Camera Advice
- Started
- Last post
- 66 Responses
- fodcj
I have just put all of my DSLR camera equipment and lenses on eBay as over the last year I have been using it less and less due to the size and inconvenience of carrying it around.
I am looking to get something smaller and will have a budget of around £500 max.
I have read through the great post about the Macro Four Thirds cameras however this is slightly old so was wondering what is best at the moment?
Liking either the Lumix GF1 + 20mm pancake kit:
was also looking at the Canon G12:
Any advice appreciated!
P.S. I don't really shoot video so this isn't a deciding factor.
- ThePublics0
lumix.
- Isn't the GF1 an early 2010 model though? Surely there is something better and newer by now?fodcj
- team_zissou0
a 1980s canon
- Hombre_Lobo0
http://www.qbn.com/topics/636491…
as you said you have read the link above. The link above is more about micro four thirds which do not have an in built view finder, which means it does not mention the Lumix G series - G1 / G2 / G10 / Gh1 / GH2 which are more like a conventional DSLR in terms of ergoniomics.
And the link only occasionally mentions the attachable Electronic View finder for the olympus micro four thirds 'Pen' models, the EP2, Epl1 and the more recent Epl2.
So before you go any further you need to decide do you want interchangeable lenses or a compact all in one camera?
If its a compact all in one, i'd recommend the Olympus XZ1 (currently unbeatable f1.8 aperture), to me it out classes all other compacts including the LX5 s95 and g12 in every respect. The G12, which has some of the most stunning ergonomics around is different though with a longer zoom, but the aperture is much narrower, 2.8 iirc vs the XZ1's 1.8.In terms of interchangeable lens cameras...ill write more later, gotta run!
- fodcj0
Hi Hombre_Lobo, I like the idea of an interchangeable lenses camera as that will give me a little more versatility and then also won't feel like such a change from my DSLR.
Does also come down to what is the best camera for my £500 price bracket though (and doesn't want to be to big).
Cheers
- robotron3k0
I have the GH2 Lumix, IMO it's an excellent camera and close to your price range. It's super light weight and so damn fast at focusing and turning on, full sensor DSLR owners are jealous. with the fast 20mm f1.7 works out to a fast 40mm, same with the 14-140mm, it works out to a 28-240mm. so you have to think of that kind of adjustment when looking at M4/3 cameras. The 20mm makes the camera tiny but powerful.
- You lucky bunny! That GH2 is a beauty, and that step-less aperture lens! v jealous.Hombre_Lobo
- antagonista0
Wash the sand out of your vagina and carry your slr like a man.
- Hombre_Lobo0
Well if its interchangeable lenses you want in a compact system, then the following systems are viable -
The Sony Nex (nex 3, nex 5)
The Samsung NX (nx5, nx10, nx11)
Panasonic Micro Four thirds (GF1, Gf2, G1, G2, G10, GH1, GH2)
Olympus Micro Four thirds (EP1, EP2, Epl1, Epl2)
Ricoh is an option also.The sony nex system carries an excellent a-psc size sensor achieving high iso equal to that of a 550d / d5000. But the nex series interface is somewhat dumbed down and v v clunky. the lenses are also not great. And no electronic view finder. Also due to the larger sensor size the lens mount diameter is larger which in turn makes for larger and heavier lenses.
The Samsung series are pretty crap, it has a bigger sensor than micro four thirds cameras but manages ot produce much worse images, and the quality control on their lenses are so up and down. The ergonomics are great though.
If its a compact DSLR experience you want (view finder in body and grip) then the panasonic G1, G2, G10, Gh1 and GH2 are the ideal choices. The olympus pens have an additional attachable EVF (electronic view finder) which is excellent quality, and it makes the camera set up a modular system, but its expensive (£180).
Ive covered the differences between Lumix G serives vs the olmpus pen series in the other topic. Its roughly:
Pen has IBIS, slightly better out of cam jpegs, more aggressive noise reduction on jpegs.
Pana has sharper lenses (but these can go on the pens), faster autofocus (80% due to lenses), generally better build quality and they respond quicker.If video is important to you, you will want a GH1 or GH2. The GH2 is better in a lot of ways than the GH1, here are some of its features -
40 shots a second @ 2MP
high iso is excellent for the sensor size (not quite 550d but close)
the incredible Extra tele conversion mode (2.6x zooming with no quality loss in video)
faster auto focus
better finish on the cam too (not really important but hey)
higher iso video is much clearer
video is slightly sharper tooMicro Four thirds is an excellent system, but if you are crazy about depth of field, its not gonna get the DOF your dslr got. Smaller sensor means wider DOF.
A f1.4 lens on an aps-c sensor is shallower than a f1.4 on m43. No where really mentions this and naturally its hard to find side by side comparisons.I have a Lumix GF1 + 20mm f1.7 lens and i love it, its built like a tank. the lens is excellent, its known for its incredible sharpness.
Remember the panasonic 14-45mm is sharper than the newer panasonic 14-42mm.
There are also loads of old 1980's lens for cheap on ebay that can attach via an adapter. i got an old macro for £50, an f1.8 50mm for £20, all manual control of course.
Oh and the GF2 produces images almost identical to the GF1, there are really no differences in image output, i find its smaller body more awkward to use tbh.
Good luck with your search :)
- Hombre_Lobo0
Nearly forgot this -
http://www.dpreview.com/previews…The new Lumix G3 looks great. new sensor and its high iso jpegs seem even better than the GH2. The GH2 has the best micro four third camera sensor currently, so im hoping the G3 will be a big step up.
Smaller body than current G1 / G2 / G10 models too!
- robotron3k0
if you are really on a budget you could pick up a used GH1 from ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/Panasonic-Lu…
get a multitude of options for a variety of lens and lens prices and you got a great camera that you could use everyday. You could also hack it to upgrade it later on.
- fodcj0
*
- fodcj0
In case anyone in the UK is interested... here is all my gear for sale:
- Hombre_Lobo0
do it fodcj. It looks ace.
- still, m43 lenses are hard to get a DOF, you need a 20mm 1.7 to get it close. wonder how it compares to gh2?robotron3k
- i actually worry this camera looks too small to operate comfortably.Hombre_Lobo
- the optics look just a bit better than the gh2, but it does look small. the bottom line, you need to spend 1200 for good lenses anyway. really you do.robotron3k
- the optics? the lens is the 14-42mm same as the 14-42mm GH2 lens kit.Hombre_Lobo
- The g3 sensor is new and first impressions seem like its better than the GH2. and yeh good lenses are expensive! :(Hombre_Lobo
- Hombre_Lobo0
i would actually advise against getting a GH1, if video on a budget is your priority then go for it, but i had one along with my GF1, and found the images from my GF1 to be sharper (only slightly) in both RAW and jpeg.
Also worth mentioning that the GH1 exhibits banding at high iso, the early models in particular. high iso is a fair bit better on the GH1 than the GF1 though.
dont forget about this link to compare high iso and base iso images from various cameras -
http://www.dpreview.com/previews…also check out the image Comparometer -
http://www.imaging-resource.com/…
- genfour0
love my GF1....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/476…- i love mine too! great pics dude! wait i have spoken to you before... i remember making some poor joke...Hombre_Lobo
- ..about how we're the same person because we both like bouldering and have a GF1..
was that you? maybe im nuts.Hombre_Lobo - yeah that was me I believe... hahagenfour
- lol! sorry :PHombre_Lobo
- Nice shotsfodcj
- great shotsinteliboy
- Hombre_Lobo0
@ – robotron3k (your note)
exactly, i mention this in my post above. the sensor size means consequently very shallow DOF will always be difficult to achieve compared to DSLR's.
The GH2 will have the same DOF limitations that other m43 cameras have as it is the same size sensor.
- yup, but my gf has the 60d and it's heavy, slow set up, & my gh2 is fast, light, great vid and i'm still learning to master.robotron3k
- fodcj0
That G3 in the video above does look very nice. If I were to go for that what lenses would you suggest I get (would probably buy 2) to get the most out of the camera?
- ok_not_ok0
- "£500 max."inteliboy
- This is about £1000 isn't it. Slightly more than I want to spend.fodcj
- Not worth the money at all. Iirc an olympus pen+20mm produces better images, even in low light.Hombre_Lobo
- hombre you are so wrong on that one...inteliboy
- Sorry intelliboy, I wasnt 100% hence the 'iirc'. Ill check out the review, cheers :)Hombre_Lobo
- rizm0
I like the Canon s95 or Ricoh GRD in the compact range. But it looks like you're looking for something bigger...
- microkorg0
I'm considering a new camera at the moment.
I've got a Ricoh GX100 which I LOVE and usually have a WIDEEEE Nikon lens attached to.
The quality of the photos are good, not excellent, so i'm thinking of either an upgrade to get better quality photos, perhaps investing in one of the cameras mentioned above or even going back to film photography.
- Hombre_Lobo0
@fodcj
Depends on your favored focal lengths. The 20mm pancake is the sharpest lens you can get (not including the £600 pana leica macro and £500 olympus macro), but its expensive at around £300. If you shoot a lot of indoor low light then the 20mm f1.7 aperture is desirable.
If you don't care for low light shots the 14-42mm kit lens is decent and you can then add the panasonic 45-200mm for £200. That would give a pretty excellent all round kit.