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I'm planning a trip later this year and decided I don't want to lug around my Nikon and a pile of lenses, so I've just started looking for something inconspicuous and light that can be chucked in my bag. 

 

I need something approaching DSLR image quality, with manual control, a viewfinder, a shortish zoom, and tough. Stills only, not worried about video. 

I'll be shooting street and market scenes, people, architecture, a bit of landscape — the usual travelly stuff.

 

The only cameras I've looked at so far are the Olympus Om Ds with the 12-50 and new 12-40. Very nice, but I think I'd better resist because I'll then be tempted to acquire extra lenses and build a whole new system, and that defeats the purpose of the exercise. One system is enough.

 

Shortlist:

Sony Nex 7 or the new A6000 look quite good

Panasonic Lumix DMC GX7

Fujifilm X100

The Olympus PENs look good, but I don't think I can get my head around composition on a screen.

The compact Nikons don't look very exciting.

 

Any experience of any of these cameras? Any other suggestions for a higher-end compact?

 

Russ

 

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Russ,

I took a fuji x-e1 to Europe last year as I didn't want to lug around my nikon d800. Great images. I brought 3 lenses along and the combined weight was less than what my d800 body weighed with a standard lens attached. Much kinder for my back. I predominantly used a voigtlander 35/1.2 Nokton on it. I also used a contax g 90/2.8 and the fuji 18-55/2.8.

I think the fuji x100s is a really nice camera if you are happy with the fixed focal length. High ISO performance of the fuji sensor is also really quite good.

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Russ,

I took a fuji x-e1 to Europe last year as I didn't want to lug around my nikon d800. Great images. I brought 3 lenses along and the combined weight was less than what my d800 body weighed with a standard lens attached. Much kinder for my back. I predominantly used a voigtlander 35/1.2 Nokton on it. I also used a contax g 90/2.8 and the fuji 18-55/2.8.

I think the fuji x100s is a really nice camera if you are happy with the fixed focal length. High ISO performance of the fuji sensor is also really quite good.

Just checked out a review of the Fuji x e2 — the updated version of the Xe1 — looks very nice. Will definitely take a look at this one. 

 

Thanks Glenn - what camera are you using?

Edited by buddyev
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I have an old Olympus Pen - sensor size counts… image quality will not be as good as the Fuji but lenses and such are smaller again.

 

I also have some micro 4/3 lenses you could borrow if you wanted to… they are sitting unused in my cupboard

Edited by tanehy
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Guest Misterioso

The Sony A6000 with the Zeiss 4/16-70mm zoom looks like a great travel kit. Was thinking of one myself. 

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If don't want to be bothered with changing lenses, a bridge camera may be worth considering...

http://www.whatdigitalcamera.com/roundups/camera/501485/1/best-bridge-camera-of-2013.html

The sony looks like a beauty :)

One other is the Fuji s1, father in law has one and as a pro photographer moved from a dslr to the Fuji bridge.

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Hadnt heard that phrase - bridge camera - before. Not sure that I trust the image quality of such long zooms - but interesting options.

Al - was that a sony nex you were using at zingmore's gtg? What do you think of it?

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Hi budy, a bridge camera is just something In between a dslr and compact. And there are some excellent cameras around from all brands.

The camera I had at zings gtg was a canon eosm. Which is like the sony Nex Just lot cheaper in outlay and compatible with my canon lenses with an adaptor. Same crop sensor as canon crop sensor dslr so pq wise the same just not a dslr :)

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Just bought a Lumix G6. Very happy with it. Got it with the zoom lens but so far haven't used it. The 14-42 lens seems to be adequate for 99% of my shots.  Very happy with the quality, took a bit of getting use to a few of the features but after that a breeze to use.

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Sony Rx1 would make a nice travel camera. That would be my pick. Great lens and sensor .

 

dfinitely the rx series would interest. the rx1 a nice fixed single length lens and if wanting the best optics.

 

D3S_9102-1200.jpg

 

 

 if wanting a zoom lens, the rx10 though also interestingly has a constant apperture f2.8 across the 24-200 range which would be pretty usefull travelling I'd say :)

 

Sony-RX10-product-shot-12.jpg

 

the rx100 also a tasty little piece if wanting something more compact

 

intro2-001.jpg

 

almost like sony has the whole range covered ! :)

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I used an RX-100 exclusively on my last trip. It's a fantastic camera that's easy to use and produces great photos, but it still doesn't compare to larger format cameras.

I'd happily go an RX1, but a fixed prime doesn't suit everyone.

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I used an RX-100 exclusively on my last trip. It's a fantastic camera that's easy to use and produces great photos, but it still doesn't compare to larger format cameras.

I'd happily go an RX1, but a fixed prime doesn't suit everyone.

 

where the RX10 might be good in between option :)

 

I myself used a lumix lx5 for a few years as the small compact option while out and about. certainly excellent as a point and shoot, and no probs as travel camera, landscapes etc. but yeah in more demanding conditions larger cameras definitely win out I agree. the sonys here definitely run a relatively large 1" sensor though unlike a lot of compacts. interesting size comparison here, nex vs rx10 :)

 

i-G9KnNQs-L.png

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We like the Panasonic Lumix FZ200 for its 24X zoom with F2.8 across the range.  It's great for wildlife and nature shots. We recently had to make an insurance claim on it, and after looking at alternatives decided to go for the same model again.  It's had good reviews on DPReview and in the link Al provided in comment #12 above.

 

Cheers

Mick

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I found it very difficult to choose between Sony and Lumix.  All brand have great cameras.  Just a matter of working out what features you want and how much you want to pay.

 

Simple.  :confused:  Only took me about 4 weeks, 6 trips back to the shop, and 20 hours on the internet, researching.

Edited by leewood
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