Compact Cameras (G7X etc)

[Beav]

Hi,

I currently have a Canon 60D with a 70-200mm lens, 10-20mm sigma and 18-50 f2.8 sigma lens.

I shoot mainly motorsport stuff and in-door car shows and I find swapping the 70-200mm to the sigma 18-50mm f2.8 a pain when I go in and out of the paddock.

Are compact cameras up to much these days? Sometimes I put off taking my DSLR with me to certain places due to the bulk of it.

I have seen the Canon G7X etc gets really good reviews but would I be disappointed compared to my 60D & lenses? (obviously ide still use my 70-200mm for on-track/motorsport stuff)

Just thought it would be good to use something small for close up stuff. I do have a HuaweiP20 Pro phone which maybe just the same as a dedicated compact camera performance but it would be good to have the RAW files which some of these compact cameras do produce now.

Also noticed a lot of these compact cameras do have a very low aperture which would also be good for in-door car shows on top of the ability to edit RAW files.

Would you say ide be stupid to get something like the Canon G7X/G9X given my equipment/situation?

EDIT: I do fancy the sony range of cameras

Thanks in advance.

 

[stickytape]

If it helps, I have the Leica D Lux 109 which is a stunner. 4/3 inch sensor and very very nice to use. Quick and all the mod cons including 4k but with a 1.7 aperture. Its a bit old now so there are some newer models out now I think, but I like it. The cheaper Panasonic versions is available still.

 

[Beav]

If it helps, I have the Leica D Lux 109 which is a stunner. 4/3 inch sensor and very very nice to use. Quick and all the mod cons including 4k but with a 1.7 aperture. Its a bit old now so there are some newer models out now I think, but I like it. The cheaper Panasonic versions is available still.

Thanks, will have a look.

Also as I do a few in-door car shows so I need to make sure the lens is wide enough. (and the ability to shoot RAW)

 

[Craikeybaby]

Why not get one of the EOS M bodies and use your existing lenses?

 

[snerkler]

There is no conclusive answer to this as only you can decide whether the quality of a 1" type compact will be good enough. It won't be on par with your current gear, but it should be noticeably better than your phone. I tried the G7x and RX100-III and whilst they are very good, the hit on IQ was a bit too much for me, YMMV. Also, I found them small and fiddly to use. My 'compromise' system is now the Olympus M4/3, great IQ in a smaller package, although of course not really pocketable.

 

[Beav]

Why not get one of the EOS M bodies and use your existing lenses?

Only problem I thought at track days I could use my 60D with the 70-200mm lens and keep something small and compact in my pocket almost or in a small pocket on my bag.

I find my 10-20mm sigma is wide enough but the aperture is only F/3.5 - 5 and my 18-50mm F2.8 isn't quite wide enough for in-door car shows.

Canon G7x MKII could be a competitor?

Realistically if I got an EOS M body it would only be the M100 and I would ideally need a smaller lens almost like one of the pancake lenses which probably wouldn't be wide enough at 35mm for indoor? I'm used to a crop sensor, not quite sure how mirror-less compares?

The other option is put up with swapping the lenses and maybe get a wider low aperture lens? Pain is i'm using crop sensor so the 18-50mm sigma I have isn't truly 18mm. I guess if I keep a crop body ide shorter than 18mm which my sigma 10-20mm would be great for but the aperture starts at 3.5 (not good in-doors)

EDIT: Currently looking at the G7X MKII (pre-owned)

 

[Craikeybaby]

I looked at the G7Xmk2 before totally swapping systems. If you want ultra wide angle, and decent light gathering you will be disappointed. What focal length/aperture do you think you need for indoors?

When I shot motorsport it was always a case of one body with long lens and another with normal lens for podium etc.

 

[Beav]

I looked at the G7Xmk2 before totally swapping systems. If you want ultra wide angle, and decent light gathering you will be disappointed. What focal length/aperture do you think you need for indoors?

When I shot motorsport it was always a case of one body with long lens and another with normal lens for podium etc.

For track stuff my 60D and 70-200m is great and for the paddock stuff my 18-50mm F2.8 sigma is great its just the faf of swapping lenses when I walk in and out of the paddock I thought maybe I could get away with something pocket size that shoots RAW (eg, compact camera).

In-door stuff would be things like the autosport at the NEC. I never seem to happy with my shots. I took my 18-50mm f2.8 and it doesn't seem wide enough (on a canon 60D) so I then took my 10-20mm sigma the year after but F3.5 didn't seem to let enough light in so I upped my ISO and got a load of noise. I did look at the new sigma 18-35 not long ago offering F1.8

Maybe a need a new body which handles low light situations a bit better?

 

[d00d]

Sometimes I put off taking my DSLR with me to certain places due to the bulk of it.

I think you are itching for something completely different, not to replace your current gear, but to occasionally use instead of. And you may find the G7X opens up new opportunities ... for a bit of street maybe.

I always have two different systems on the go. It adds a lot of fun and variation to the photography hobby. I haven't taken my dslr on holidays abroad for a number of years, ever since getting my G7X.

 

[Craikeybaby]

F2.8 to f3.5 is only half a stop of light.

 

[Beav]

F2.8 to f3.5 is only half a stop of light.

Pretty sure with the 10-20mm sigma I had to put the ISO up to 1600+ and it became very noisy.

I have heard good things about mirrorless setups but for my budget I would only be able to get the EOS M100 and ide have to get the adapter to run my lenses.

Just checked on flickr and looking at the EXIF data it looks like a fair few people shoot at 8-12mm (some at 6mm) when taking photos at the Autosport NEC show

EDIT: Just checked my photo on flickr with a 10-20mm sigma. Was shot at F5, 1/80 ISO1600 13mm focal length

DTM by AllmarkPhotography, on Flickr

LB Aventador by AllmarkPhotography, on Flickr

 

[Craikeybaby]

Opening the aperture to f3.5 would have allowed iso800, you probably could have slowed the shutter speed a bit too, probably enough to get another stop of light. I wouldn’t blame the noise on the lens being slow.

 

[Beav]

Opening the aperture to f3.5 would have allowed iso800, you probably could have slowed the shutter speed a bit too, probably enough to get another stop of light. I wouldn’t blame the noise on the lens being slow.

Very tempted by a G7X even if it's just for the times I don't want to lug my DSLR kit around for example when out with the family on a walk or holiday.

Just watching a video comparing the MKi and MKii