Question Looking to buy a capable camera smaller than a DSLR camera

King Mustard

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I currently have a Nikon D3300, which I really like.

I mainly use the single-point AF feature, due to the excellent "depth of field" effect it gives on photos.

However, the camera is too large and heavy for my trips abroad.

I am hoping for some advice/suggestions with the following conditions:
  • Must be smaller than my Nikon D3300 (W12cm, H10cm, L14cm with kit 18-55mm lens)
  • Must be lighter than my Nikon D3300 (700g with stock battery and kit 18-55mm lens)
  • Must offer single-point AF (for a similar depth of field effect)
  • Ideally has 180° swivel screen for "selfies"
  • Ideally has built-in GPS for photo geotagging
  • Must be under £500/€600/$650
Any advice/suggestions?
 
For these purposes I have Sony rx100m3 which is on budget. it's not the only one of this type but it's the one I have experience of and find it very good for the size. Low light, fast moving and other challenging conditions still need my dslr.
 
Firstly, I think you misunderstand how AF systems work, and also how depth of field works. AF systems have no impact on depth of field, the things that control depth of field are aperture, focal length, subject distance, and sensor size (through the effects of focal length and subject distance variances).

Most cameras these days have single point AF so you have just about everything to choose from. If you want ultra compact with good IQ then you need to look at the 1" type sensor compacts such as Sony RX100's and Canon G7x's. However, you will struggle to get as shallow DOF as DSLR. The best compromise (imo) is micro 4/3's, small lightweight bodies and lenses with great IQ and the ability (with the right lens) to get the shallow DOF. Alternatively you could look at something like the Fuji XT10, or Sony A6000 which has the same size sensor as your Nikon D3300 and therefore with comparable lenses will give the same depth of field.
 
I am hoping for some advice/suggestions with the following conditions:
  • Must be smaller than my Nikon D3300 (W12cm, H10cm, L14cm with kit 18-55mm lens)
  • Must be lighter than my Nikon D3300 (700g with stock battery and kit 18-55mm lens)
  • Must offer single-point AF (for a similar depth of field effect)
  • Ideally has 180° swivel screen for "selfies"
  • Ideally has built-in GPS for photo geotagging
  • Must be under £500/€600/$650
There are lots of options that are smaller and lighter than your D3300 but will offer good quality images.
If you want interchangeable lenses and are looking to go beyond auto modes then I can recommend recent variants of Olympus Micro 4/3rds cameras that I own.

If you're not bothered about a viewfinder and you want small.
Olympus PEN E-PL7 Compact System Camera - Jessops - Compact System Cameras

If you want a viewfinder and easier access to manual controls.
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II Digital Camera with 14-42mm Lens - Silver

Both will meet your bold requirements. The E-PL7 has a fold down screen for selfies. Both can be controlled remotely for selfies using the Olympus Image Share smartphone app which can also be used to add geotags to your images.

If you want a second lens with a longer zoom too then this bundle (after cashback) is a bargain.
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II Digital Camera with 14-42mm EZ Lens and 40-150mm Lens - Silver

If you don't need multiple lenses then there are smaller options with similar quality. There are also other mirrorless camera systems from other manufacturers which are capable but I don't have personal experience to recommend them so I'll leave that to others.
 
My travel camera is the Sony A6000.

That would tick all the 'must' boxes, but the screen doesn't do 180 and no GPS.

It uses the same sized sensor (24Mp APS-C) as your D3300, and they are very similar in ISO handling, dynamic range etc.

You can get the 'Selfi' option via remote operation from a smartphone - it's a free App, and the camera creates a temporary wi-fi network to facilitate it (it can also use the option to wirelessly transfer images to your phone for upload to Facebook, Instagram, etc, if that's what you're after).

Worth popping in to a camera shop to see how the smaller cameras feel in your hands - fitting the range of buttons needed to get DSLR level of controls on a smaller body is tricky - I was all set to get an RX100, for example, until I tried one, and it was just too small for me to comfortably hold.
 

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