Alpha NEX-5

I love my DSLRs, but in OP's shoes, I would be considering an older Sony mirrorless, like a Nex 5 or A3000. They're pretty tiny for interchangeable lens cams, have APS-Csize sensors and the lenses can be had fairly cheap if you're patient.

Canadian eh...? My local Facebook marketplace frequently has Sony Nex series kits coming up for the range you're talking about. Sure they are older cameras and compared to the high ISO of a new Sony or Canon SLM... okay there's no comparison. BUT they are super small and still have an APS-c sensor.

That’s what I use mirrorless for. My Sony NEX-5T with the 20mm pancake is not a heck of a lot bigger than a premium compact, and is actually slimmer than something like a Canon G12. But it has an APS-C sensor, just no viewfinder.

Part of the allure of vintage digicams 3 - 6 years ago was that we could more easily get a previously pricey and/or interesting model for relatively little money, compared to what they cost when new. And with increased interest, that window is closing. Since the supply of vintage cameras generally c