I am pondering buying a secondhand camera for night ride photography instead of using my camera phone. Anyone got any recommendations?

I was pondering an old Canon Powershot G series camera?

You should be able to get a Lumix LX3 pretty cheaply. Very good in low light for its size and enough control if you want to play with lighting effects

I have a cannon g9. It’s better than a camera phone in low light but down the pub is only better due to the flash.

I bought a dslr to get an f1.4 lense.
+This will take great photos in very low light
– It’s heavy
– It’s difficult to use as in my mates/ strangers will take duff photos unless they use dslr normally.

I haven’t taken the g9 out for ages.

My 2p.

I went for a pentax K5 and a sigma 50mm f1.4.

The camera is old and will be cheaper now, the lense will still be pricey

Yeah I do not want the bulk of a DSLR nor the completely over my head complexity!

I used to go night-riding (mostly urban) with a Sony RX100 (MK1) for that specific duty. I had a gorillapod mounted to the rear rack and a sturdy side-stand on the bike, utilizing the rear light and reflective jacket to alert traffic if I was shooting roadside. So it was a good mobile setup. Will dig out some pics. Pleasantly surprised by the RX100 low-light capabilities and negligible bulk.

As with Malvern Rider – Sony RX100 – stunning in low light and bright light. Took it as my Tour Divide camera. Rare that it gets used as anything but f1.8

Room was quite dark.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Nu1e4v]DSC01466-Edit.jpg[/url] by Greg.May, on Flickr

Last light

[url=https://flic.kr/p/QhNSeM]DSC01689-Edit.jpg[/url] by Greg.May, on Flickr

Gorillapod will make a huge difference

Recently bought an RX100 (Mk1) for similar reasons.

Delighted so far.

Here’s a few pics from my first couple of night ‘trials’ with an RX100. Considering they are shot JPG (RAW is available) Iwas considerably impressed. Light sources such as street lamps don’t reproduce/starbust as nicely/cleanly as I’d like, but I find this with most compact zooms. Saying that, I was nicely suprised at the IQ given the price and format. Just wish it had an articulated screen. And hadn’t broken since! Now use a (used) Pentax MX-1, and it takes lovely night shots, has an articulated screen and great lens, albeit a smaller sensor so not up to par with the Sony. My ‘perfect’ compact camera would be the Sony sensor with the Pentax build/useability.

RX100 mk1: (please note the Eden Project image is comprised of two frames that I later stitched together via an app)

Thanks

Gorillapod will make a huge difference

Daylight would make an even bigger difference.

another vote for the rx100…

Looking back it’s still surprising to me how user-forgiving the Sony is. Hasty shots can often be saved after the fact as the dynamic range is excellent. Below snap was taken at f5.6, handheld, 400 ISO. Far from ideal, yet it captured so much. For a low (used)-cost compact zoom I think it’s hard to beat. Depending on your budget you might also look at the Sony RX1, RX1R at the deep end, or Fujifilm X100S at the more affordable end

Depending on your budget you might also look at the Sony RX1, RX1R at the deep end, or Fujifilm X100S at the more affordable end

I loved my RX1r but it did have back focus issues.

I’m sounding a little like a stuck record with this, but if your mobile is also due an upgrade, have you considered a Huawei P9? The second, B+W specific camera is excellent in low light. I have been able to capture images with it which are as sharp as a colour photo in the daylight.

The automatic exposures are really nice, with the Leice software doing all the calcs to give you a great picture most of the time. There is also a full manual mode, exposures of up to 30 seconds are possible as well as ISO from 50 to 3200, and Shutter from 1/4000 to 30seconds. There is also DNG/RAW output and the aforemantioned pair of separate cameras.

Here’s a few examples, not the very best that is possible, but just to show you. All have been downsized and resaved, so there’s extra jpeg compression in there.

30 seconds, just rested the phone facing up. The case settled, hence the star trails.

Can also do fake bokeh using the depth map from the cameras.

Both indoors in very dim room. Hand held.

Took this after the sun had set, really dark. Hardly broke my stride, still sharp.

This is actually taken with a Moto G v1, which has a notoriously poor camera. Just to show that fiddling with the settings can get you a fair way with even a crap camera.

LX3, 5, 7 are all good in low light.

These are great little things too.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Camera-Photo/PEDCO-Ultra-Camera-Tripod/B00N64DQHQ

strap it to a branch:

Or use a a table top tripod on a bench or the saddle of your propped up bike. (dicking about hoping the clouds would shift out of the way of the supermoon)

I had an LX3 before the RX100 and I used it in low light a lot.
Pretty good, especially as you might pick one up for £40-50

Only the very very best phones can get close.
Google Pixel
HTC 10
Samsung Galaxy S7
Sony Xperia X Performance
Moto Z Force Droid
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus

I would think you’d have to pay £140 for an RX100

LX3:

Quite noisy, but it still captures the moment well. Definitely post-processed though.