Using Mirrorless as a "fancy"point & shoot

I currently shoot with a 7D and a 7D Mark II. What I am interested in is using a mirrorless camera in something of a point & shoot mode. That is, sometimes I simply do not want to lug my 7Ds around but want something more than my smartphone camera. Does anyone have a recommendation on good options for mirrorless? I am seeking compact size & weight but with excellent image capabilities.
Thanks

I mean, yeah, go for it.

Price is so silly on good used or clearance price mirrorless when they fall out of fashion, you can practically get them free. (small exaggeration, but often as low as $200-300.00 for new old stock kits!)

But seriously, if you aren't looking to spend a lot,, older model Nikon 1, or Canon M are dirt cheap.

Are they the best Mirrorless that compete well with DSLR? No , but do they blow the doors off of most P&S? Absolutely.

If you want more, then new Fuji, Olympus etc, all have very good options to look at, but now your closing on $1K just for starters.

A Fuji Xt10 right now would be about $400.00
This was state of the art a year ago, and more than double the price.

the current model is XT20, sells for $900.00 usually.

I may be missing something here, but I don't get the draw of mirrorless. The body is diminutive by dSLR standards. Aren't the lenses about the same size as EFs lenses? A 70-200 on MILC is still a 70-200, right?

If I wanted (and sometimes I do) a smaller/travel package, I'd be seriously considering two cameras: Panasonic FZ300 and/or FZ1000. The 300 is small sensor large zoom. The 1000 is large sensor small zoom. They may be in line with what you are looking for.

(Jake, I love the '70s motor-head reference: 'blow the doors off'. Did you by chance ever own an early Hemi-'Cuda?)

Bassat wrote in post #18513384
I may be missing something here, but I don't get the draw of mirrorless. The body is diminutive by dSLR standards. Aren't the lenses about the same size as EFs lenses? A 70-200 on MILC is still a 70-200, right?

Folks "don't get" the fact that it is truly the SMALLER FORMAT size (less sensor area) which is truly where the size and weight advantages come -- not merely in the somewhat thinner body of the mirrorless design -- where the true saving occurs due to the use of shorter (and more compact) FL

A9 + FE 35
A7riii + FE 35
RX1-Rii
Fuji X100s
Fuji XT + 23
Canon EOS M6 + 22

I'm not sure which models have wifi, but I think it's essential. I can shoot and straight to social media/sms in like a minute, it's really handy to get SOOC to phone really fast and high quality.

Bassat wrote in post #18513384
...

(Jake, I love the '70s motor-head reference: 'blow the doors off'. Did you by chance ever own an early Hemi-'Cuda?)

My dream Mopar was a Plymouth GTX Hemi.. or Charger RT/500.

I did get a chance to drive a '72 Charger with a 440 once. Not the body style I I loved from the late 60's/1970, but still awesome and fast!

But yes, I was a motorhead, (and love the band)
In high school before most of us could afford to own a car, I I used to pride myself on being able to ID engines by sound from a distance.

Mopars were always my fav, and I had a lot of friends that were able to go that route, but I never actually ended up with one. Instead I had a '68 Buick wildcat rag top with the 430 ci, and later my 472ci '69 Cadillac, yielding enough torque multiplication to turn the earth on a new axis.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #18513418
My dream Mopar was a Plymouth GTX Hemi.. or Charger RT/500.

I did get a chance to drive a '72 Charger with a 440 once. Not the body style I I loved from the late 60's/1970, but still awesome and fast!

But yes, I was a motorhead, (and love the band)
In high school before most of us could afford to own a car, I I used to pride myself on being able to ID engines by sound from a distance.

Mopars were always my fav, and I had a lot of friends that were able to go that route, but I never actually ended up with one. Instead I had a '68 Buick wildcat rag top with the 430 ci, and later my 472ci '69 Cadillac, yielding enough torque multiplication to turn the earth on a new axis.

Memories.
I was always partial to small block Chevy engines. Nothing screams 'crazy' like twisting a 327 out to 9000 before shifting. Roller lifters, twin 780 double pumpers on top a tunnel ram. Saddest thing in the world is missing a shift and dropping the crank through the oil pan. Twice.

JPMosu wrote in post #18513356
I currently shoot with a 7D and a 7D Mark II. What I am interested in is using a mirrorless camera in something of a point & shoot mode. That is, sometimes I simply do not want to lug my 7Ds around but want something more than my smartphone camera. Does anyone have a recommendation on good options for mirrorless? I am seeking compact size & weight but with excellent image capabilities.
Thanks

If you like your 7D2 files for the most part, have you considered the SL2? I can take a pic of the two side by side later if it helps you determine sizing, or go to a store that carries them in the photo area. If your lenses aren't going to be that much smaller with a mirror less, and it is the size of the 7D2 that causes you a bit of grief, then the SL2 might be the solution.

I already have an older rebel, but thanks for the suggestion. What I am looking for is a camera that I can take along instead of the 7D. Like when hiking or at an event when I am not "officially" shooting or if I am simply out and about and see an image that I want to capture. Just something better than the smartphone, which I feel are significantly limited. I'd love a camera that I could carry in a coat pocket, but is not a P&S.

JPMosu wrote in post #18513459
I already have an older rebel, but thanks for the suggestion. What I am looking for is a camera that I can take along instead of the 7D. Like when hiking or at an event when I am not "officially" shooting or if I am simply out and about and see an image that I want to capture. Just something better than the smartphone, which I feel are significantly limited. I'd love a camera that I could carry in a coat pocket, but is not a P&S.

Ricoh GR!

Bassat wrote in post #18513384
I may be missing something here, but I don't get the draw of mirrorless. The body is diminutive by dSLR standards. Aren't the lenses about the same size as EFs lenses? A 70-200 on MILC is still a 70-200, right?

If I wanted (and sometimes I do) a smaller/travel package, I'd be seriously considering two cameras: Panasonic FZ300 and/or FZ1000. The 300 is small sensor large zoom. The 1000 is large sensor small zoom. They may be in line with what you are looking for.

(Jake, I love the '70s motor-head reference: 'blow the doors off'. Did you by chance ever own an early Hemi-'Cuda?)

It depends on what your focal length needs are. If you need telephoto focal lengths then the physics are what they are. But most of the shooting that people do when they want lighter weight setups call for UWA, wide, and normal focal lengths, and in that range the size and weight savings can be substantial.

Beyond that, there are a lot of benefits to mirrorless cameras that have nothing to do with size. Most of my kit is DSLR sized, but I wouldnt trade it for anything offered in DSLR format because of the there are things mirrorless bodies can do that DSLR's cannot.

Taking my 5D4 with 24-70 in a holster bag is my to go gear right now, but I am not taking that set up traveling. It's too heavy. I was ready some reviews and the M100 was suggested with the kit lens for $499. I have a G series camera, but want to try mirrorless, too. The Sony a6000 was suggested, but it is 3 years old. Any suggestions for a very minimal set up that can go in my purse? I am quite spoiled, so image quality and low light are important.

I can fit my SL2 and 40mm pancake in my pocket. They have to be cargo pants pockets or a coat pocket however.

Take a look at the Sony A6000 with the kit lens.

The question is physically what does the camera need to do. If it something that is small and unobtrusive that will slip into a pocket, unless you got for a smaller format mirrorless and prime lens, you will struggle even then. Have you thought about actually getting a P&S, the Sony RX100 cameras seem to produce fantastic images, small enough to slide into a pocket with a standard zoom length