Equipment reduction: from APS-C down to 1" sensor?

For walking around travel photography I currently prefer to go as light as possible. I have a Pixel 6a and a Canon G5X II. The G5X is a 1" sensor, 24-100mm equivalent. I find it much more usable than the Sony RX 100s.

The main limitation for me with the 1" sensor cameras is the lack of anything wider than 24mm equivalent. The advantages compared to the 6a are DOF and shutter speed control and higher resolution, all of which are less of an issue than I anticipated, and much better ergonomics. The advantages of the 6a are an ultrawide lens, bigger screen, on device editing and computational photography. The phone is very good at low light photography and it's much easier than taking a burst and combining later in software, carrying a tripod (not allowed in many places) or a large aperture lens (especially if I want deeper DOF). I'm using the phone more and more.

It helps that essentially everything I photograph is a static subject that doesn't need shutter speed or DOF control.

For these purposes, I don't see any real advantage to a larger sensor or carrying more gear, so I'm with you.

A smartphone is nice if you want the look of a small pupil, but you can clearly see by looking at the back of a smartphone that a small pupil is the only possibility. How can you replicate the 55mm pupil of the RX10 at "600mm" with a smartphone?

It's a bit like an indoor amusement park, except that you can't get into the roller-coaster; only merchandise can ride it.

I am afraid that my family will not like this! 😉

You don't have to stop pixel-peeping. The 1" sensor Sony photographs hold up very well to close scrutiny. I use my RX10iv and RX100vii a lot more than my Full Frame.

I personally hate using my iPhone for photography.

I have owned FF canons and Leica cameras. Canon APS-C and Fuji APS-C. I have also owned an Olympus e-P2…….

I still own a Fuji X-T4 and some long glass for birding.

Why do I tell you this?

Because my iPhone 14 pro max’s main camera has truly opened my eyes. Shooting proraw at 48mp (built in app or proCamera app) is, for me, jaw droppingly good (in good light) and weighs nothing. I am headed to Europe soon and the iPhone will be the ONLY camera that I take. If you do “documentary” work while on vacation, a smartphone may be all you need?

OP, I think that you may wish to consider a current generation iphone or android device as part of your decision process. My personal goal this year is to use my iPhone for “everything” (except when long glass is needed). I really want to push myself to see what is possible and, the great part about this experiment is that the camera weighs nothing, has no bulk, produces potentially stunning raw imagery that LR handles well, and it’s always in my pocket. No need for extra flurf (chargers, batteries, etc). It’s ready when I am.

Thanx for the additional opinions and statements. Keep going, more food for thought... ;-)

Not sure if what I have to say is valid, because my photographic needs are probably different than most. Most of the photography I do is an adjunct to my real passion of birddogs and upland bird hunting in remote, rugged places in the fall and winter; and my lesser passion of off-shore sailing in the spring and summer. When I'm trying to manage two super-athletic dogs in difficult terrain, while carrying all sort of things, from gallons of water, first aid supplies, food, ammo, etc, while climbing though thick cover that will tear off anything not very securely affixed to my person; and trying to gun, there is simply no way I can deal with a large camera like an RX10 or any sort of ILC. The same things are true while off-shore in a small sailboat - things are very busy and wet. So, I stick an RX100 VII in my pocket. Here on a rainy day in Montana in the motorhome:

Probably 95% of my upland hunting images, east and west, are taken with that battered and abused little camera.

It is more difficult to get good images with the little RX100 than with a big ILC and a sack of lenses, but with some effort, it can produce decent results afield.

Same thing when sailing - I wouldn't want to be messing with a big ILC and a bunch of lenses for a number of reasons:

That said, if I am guiding and don't need to gun; or if we are just out running the dogs in the off-season; or if all I am doing is photography, I can manage an ILC and lenses. I find it much easier to capture good images in diverse and/or difficult settings with my ILC (Fuji XT2 and XT5 and a bunch of lenses). Also (I'm anything but a pixel peeper!!), the IQ is clearly better with an APS-C sensor (almost impossible to see here where I only post reduced res pics, but easy to see when printing, etc).

While no one can make such decisions for another person, I'd keep the RX100 and the ILC and get rid of the RX10, which is as big as an ILC without the benefits.

Best Regards,

Greg

Greg,
Shouldn't those dogs be carrying the RX10 so you don't need to?
Just keep them from going too deep in the water.
Sherm

I like all of them, Greg.
Terry

Thanx for your feedback and the fine images, Greg.
I love my RX10iv, I'd rather sell my MLC instead. 🖖

Heya. Although not a sony user, I always keep an eye on this brand and on the forums.

Not to hijack this thread, but to explain similarities, I am also at a stage considering changes due to the size and weight constraints.
I have hard time jumping back into the photography. Now I am building EOS M setup. I would like to take some pictures in the forest, ESPECIALLY while mushrooming. Well, last year it was not picking, it was harvesting. Not only my hands got dirty, but I had hard times walking back to the car. The feeling of "maybe the forest will keep me this time, I'm not gonna make it" crept in as I needed to rest every 100 steps on my way back with that load. I absolutely CANNOT imagine hauling with M6, three lenses and supportive gear on top of my load. But I absolutely can imagine that with RX100.

That makes me thinking too. DPeview camera comparison tool though shows significant difference in image quality. So I am stuck in my mind.

Then there is this Oppo Find X6 pro phone, that is not globally released, but can be purchased, and all sensors are quite large (1"; 1/1.56"; 1/1.56", biggest on the market).

While the phone or compact camera needs just moderately clean pocket/pouch, anything "better" turns into full-gear bag. Smaller or larger, doesn't matter.

So I hear you. The commitment for better gear needs to rise exponentially, and at some point, one has to draw the line.

And noone said you cannot change mind in time! As long as you can afford it, do not feel much remorse for spending on yourself. We only live once. Get the compact cam, do some tests and comparisons, try that, and sell the less liked setup. How about that?

Great photos Maxmolly

Hi,
I found an interesting article today and thought it is worthywhile to share here:
www.theinspiredeye.net/street-photography-cameras/small-sensor-cameras/

Lots of good points - until he got to the "small sensor look", at least. Got an audible groan out of me, that one.

Bhaha. But it is a thing today! There are news circling around. Young people are buying lower-tier cameras for that look. If I look for used gear, these are either all gone/bought or the prices are outrageous, like 50% of current powershots. We must be old fossils, not understanding the fashion then. :-)

All one needs to do to get the "small sensor look" on a large sensor is to stop the lens down to a small pupil. Perhaps it is really the "small pupil look".

As the owner of an RX100 i and an RX100 iii and an RX10 iii I'll say that the image quality is all I can ask for, to the point that I gave my A77 and 70-400G to my niece who is getting into bird photography. BUT, then I wanted to get into macro photography with my Minolta 100mm f2.8 macro lens, one of the sharpest ever made, and I didn't have a body for it. So I bought a used SLT A55V and am happy once again. The RX series will do some closeups but not what I wanted.

Irony alert: I sold my original A55 to buy the A77 and now I own one again.

Very nice shot!

Indeed. The RX100 can take awesome images, no doubt about that it is that immense feeling of redundancy when any camera does not deliver it all. It's not the camera issue. Its the FOMO issue.

EOS M6 system - I might not take it with me.
Sony RX - might not suffice here and there with its focal range (especially wide).
Phone camera - might not reach the desired image quality.

I'm so unsatisfied with about everything! I need to grow up. 🤦😂

Good points, I can relate... ;-)