Travelling to Rome, want a new camera.

Which camera for travel?

  • Fuji x10

    Votes: 10 43.5%

  • Fuji x100

    Votes: 7 30.4%

  • Epm1 with 14mm prime, plus twin lens kit.

    Votes: 1 4.3%

  • Nikon j1 with 10mm prime.

    Votes: 5 21.7%
  • Total voters
    23
R

Rupek

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Hi,

Need some advice. Currently own a d90, with 35 1.8, 18-105, 70-300.

I am going to Rome in October for my honeymoon, so this isn't going to be a photo orientated holiday. I don't wants take my slr, too bulky.

I am after a more compact camera to go with,

I have been looking at fuji x10, fuji x100, Olympus epm1 and Nikon j1. I know very different cameras but apart from the x100, the others epm1 and Nikon are cheaper than the x10.

I have borrowed the x10 a few times and I don't use the view finder, but like the camera. Can't help but feel the price tag is very high. The Olympus and Nikon would hopefully be paired with a small prime for walking around. I shoot with my 35mm on my d90 exclusively unless I need range then I go 70-300.

The epm1 is probably most versatile paired with a 14mm prime. I am finding it very hard to consider a small compact over a cheaper system camera with large sensor and faster focus. Jessops has a twin lens kit for £300, very good deal.

Just helps to think out loud. Any thoughts are welcome. I think I want a compact but the epm1 is probably leading in my mind, even though I don't feel I need another system.
 
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drb5 said:
Get a used Sony Nex. Awesome camera for great price.
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Which one were you thinking? I have briefly looked at the 5n, how are the jpegs? I don't really shoot raw unless I have to.

I have briefly looked at the NEX cameras, other than 16 2.8 what small primes do they have? How would it compare in high Iso to the epm1 camera?

It does also intrigue me about using old legacy glass on it. With the focus peaking.
 
You don't need the expense of the newer model, but of course it depends on how much you have to spend.

The Nex 5(original) with the 18-55 is as close to a mid level DSLR your going to get without the bulk.
 
Can't offer much opinion on the others but I'm absolutely besotted with my X100. Bought it on a bit of a whim but now can't be parted from it. I would say it would be excellent for the sort of trip that you're talking about and no niggling doubts about sacrificing IQ as it is more than a match for any DSLR with a decent prime on board. Great view finder too.

The fixed lens puts some people off but I have never found it to a problem in the slightest. It's a well judged focal length that works well on people but is still wide enough for most other applications. If you need to go wider, the built in panorama mode is excellent or fuji now offer a ludicrously priced wide angle adaptor.

Oh, and it looks cool! :cool:

Just to balance things up, there are a couple of downsides, firstly it's not truly pocketable, unless you happen to be a clown. Though I suspect that applies to any camera you mentioned. If you need it to slip in and out of a pocket a Canon S90/95/100 or Sony RX100 might be worth looking at.

The other thing is AF tracking. AF works well for static subjects except when light is really low however you can more or less forget fast moving subjects. This seems a typical trait of 'compact' cameras though I believe the Nikon option you mentioned does pretty well in this regard.
 
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I was in Rome in April and took the X100 as my primary and the Olympus XZ-1 as my back up.

The X100 is plenty wide enough I found for the abundance of street shooting that is on offer. Sometimes you need reach but the XZ-1 was enough.

Personally the 'dream' travel combo would be the X100 and the Sony RX100. Overall a light combo and a true pocketable camera with the RX100....
 
crazyp said:
I was in Rome in April and took the X100 as my primary and the Olympus XZ-1 as my back up.

The X100 is plenty wide enough I found for the abundance of street shooting that is on offer. Sometimes you need reach but the XZ-1 was enough.

Personally the 'dream' travel combo would be the X100 and the Sony RX100. Overall a light combo and a true pocketable camera with the RX100....
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I appreciate all the replies on here, it helps to hear other people views,

my main concern with the x100 is the af speed, how is it after latest updates? the fixed lens doesnt concern me.

After the honeymoon, it will mostly be used to photograph my very active 2 1/2 year old son. Also usability for non photography folk is a consideration.

The NEX 5N is looking tempting with the 16mm lens. Seems to be up there on all the top seller lists, and then pick up the 30mm sigma, to have a small 2 lens kit.

The J1 seems to be the one i keep going back to, getting it with the 10mm lens, but i think that is so i can get the ft-1 for the using with my 70-300 for long range bird photography. cheaper than buying a bigger lens for my d90.

I have briefly looked at the olympus xz-1 and the panasonic lx5, they both looked ok, but the smaller sensors concerned me, i am a bit of a DoF junkie.
 
the sony NEX is now looking very tempting, i like the aps-c sensor, better for dof, plus adapters for any lens
 
Rupek said:
I appreciate all the replies on here, it helps to hear other people views,

my main concern with the x100 is the af speed, how is it after latest updates? the fixed lens doesnt concern me.

After the honeymoon, it will mostly be used to photograph my very active 2 1/2 year old son. Also usability for non photography folk is a consideration.

The NEX 5N is looking tempting with the 16mm lens. Seems to be up there on all the top seller lists, and then pick up the 30mm sigma, to have a small 2 lens kit.

The J1 seems to be the one i keep going back to, getting it with the 10mm lens, but i think that is so i can get the ft-1 for the using with my 70-300 for long range bird photography. cheaper than buying a bigger lens for my d90.

I have briefly looked at the olympus xz-1 and the panasonic lx5, they both looked ok, but the smaller sensors concerned me, i am a bit of a DoF junkie.
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I had the latest update installed when I went and AF was no problem at all, its not the fastest, but learn the camera and you will be rewarded. The results are just too addictive that you will want to master it. I have used it a few times with children and to be honest I don't have a problem with the X100 - I love it due to the great skin tones the camera produces. It's not easy with kids, but once you get used to the camera you can anticipate easy enough.

For the price nowadays its a steal IMO. Smaller cameras like the XZ-1 have their place, but definitely not for shallow DoF junkies!!!
 
I'd say the X10, I've had mine for a couple of weeks now and have been really pleased with it. It's ideal for carrying around all day and the results from it are very good considering the size and cost.
 
Rupek said:
.

The J1 seems to be the one i keep going back to, getting it with the 10mm lens, but i think that is so i can get the ft-1 for the using with my 70-300 for long range bird photography. cheaper than buying a bigger lens for my d90.
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You'd get some insane results with that combo also as 300mm lens on a J1 is the equivalent of 810mm on your D90. The autofocus on the J1 is also very accurate and insanely fast. Also gives you the option of slow motion movie mode straight from the camera plus the high speed continuous shooting on it is 10fps making even action shots possible when out and about.
 
James J said:
You'd get some insane results with that combo also as 300mm lens on a J1 is the equivalent of 810mm on your D90. The autofocus on the J1 is also very accurate and insanely fast. Also gives you the option of slow motion movie mode straight from the camera plus the high speed continuous shooting on it is 10fps making even action shots possible when out and about.
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Actually its the equivalent to the d90 having a 450 mm lens. Remember it's a 2.7 crop from a FF, not DX.
 
Phil Young said:
Actually its the equivalent to the d90 having a 450 mm lens. Remember it's a 2.7 crop from a FF, not DX.
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The 70-300mm on a D90 is the equivalent view of a 105 - 450mm lens on a full frame camera such as a D4. A 1.5 multiplier.

A 70-300mm on a J1 would be the equivalent point of view of 189 - 810mm. Not taking into account any changes an adapter may add to the cropped PoV. A 2.7 multiplier. ;)


My quality choice of compact camera at the moment would be the Sony RX100, but if you want to use your Nikon lenses, which seems a good idea to get value out the new camera, then the Nikon J1 looks the one. According to DPReview though about using legacy lenses with the adapter,
Focus is 'single shot' only though - AF-C is not an option, and the system is noticeably less useful in poor lighting than we'd expect from one of Nikon's entry-level DSLRs, so although the 2.7x focal length magnification might be tempting, don't expect either the V1 or J1 to offer D7000-like (or even D3100-like) focussing speed or accuracy when coupled with one of your F-mount AF-S lenses.[/QUOTE

From what I read of it though it has a very point and shoot style user experience with the Nikon 1 series up until now. :shrug:

The review of the Nikon V1J1 at DPReview is worth a read if you haven't done already.
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Yes that's true if you're comparing it to FF but if you put a 300mm lens on a 2.7x sensor its effectively a 450mm on a 1.5x sensor. I was responding to the post written that said "its like putting a 810mm on your D90.

The 2.7 is only a massive difference when you are coming from FF. From DX its not that drastic.
 
Phil Young said:
Yes that's true if you're comparing it to FF but if you put a 300mm lens on a 2.7x sensor its effectively a 450mm on a 1.5x sensor. I was responding to the post written that said "its like putting a 810mm on your D90.

The 2.7 is only a massive difference when you are coming from FF. From DX its not that drastic.
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What a load of nonsense. The field of view might change the focal length does not. Have you ever given correct advice on here?
 
Soda Farl said:
What a load of nonsense. The field of view might change the focal length does not. Have you ever given correct advice on here?
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Let me get this straight...

You had the cheek to accuse me of being a "forum troll" on a completely different thread because I had advice that was different to your own opinions, then after I didn't respond to you in that thread you look at my profile to see what other posts I have made, come here and try to cause trouble...You'll see I haven't looked at your profile because I don't care and I'm not that sad to sit at my computer making trouble.

You need to grow up and stop "trolling" me yourself!

Any more nonsense and you will lose the privilege of stalking me!
 
Just to update everyone, i just won an eBay auction for an NEX 5 with 16mm prime. Think I will add the sigma 30mm, and play with some old Pentax glass.

Really looking forward to getting to play with it.

Still not 100% sure it's the right one, but only time will tell, worse case I will resell it.

Many thanks to all those who responded in here, especially who brought up the NEX system as it wasn't even on my radar. Next up is more legacy glass, seen lots of impressive pics.

I will post some pictures once it all arrives.
 
my new (second hand) nex 5 arrived last week, i have been playing where i can, also picked up a CCTV lens the 35mm f1.7, very interesting lens, it has been on the camera most of the time since it arrived. Today my pk to nex mount arrived so i can try out some old pentax glass i got off my father in law, the 50mm pentax f1.7 will be tested over next few days.

Loving the focus peaking, so much smaller than my dslr, image quality is right up there, loving the old manual focus primes, keep finding myself on ebay looking for bargains.

First proper outing with the 35mm, very fun lens to use

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Just a quick end to this thread really, the NEX has been sold off, at this moment in time it wasn't the right camera for me. Can see me trying it in the future again though, had some fun with that camera.

It has been replaced by an x10, bit the bullet on it and am eagerly awaiting it's arrival.

The NEX wasn't small or versatile enough for the purpose I got it, so it unfortunately had to go, would have loved to have kept both.
 
One last thing
When you get to Rome buy a "Roma Pass" from Tourist information points or the newsagent in the main station.

Three days public transport plus most importantly free access to your first two museums/archaeological sites.

Its worth the price to walk straight to the front of the long queue waiting to get into the Coliseum.

Don't miss the Pantheon, amazing.
 
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