camera gear
time for an update
I upgraded from a canon g1x to a micro four thirds olympus em5, they are being replaced and the price was heavily reduced in price, picked it up with a 2.8 14-40 pro lens.
its bigger and heavier than the g1x but still a lot more compact than an slr and the same quality as all but the top end slr's
couldnt be happier with the image quality. its pretty comparable for image quality with the em1 but the em one has more controls for on the fly changing of settings and a better hand grip on it..
looks like a toy version of an SLR, but i'm amazed with the image quality. lens does great macros.
theres a new em5 coming out with a new sensor shift technology that gets 40mp shots but needs a tripod to attain that setting.
i've used SLR's in the past and got sick of carying the weight and bulk of them, they can be overkill for a lot of photographers. but i was missing the much greater functionality and setting control the slr camera had over the g1x.
The em5 has a lot of the functionality of an slr, electronic viewfinder, lot of information on the viewfinder, can make a lot of adjustments , and numerous different shooting setting options, to all in tents and purposes it is a small slr. Olympus Zuiko lenses are as good as they come for image sharpness. the camera and lens are all weather sealed as well. olympus have recognised the market for outdoors people looking for a quality compact camera they can use in all sorts of weather. the em1 is even rated for low temps as well.
still its bulkier and heavier than your compact format cameras, you have to weigh up whether you're willing to carry around a camera of that weight and size, its 1.3kilos all up, the camera and lens weigh 900gm, some slrs camera bodies alone weigh that before you put a heavy zoom lens on it.. my last slr kit was about 2.5 kilos.
i've also got a sony rx100 as a backup, i use it for video to spare the main camera battery and when i'm not so fussy about image quality, at 250gm and pocketable its a highly portable, camera with a one inch sensor rated as the best advanced compact camera around. has its limitations though hence the em5. comes down to how fussy you are with the photos you want and how much gear you think its worth toting around... are you a tramper who takes photographs or a photographer who tramps....
46 comments
^agreed. I have a Lowepro camera pouch with a hefty double velcro attachment on the back - means I can have my camera on my hipbelt where I can get it out in a flash (scuse the pun). I have lightweight dry bag that stuffs down the bottom of the case when not in use - camera goes in it for river travel / biblical rain.
"you may think the photos are great on a cheapie compact, but the higher spec cameras out now put out absolutely stunning photos. with incredibly clear and detailed images"
True, but a compact camera comes with the critical criteria that I actually use it. :)
If you're set on compact cameras and don't want to go larger, then I've found that there are definitely benefits with shopping around. The components inside them will never match what's possible in a higher spec camera with larger volume and usually heavier, but within the compact range there's still a huge variation in the quality of photo that's possible. Sometimes the firmware might just be better or worse with its processing, but manufacturers probably also often put cheaper and tackier components than necessary in a range of cameras where the best available components would often increase prices for a market that often doesn't care about it with that type of camera.
My favourite line at the moment is the Canon Powershot line. From that I've had an A710IS, and A720IS, and now an SX160IS. I mainly avoided the SX170IS because I still prefer AA batteries when I can get em. It simplifies battery management between camera and gps and torch, etc. AA's days in cameras are nearly gone, if not already, though.
Agreed. I have the earlier 130IS in that range, and its a capacble camera for its volume. Theres lots of ways to carry it accessibly and as a result you get lots more photos while on the move. However, theres two nasty things about it. One it stubbornly fails to remember metering mode. Second the battery compartment locking mechanism is weak, and breaks readily. Canon warranty support has also in my experience been slow.
On the battery front, i also run AA for everything. The only thing that will change that is if cameras could charge off 5V USB. Power banks could then enable longer trip charging. Any cameras do that currently?
teh canon gx1 I also have is a powershot camera, the highest spec one. larger sensor than normal compacts..
I still prefer AA batteries when I can get em. It simplifies battery management between camera and gps and torch, etc. AA's days in cameras are nearly gone, if not already, though.
Im in agreement there as well. Im sure you can get usb based chargers for most things and also you could splash out for a spare battery but still when all else fails and your battery runs out just before your drive home and theres a nice waterfall on the way you can still buy some more AAs
I chose my headlamp with a single AA because it matches the spare batterys in the camera
you could just charge the cameras battery with a usb cable via the cigarette lighter adapter and take that photo of a waterfall on the way home lol.
But I too prefer aa batteries with cameras but the days are really numbered.
1 deleted post from
Gaiters
whats lighter to carry? A 5v usb charger and associated battery pack or a handfull or double As
Sorry, are you saying that all lithium cameras charge using a USB cord? If so that is bearably manageable using either car chargers or portable powerbanks. The latter also run lithium cells therefore on average it will be a lighter solution for long trips. As they put out USB 5V, no adapter is required.
Already started using 18650s for lighting, so the writing is on the wall... the end of the beloved eneloop. Well except the gps. Em, back to where we started, AA versatility.
2AA torch
2AA camera
2AA gps
This is the one i have: (use it for the cell mainly):
http://www.dx.com/p/xiaomi-ndy-02-ah-5200mah-usb-mobile-power-source-bank-w-4-led-indicators-silver-white-318507
Try to get an alloy one as those batterys are walking timebombs.
Geeves you gave the impression that you would drive to buy more aa batteries to take that waterfall pic. If you were to do that it is just as easy to charge your inbuilt battery via the car
And car adapters are more than capable of charging camera batteries. I did it all christmas holidays. I spent the entire holidays living out of my van. I went tramping in the Ruahine, Te Urewera, Waioeka, climbed Mt Hikurangi and did the Tongariro circuit. I charged my camera battery in my van after each trip and I had no problems. Battery lasted up to four days in the bush.
In saying all this I prefer cameras with aa. But when I was tramping in peru last year I dropped my camera in a river while I wash having a wash. When I got out of the Andes I search all over Huaraz for a cheap aa run camera with no luck so was forced to buy a camera with built in battery. Im making do but its better to have a back up of aa than a built in.
But such is life. In defence of cheap point and shoots I have had phptos published in Wilderness magazine and been paid from a good old ppint and shoot.
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| Forum | Gear talk |
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| Started by | waynowski |
| On | 31 January 2015 |
| Replies | 45 |
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