Am I Stupid to even think about it!!

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nikonuser

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Dave
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I have a half decent set up Nikon D700; 24-70; 70-200 VRII and a few primes.
I mainly take landscapes, motor sports, architecture and family/friends portraits.
I never take my camera/lenses on holiday abroad due to it being too bulky.
I had a though today while looking at cameras in PCWorld, should I sell the lot and buy a small point and shoot which is fully manual, similar to the Canon G12 (which has a viewfinder), and then it would be able to go everywhere with me.....or is it a no brainer!!
Thanks
Dave
 
Just buy the compact, don't sell, just see how it works for you. If you can live without a VF check the Sony RX100 too.
 
It has a VF but AFAIK it tells you nothing, does it?

MTF sounds like the answer, with a collapsible zoom or small prime?
 
The viewfinder on those sorts of cameras are useless. The only 'similar' camera worth going for in terms of viewfinder would be the x100.

By all means get a smaller camera as a companion to your main kit, but I wouldn't exchange mine for one. I can recommend something different from the norm like a Sigma DP1/2 and their variants or a Ricoh GR Digital III/IV. The Ricoh's a better all round camera, but when you get it right on a DP (usually by swearing at it) , that foveon sensor renders beautiful images.
 
Excuse my ignorance -- MTF/VF??
Thanks
Dave
 
It sounds like it would be a bit of a mistake for what you shoot, particularly the motorsport side of things. Would second the idea about just buying an additional compact camera. I realise it's east to say but you have clearly invested a bit of money already so I guess this would be an option. If not you could always sell a lens or two.

My travel weapon of choice is an X100. It probably gets more use than my D700 at the moment but I would never want to ditch the DSLR.
 
gad-westy said:
Micro four thirds (erm I think) and view finder
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Sorry, yes. VF = view finder, MTF = Micro Four Thirds... although other CSC's are available:D


CSC = Compact System Camera.
 
Thanks Guys, appreciate your thoughts. Yes, maybe buying the compact would be the better option for now to see how it performs and how I feel using a smaller unit compared to the D700 and handgrip.
Graham that X100 looks a belting camera and has great reviews on the John Lewis website.
Cheers
Dave
 
I've moved completely from a 5D2 and some L lenses to a micro 4/3rds setup with "pro" quality lenses. Much, much smaller as a system. I'm just waiting for the 70-200 equivalent to be released (Nov time) but if I tell you the pro quality 35-100 f2.8 (micro 4/3 is a 2x crop so this is the equivalent of 70-200 f2.8) will be available, will weigh 360g and be 4" long, would that interest you?
 
nikonuser said:
Graham that X100 looks a belting camera and has great reviews on the John
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Yeah, I love mine. A real joy to use. It's got it's quirks so wouldn't be for everyone but I'm a huge fan. One thing though is that although it is miles more portable than a DSLR and a bag of lenses, I wouldn't call it truly pocketable, unless you happen to be a clown! :)

The Sony RX100 is worth a look if you want something with DSLR IQ that will slip in the pocket though it is not a camera that encourages much input from it's user in the same way as the Fuji X100 or DSLR for that matter.

Different strokes for different folks.
 
If you can afford it pick up a used P&S and keep your existing gear.
I have a G12 in addition to my DSLR gear and its great when you are just out for the day and don't want loads of gear with you.
Also in these PC times its great for taking pix of the grandkids in the park,you don't get thought of as a perv as everybody else there is using little cameras and phones not cameras with big white lenses
 
Nikon D3200, perhaps?

I would imagine going from full frame to a compact sensor in a tarted up body, is going to get you frustrated at the image quality. Perhaps a smaller DSLR body with no grip and an SB400 in your pocket would give you (closer to) the quality you want, but with less bulk.
 
My Canon G9 has travelled thousands of air miles these past 5 years, its got its limitations, but i wouldn't be without it, unless that is I could afford a newer G model or the Nikon V1! It shoots in raw, very good at iso's up to 200 and I've made good prints to A3 with it. You can't shoot shallow depth of field and its hopeless for action shots, too much shutter delay, but for family holiday shots its smashing, would imagine the G12 and the new G15 would really show it up as well.
 
A friend has a 5d mk 2, 1 d3 AND a hasselblad (digital)! He got an Olympus omd I think as it was much easier for travelling and is now using it a lot more than just for travel he gets sone very good shots with it. Google dr fireball. The best camera is the one you have with you!
 
arad85 said:
I've moved completely from a 5D2 and some L lenses to a micro 4/3rds setup with "pro" quality lenses.
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Interested to hear details of your full set up please Andy
Thanks
Dave
 
The other alternative, get a decent small bag for the D700 and 24-70 and travel light. Zoom with your feet and adapt you shooting accordingly to the gear you have.

I take my DSLR and one lens with me when I travel and I think the key is not to feel bogged down with kit. Body, one lens, flash and a CPL. I tried taking more lenses and kit on holiday a few times and it is just found it a chore.

The bag I use is a Domke F-5XC, just big enough for what I described above plus a few small personal bits.

IMO, what's the point of having the gear and leaving it at home?
 
nikonuser said:
Interested to hear details of your full set up please Andy
Thanks
Dave
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Panasonic G5 body, Panasonic 7-14 F4, 12-35 F2.8 zooms (just waiting for the 35-100 F2.8 then I'm covered for zooms with my old setup). Samyang 7.5 fisheye, Panasonic 14, 25 and Oly 45 primes. Fits in about 1/4 the volume of the old setup and I don't feel as conscious walking around taking photos any more. I also have change from the sale of all the DSLR gear too ;)
 
Sony RX100, Fuji X100 and Canon G15 now this is starting to get a bit of a head scratcher.
I suppose I could say I'll buy it for the wife to replace her Panasonic DMC-FS15
 
PS. I'm looking at getting a second body so I can have two "walkabout" cameras with me at all times. Yet to decide on the bag, but I can get the 7-14, 12-35 plus one other lens and CPL in the same bag I used to carry the 7D and 15-85 in.
 
ChrisJ_SLH said:
IMO, what's the point of having the gear and leaving it at home?
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Thanks Chris, I know, and I agree entirely....thats what made me think of this idea in the first place. I get fairly good use out of the camera at home but take the P&S Panasonic on holiday
 
ChrisJ_SLH said:
IMO, what's the point of having the gear and leaving it at home?
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Well, when you start getting a little older and your back starts complaining about the 8+kg you're slinging onto it and you have to put a couple of lenses into a fleece pocket to get through the hand baggage weight restriction, a smaller kit makes a whole lot of sense! I considered an MFT kit but rejected it as still being interchangeable lens and lacking really wide angle lenses at affordable prices, so ended up with a Fuji HS30 bridge. 35mm equivalent focal length of 24mm to 700 gives me more range than my D700 kit (I only go up to 300mm on that, having traded my all-but-new Sigma 150-500 OS in against a Nikkor 105mm Micro) and is f/2.8 at the wide end, dropping to f/5.6 at that 720mm (35mm eq) long end.

Of course, it's not as wide as my current lenses go (8mm fisheye and 12-24 UWA zoom) but I believe there are supplementary lenses available to get me close to that wide, albeit at slightly reduced quality. Very high ISO performance is also poorer than the D700 but isn't every other camera the same?! So, I'll be keeping the D700 kit for more serious photography while using the Fuji most of the time.

I've tried the D700 and 24-70 f/2.8 only option and found that I always wanted one of my other lenses, even though the 24-70 is by far my most used lens - I call it Nod's law, others use either Murphy's or Sod's!
 
Nod said:
I've tried the D700 and 24-70 f/2.8 only option and found that I always wanted one of my other lenses, even though the 24-70 is by far my most used lens - I call it Nod's law, others use either Murphy's or Sod's!
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That's why I love the 24-105 so much with the mkIII. Really good general purpose focal length and the IS and high ISO capability of the mkIII compensate for the f/4 aperture to a degree.
 
ill swop you my canon g10 for your nikon d700 any day !
guess that says it all !!!
 
I just bought a Fuji X10 through here. No way it's going to replace my dslr, or even come close. Why not have both? Use the more pocketable camera for a lighter option when travelling, or just out and about. And your dslr for home/studio/more serious work?
 
At the moment the only time I seem to use my D700 is when I'm going away on holiday. I don't find the ungripped body and a modest zoom much to carry in my Hadley Pro.

I also have a Sony NEX (which I guess is not the best alternative as it's still pretty big with the 18-55 on) which I took with me on holiday to Ireland recently and the days I went with just the NEX I felt like I'd have rathered to have had the D700 with me. When I just had the D700 the weight didn't bother me.
 
nikonuser said:
I have a half decent set up Nikon D700; 24-70; 70-200 VRII and a few primes.
I mainly take landscapes, motor sports, architecture and family/friends portraits.
I never take my camera/lenses on holiday abroad due to it being too bulky.
I had a though today while looking at cameras in PCWorld, should I sell the lot and buy a small point and shoot which is fully manual, similar to the Canon G12 (which has a viewfinder), and then it would be able to go everywhere with me.....or is it a no brainer!!
Thanks
Dave
Click to expand...

You would find it a severe step down in IQ terms, especially for motorsport.

I have a Fuji Xpro1 which really is no compromise at all (it has more resolution and the noise performance is amazing) and that's my travel camera (still have a D600 though). No good for motorsport though, but very good for all your other uses (I actually prefer it for portraits and landscapes).

I also travelled a lot with a D700 and 24-120 F4. Worked just fine before I got the Fuji. It fits in the bottom compartment of most two-section backpacks, even the smaller ones, leaving all the room in the top for a light jacket, water, map etc. The Fuji takes up even less space and of course weighs about 1/3 as much.

Good alternatives include an Olympus OMD or a NEX 6.
 
ChrisJ_SLH said:
That's why I love the 24-105 so much with the mkIII. Really good general purpose focal length and the IS and high ISO capability of the mkIII compensate for the f/4 aperture to a degree.
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It's the shorter end I miss rather than the long! I have been known to go a-wandering with a Lowepro TopLoader with the D700 and 12-24 mounted withe the fisheye sitting in the bottom of the case. Of course, when I've done that, I've wished I had something a little longer as well, which is why my kitbag's so heavy!

Going to look into a wide angle converter for the Fuji - anyone got any suggestions and experience, ideally longish term use of one rather than a 5 minute test drive? Opinions based purely on reviews are as much use to me as a windy-pop in a wetsuit, so don't bother posting them!
 
I've been through a couple of M4/3 setups, and an X100....but the Sony RX100 beats them all hands down imo, I'm going to be selling my DSLR kit, no need for it when a compact is this good!
 
I have this problem, mainly due to being lazy and hate being bogged down. Bought a Nikon p7000 and hated it. IQ just wasn't up to scratch, so sold it and got a Sony NEX. The Sony is an amazing little camera, IQ is amazing.

Saying that, there's no way I'd sell the big gear to get a small camera. I'd add the small camera to the gear you already have.
 
troutfisher said:
If you can afford it pick up a used P&S and keep your existing gear.
I have a G12 in addition to my DSLR gear and its great when you are just out for the day and don't want loads of gear with you.
Also in these PC times its great for taking pix of the grandkids in the park,you don't get thought of as a perv as everybody else there is using little cameras and phones not cameras with big white lenses
Click to expand...

Not once have I had an issue in a park with my dslr or my medium format rz 67, taking pictures of my kids. Look shifty or that you are doing something wrong and get the supposed problems. Look normal play with your kids as normal everyone ignores you.

As to the op personally get a decent amount compact and use it along side you d700 don't sell it until you are absolutely sure it's the right thing for you to do.
 
dont carry to much kit at any one time
 
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