I am looking to buy a smaller camera - but which one....

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indievinylfan

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Gary
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Help! I have been using Canon SLR's for the last 20 years, but more recently less and less so. I bought the brilliant Canon EOS 40D 2-3 years ago, and as it has only taken 3,000 pictures in that time, having spent more time under my bed due to its size and weight, I have bought the bullet and put it on eBay - along with 3 lenses etc.

But what shall I replace it with? I am tempted by the Sony NEX-5, or the Olympus PEN...or maybe a Lumix model? Its an area of the market about which I know nothing. I only realy use the camera for family holidays now, and days out on the boat.

Any suggestions?

Loathed to spend over £600, must be light, small, flexible and easy to use.

Any suggestions gratefully received. Gary
 
I got an Olympus epl1 and I'm happy with it but its only for occasions when I can't take my dslr.its focusing and image quality is clearly not as good but equally it is capable of decent images and the video is pretty good too. The screen ain't brilliant in bright light so the evf would be worth a buy. Got mine with the kit lens for 270 so for 600 u could get a decent lens and the viewfinder. The Panasonic lenses seem to be better from what I've heard and they focus better on the Olympus bodies than the zuiko lenses do too.
 
I like my LX3 for easy portability, 24mm (equivalent) at the wide end and reasonable IQ.
However, definitely like the idea of something like the S95 - which is very easy to keep with you where ever you go.

Given the choice now that prices have come down a bit, I would also be considering one of the compact system cameras instead of the LX3/LX5 as with the right lens they're not much bigger, but do have a chunk bigger sensor for better low light, etc.
 
If you like the ergonomics of SLR type cameras you could take a look at the micro four thirds G range from Panasonic.

There's a little size comparison video towards the bottom of the article in this link...

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/panasonic-g1.shtml

The G1 is out of production now (I think...) but there are newer models that are about the same size or smaller.
 
I'd rule out the NEX due to the lack of lenses at the moment. Also their lenses have to be fairly large in comparison as the sensors APS-C ones and there is no built in IS so it has to be included in the lens making them bigger.

Between the other two, I'd lean a bit towards the Olympus ones. Their IQ is better than the GF1/2 (not sure about G3/GF3) and their lenses are extremely small probably due to the fact that the IS is in the body of the cameras. They do not have viewfinder built in but the accessory OVF though a bit pricey is no worse than the built in viewfinders in the Lumix cameras and you can always use the Panasonic lenses which are very good indeed.
 
m4/3 has a camera to suit just about anyone, all we need are some more fast lenses.
 
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How about a canon G12. Much better range than the canon s95, although not 'pocketable', its great for holiday snaps.

If however you want inter-changeable lenses, then m4/3 is the way to go (but tbh, not much smaller than a dslr!)
 
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