This may have taken 200+ posts back and forth but it has been interesting to learn other peoples views and thoughts. To me it has been a worthwhile exercise that goes a long way to help everyone understand what compact cameras are all about.
I keep coming back to one core factor that has been around far longer than this discussion thread. It seems to be an undisputed fact that the bigger the sensor (whether film or digital) the better the resulting image quality, other factors being equal. Image quality is however not the only factor in judging what is (or is not) a good photograph. The subject matter and how it is presented - the composition - is far more important, as long as the image quality is adequate. So, a poorly composed subject will seldom be rated as a great photograph, no matter how perfect the image quality may be. Similarly a great composition with terrible image quality will also fail. To get a good photograph requires a combination of great composition together with a level of image quality suitable for the intended purpose. Obviously the image quality needs are very different if you want a printed poster size enlargement or a 1024 x 768 pixel image on a computer screen.
It seems that we all agree that the composition is mainly determined by the photographer with perhaps a little help from the camera, while the image quality is mainly determined by the camera with a little help from the photographer.
So, in these Compact Camera Contests, we want to eliminate cameras which produce an image of such high quality that they tend to over-shadow the composition. The reason being that we want to rate the composition to determine the winners, and not the image quality. The winner should be the person who submits the best composition with a subject that depicts the theme, irrespective of image quality as long as it is adequate and does not detract from the overall effect of the photograph.
Considering almost everything which has been posted, there is consensus that cameras with interchangeable lenses should be restricted to those with a specific maximum sensor size. Some have suggested APS-C, some M4/3 and some CX as the maximum for an interchangeable lens camera. While having the ability to change lenses is not in itself (IMO) a huge advantage over a 26 - 300+ mm zoom lens, the bigger sensors coupled with high quality, fast lenses allows a degree of control over depth of field way beyond anything a camera with a 1/2.3 sensor and a tiny 5x zoom lens can hope to ever achieve. For this reason I personally prefer a rule that eliminates cameras with interchangeable lenses and sensors larger than CX size. This allows the Nikon 1 and the Pentax Q but eliminates the Olympus and other M4/3 systems. Obviously it also rules out (D)SLRs.
Film camera users (and large sensor digital camera users) should be welcome as long as their cameras have fixed lenses. I am not at all twitchy about range finders and whatever focus systems these cameras may have because they don't give the photographer a clear view of depth of field - you have to work that out for yourself.
Obviously large format cameras are outside the scope of a compact camera contest.
I would happily support Ivoire's last set of rules with the single amendment of CX sized sensors instead of M4/3
Originally posted by ivoire: "Compact Camera" Contest Rules"
No cameras with sensors larger than CX
No Large Format or camera typically requiring a tripod to use.
No 35mm (D)SLRs
No camera weighing over 1kg
Contest winner agrees to use these rules, selects theme and judges next competition
May I suggest that these rules be applied and tried for the January contest so we can see if they are popular and if any entrant has a problem with them?