looking for the most portable digital camera ever...

[MichaelBarry]

I enjoy taking photos but I don't always want to have a to carry a backpack or suffer a big bulge in my pants because I have a camera with me. I normally shoot on 35mm anyway.

I was wondering if anyone could tell me the smallest/thinnest/most portable digital camera on the market today.
I don't want suggestions of those little 'toy' cameras sold a rest stops or obscure cameras sold by weird asian brands. EDIT: or mobile phones with good cameras thanks.

It would be very helpful if the suggestions were reputable brands. I am aware of the Sony Cybershot cameras that are very slim but are they the only ones out there? and do they come any smaller rather than thinner.

I normally shoot on 35mm which is why I want a digital camera to carry with me when I'm just at a friend's house or a party where I don't want to be the 'photo-guy' ya know?

thanks.

 

[jackerin]

Something from Canon's IXUS line or the new S90, maybe?

Do you have any feature requirements in terms of zoom/sensor or is it just smallest possible?

 

[MichaelBarry]

Do you have any feature requirements in terms of zoom/sensor or is it just smallest possible?

There are no requirements at all really. perhaps below £150 would be nice but it's not vital and if it would take SD cards would be a bonus because I already have a few cards.

but to be honest it's just the size that I'm concerned with I'm just assuming that all camera's these days are over 4 megapixels?

 

[cube]

Casio and Nikon have some 100g digicams.

But those are not the ones with the least pixels.

You can find some 120g Pentax and Canon cameras from 2007 with 7MP.

 

[jaseone]

To paraphrase Chase Jarvis... The best camera is the one that you have with you, so for example if you have a smartphone with a decent camera like an iPhone then use that even though it may be somewhat challenging (especially in low light with the iPhone). I find even with the smaller point & shoots I have that I rarely bring those with me unless I am purposefully bringing a camera, which defeats the point as in that case I would just bring the DSLR. it is different for women as they just throw their P&S in their purse but that doesn't work for us guys.

 

[ronjon10]

To paraphrase Chase Jarvis... The best camera is the one that you have with you, so for example if you have a smartphone with a decent camera like an iPhone then use that even though it may be somewhat challenging (especially in low light with the iPhone). I find even with the smaller point & shoots I have that I rarely bring those with me unless I am purposefully bringing a camera, which defeats the point as in that case I would just bring the DSLR. it is different for women as they just throw their P&S in their purse but that doesn't work for us guys.

Ditto. I bought two different point & shoot cameras thinking I'd like to have a kick around camera when I didn't feel like bringing the DSLR. After the second one, I realized I either wanted the big camera or no camera.

I have been using the iphone more, even to the point where I use it when I have the big camera with me. I've found good shots with the iphone because it's always on hand.

Still though, if you want a rec for a good small camera, I'd vote for the new Canon S90 as well. The form factor is actually too small for me as I fumble it out of my hands using it one handed, so I prefer the G series. I think the G series is bigger than you had in mind though.

 

[NightGeometry]

Nowhere near the smallest digital on the market, but I can only recommend the EP-1. It isn't small enough to fit in the average pocket, but - it fits in a (my) jacket pocket, and the side pocket of a pair of combats. Pretty darn good IQ (in my opinion), and small / light enough that it goes in any bag I carry - even if i also have my DSLR in there. Mine pretty much goes everywhere with me, at least as much as my old small PnS did.

However - I can't imagine going anywhere without a bag of some sort - no 'manbag' for me, but I always have a backpack, satchel, messenger bag or camera bag with me.

Otherwise, I'd just go into a store and browse small cameras to be honest. DPReview did a group test of small cameras a while ago didn't they?