Top 5+ Best Compact Cameras:

#1 Fujifilm Finepix X10

#2 Canon PowerShot S100

#3 Olympus XZ-1

#4 Panasonic Lumix LX5

#5 Canon PowerShot G12

#6 Olympus pen EPL-2
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It has been said that the best camera is the camera you have with you. A camera left at home because of its size and weight is of no use. Of course larger style cameras like DSLRs and their many lenses can take higher resolution images. This is especially important if you want to enlarge them to very large sizes (over 24”x36”). Professionals and serious amateurs do exploit these powerful cameras to their fullest.

But the fact is, the far majority of non professional photographers never make enlargements that big. And lugging around a DSLR is heavy and most often quite expensive, especially if you also pack additional lenses. When you do pull out your beautiful DSLR to take a shot, you might as well have pulled out a hunting rifle, everyone runs for cover.

Do you really need a larger DSLR?

Ask yourself, how many prints do you make larger than A4 paper or about 8”x11”? Most of us can count them on one hand? The other thing is you don’t need a high count megapixel DSLR to take a good picture or enlargement. In the early days of digital, I made some beautiful 12”x18” enlargements from a Canon S45 – a 4 megapixel camera! Today’s 10-12 megapixel cameras can easily do twice that size. The point is, most of us do not need a larger DSLR for our every day pictures, including travel, holidays, and family photos etc.

Don’t get me wrong. I love cameras and have owned and shot with cameras of most shapes and sizes, a 6x6 medium format system with 8 lenses, older twin lens reflex cameras, late model pro SLR systems with several fast zoom lenses and prime lenses, and many smaller digital cameras. I have also assisted professionals using large format cameras.

We are living in a very exciting time in photography. The Holy Grail or perfect camera is within reach. For me the prefect camera is one I can have with me every day that takes great pictures.

What do we need?

We need smaller more compact, lighter cameras that are easier to keep close by, either in a hand bag or case, even better if it fits in a pocket in the clothes we are wearing.
Cameras with reasonably fast lenses- when the lens aperture is open to its largest opening – not smaller than f 2 to f 4. (If you don’t quite understand this ‘Google’ lens speed)
Fast focusing and short shutter lag. Don’t want to miss the opportunity!
Reasonable price.

The cameras presently on the market are excellent, almost approaching the perfect everyday camera. Below is a list (debatable) of 6 compact / smaller cameras that I really feel will take some great pictures and be small enough to use keep close by and use everyday.

#1 Fujifilm Finepix X10. The Fujifilm Finepix X10 (about US$600) is one cool camera. Just pocketable, super-fast lens, larger sensor, fit, finish and retro styling are impeccable. What’s not to like? Manual zoom ring and bright optical viewfinder are welcomed features. Internal software is not as smooth as some others but is easily accommodated and not that important. If you have the money it trumps all other compact cameras winter 2011.

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#2 Canon PowerShot S100. The Canon PowerShot S100 (about US$430) had a tougher time at the top as the competition heated up. The Canon S100 has fixed some issues of the S95 and is still an excellent camera. I am not as pleased with the slower lens. However the size, speed and image quality are hard to beat in this compact powerhouse of a camera.

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#3 Olympus XZ-1. (About US$500) Looking back about 9 years, Olympus produced the C-3040Z and the C5050Z which featured some of the brightest zooms to ever appear on compact cameras. We all missed them. Finally Olympus re-entered the top of the compact camera class with an instant classic. I love the XZ-1 in every way: fast lens (beautiful out of focus areas with shallow DOF), understated styling, very practical zoom length, image stabilization, etc. The only personal quibble I have with this camera is its size; it pushes the pocket-able definition to its limits. In all but this area, the XZ-1 is superior to the Canon S95, but this is an important factor to me.

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#4 Panasonic LX5. (About US$450) A close third is the Panasonic LX5. The LX5 is similar in lens quality, fit and finish to the Canon S95. Where the LX5 is lacking is in the UI (user interface). Internal menus and functions are not as accessible or as well designed as the Canon S95. The LX5 has a faster lens, but that also equates to a bigger lens that does not fully retract into the body, therefore it is not as pocketable. It also has a lens cap that must be removed by hand. So all things considered, the LX5 is not as slick as the S95. I owned a LX3 (similar to the LX5) for about eight months and even though it took a month or two to get used to it, I missed it when it was gone. The LX5 is very popular and often out of stock.

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#5 Canon G12. (About US$500) I have owned the Canon G7, G9, G10. All excellent cameras. The G Series have the added advantage of an optical viewfinder (not just the rear LCD). The latest Canon G12 has a flip-out LCD screen. they are larger and heavier but this makes for a nice handling camera.

The down side to the larger size and weight is that they are not really pocket-able. So from my point of view, they fall to lower down on the list. Because of the G12's size and weight the camera-left-at-home factor comes into play. Still the Canon Gs (G10, G11, G12) are truly excellent smaller cameras capable of capturing amazing images. it was reported that Annie Leibovitz, during a shoot with a larger format digital camera, took some photos with her G10. The photos taken with the G10 ended up in the magazine spread!

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#6 Olympus pen EPL-2. (About US$600) Micro Four Thirds format cameras. The EP-2 is one cool retro camera that pays homage to the classic Olympus Pen cameras of the 1960’s. It has a much larger image sensor than the above cameras. This improves the resolution and detail captured. However for me, of greater importance is the EP-2's ability to change the lenses. Some very fast prime lenses can be used. Faster lenses enable shallower depths of field, smoother out of focus areas (bokeh), and lower light shooting - all desirable. Fitted with lens like the 17mm pancake the EP-2 is about the same size as the Canon G12. But fitted with a longer zoom lens, the camera is still small but not pocketable. If you start packing around additional lenses, the size and weight issue grows, although it is still much smaller and lighter than full size DSLRs. That said, the EP-2 is an excellent, small, light, and very cool camera to have hanging from your shoulder