Compact cameras that cost less than a useful zoom lens for DSLR alone and beyond are considerably smaller than those that reach their optics never the sharpness of detail that would be required for 20 megapixel. High resolutions in small cameras are pure marketing without tangible benefits. The Olympus XZ-10 is designed reasonable and adequate with 12 megapixels. Who needs more high resolution reckon with Photoshop and then also no worse result than in the mentioned RX100. MARKO: Macro was a clear weakness of the RX100. The XZ-10, however, shines in this area. Macro is an area where the Compact should be used more comfortable with small sensors, as a system and SLR. That's why I like to go with OM-D system and compact cameras on the way. Touch screen: Beautifully also the touch screen with which you can trigger quite afloat at your fingertips. Would obviously be nice if the display could fold, but that would at the expense of compactness. Here must weigh each his priorities. UNDER- AND EXPOSURE WARNING: under and over exposure warnings know most ambitious photographers to be lower and saturated areas marked in color. After recording during playback. With the XZ-10, I first discovered at a camera option to display under and over exposure warnings before shooting in live view and I love it. Later, a reader of my blog I betrayed that my OM-D can also. Switchable ND filters: At times it is to be able to take pictures during the day to light at open aperture without overexposure. In such a case the switchable ND filter is a welcome option (an ND filter is a kind of "Sunglasses" for the camera). NO MANUAL FOCUS: What me hesitate at first something had to order the XZ-10 is the fact that it does not allow manual focusing. However, I feel totally in practice from. At the end of a Compact is anyway only a snapshot camera for me. Rotating an absolutely recommendable Compact at a relatively moderate price.
