Snap decisions
FUJIFILM INSTAX MINI 8
Beloved by the young, tech-savvy types of Tokyo for its compact size, user-friendly features and ‘50s-inspired styling, the Instax Mini 8 – produces credit card-sized prints. The camera indicates via an LED which brightness setting should be used. Just turn the dial to the correct position and you’re ready to take a beautiful instant picture.
SONY RX100IV
Freeze time with the Sony Cyber-shot RX100IV. It features an anti-distortion shutter capable of up to 1/32000 second and 1000fps video, meaning high-speed action can be recorded and put into extreme-slow-mo playback. The camera also has a high-resolution 4K movie setting, capable of delivering four times the resolution of Full HD. And there’s an option to save any frame as a still image, using the software provided.
PENTAX 645Z
Digital cameras with CMOS sensors (which use less power but yield a faster response than CCD sensors) are all the rage, and the Pentax 645Z medium-format camera is particularly in demand. With a 51.4MP resolution – almost double the average for a DSLR – it’s a serious contender against more costly peers in terms of image quality and ease of handling. It has a tiltable high-res LCD monitor, Full-HD video-recording capability, and it can hook up to smartphones via Wi-Fi. A UHS-1 Speed Class for transferring images straight to a computer’s data storage make it a fast and accurate option for serious enthusiasts.
LEICA Q
Featuring a full-frame sensor, the fastest autofocus of its class and a Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH lens, the Leica Q is a compact digital camera that fits in your pocket without compromising on performance. Wi-Fi capability and Adobe Photoshop/Lightroom are included, and it records video of up to 60fps. Which, when you consider that Hollywood movies are created with a mere 48fps, practically puts you in the director’s chair.
CANON POWERSHOT G7 X
With expert controls and high-speed performance, the compact PowerShot G7 X camera from Canon rivals professional kit. With DSLR-style creativity (thanks to its back-illuminated 20.2MP CMOS sensor), the PowerShot G7 X performs well even in murky conditions. A continuous shooting speed of 6.5 frames per second can be sustained for up to 700 frames, so not only can the twilight stars be captured, but the shooting ones too.
