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Copied From the Learn Photography Master Thread: Lesson 1


Choosing a camera: Point and Shoot vs. Mirrorless vs. DSLR


Before you even start thinking which camera model to buy, you have to decide something much more important: the type of camera. There are three main types of cameras on the market today, and they each offer some things the others don't. Let's take a quick at them and see what the differences are and why you might choose one over the other.


Point & Shoots (P&S): These are by far the most popular cameras out there. Usually extremely compact, they're all easy to use, relatively cheap, and deliver great images. The point & shoot ranges from tiny shirt-pocket cameras such as the Canon Elph series, to large superzooms (sometimes called all-in-ones or bridge cameras) such as the Panasonic FZ series, to 'advanced' P&Ss like the Canon G series or the $2800(!) Sony RX-1. All P&Ss have fixed (non-removable) lenses.


Point & Shoot pros:
--- Amazing selection: At the time of this writing, B&H has 328 cameras in stock listed under Point & Shoot. A basic Canon Elph-style camera usually has a 3-8x zoom lens, a 3" screen, 1080p video, image stabilization, and a million other features. Should you could choose a superzoom, you'd get a 24-50x zoom, manual controls, a viewfinder, and (usually) a hotshoe for flashes. Advanced P&Ss will give you even more control, better, larger sensors, and higher quality lenses. Want a camera your baby could drop into a bowl of cereal? There are currently 18 different shock and waterproof cameras [url=http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?ipp=100&Ns=p_PRODUCT_SHORT_DESCR|0&ci=8612&N=4288586279+35+4052359761&srtclk=sort]available
. Want a screen that swivels? Built-in GPS? WiFi? Check, check, and check. One screen not enough, you want two of 'em? Check!
--- Cheap: Even a $100 P&S will give you better pictures than a $500 camera from 5 years ago. You do not need to spend a fortune to get amazing pictures.
--- Light and easy to carry: No excuses for not shlepping the camera. If fits into your shirt pocket, a purse, just about anywhere.
--- Great video: Most current cameras are capable of recording 1080p HD video, or at least 720p. Combined with ubiquitous image stabilization P&Ss are capable of outputting awesome video.
--- Easy to use: Most P&S will only have an Auto or P mode, although some advanced or superzoom models will have full manual control. In Auto mode all you have to do is press the button. Some cameras even have an 'intelligent' auto feature where it could detect if you're shooting a flower, a portrait, etc. and adjust itself accordingly. This actually works pretty well on most cameras. In P mode you get a bit more control (you could turn the flash off, adjust the picture brighter or darker, etc.), but the camera still handles most of the decisions making for you.


Point & Shoot Cons:
--- Image quality relative to mirrorless and DSLRs: Yes, P&Ss will give you great picture quality - when situations are ideal. But if you plan to be shooting a lot in darker situations (indoors, your kids' school play) you will notice a considerable difference in quality compared to the other two. Sharpness will also not be as good as the others - the combination of a small physical lens, a small sensor, and over-zealous noise reduction (more on all of these later) is not a recipe for razor-sharp photos. These factors will be much less of an issue with advanced cameras such as the Canon G15, although a mirrorless or DSLR will still be far better.
--- Hard or impossible to achieve certain effects: You know that portrait look where the entire background is just blurred into creamy nothingness? That's one of the hardest things to create with a P&S (and conversely one of the easiest things to do with an SLR/mirrorless). Later on I'll show you some techniques to force this effect out of a P&S (to a degree), but the physics are simply not in your favor.
--- Speed: Compared to a DSLR, the P&S is practically a turtle. It takes a few seconds to turn on, zooming takes time, every setting change takes time. Most importantly though, is the speed at which the camera takes the picture. While a DSLR focuses almost instantly, a P&S could take a second or two. Once the image is in focus, there is a maddening delay called shutter lag, which is the time between you pressing the shutter button and the camera actually taking the picture. Between focusing and shutter lag, it could sometimes take 3 or more seconds to get your shoot, at which point the moment may be long gone. Later on we'll discuss some techniques for speeding this process up, but it'll still take far longer than a DSLR.
--- Not much control: The flip side to the P&S's ease of use it its lack of control. Want to lower your flash power so that people don't have that 'deer in headlights' look? Tough noogies. Want to change your aperture? Your shutter speed? Ain't happenin'. Of course some cameras do let you change all that, but a) they're in the minority by far, and b) since these are secondary features, you'll probably have to dig through 6 menu pages every time you want to make a change.
--- Limited expandability: A P&S is a closed system. Want a longer or wider lens? Want to use filters? No dice on most cameras. This is also a big issue if you ever want to dabble in lighting - it'll be quite difficult with a P&S.
____________


DSLRs: The big, black, "professional" looking cameras. Big, heavy, and (relatively) expensive, these have interchangeable lenses and optical viewfinders. The big players are Canon and Nikon, with Sony and Pentax having a small but dedicated market share. A typical 'starter' DSLR will have a 18 (Canon) or 24 (Nikon) megapixel sensor, come with an 18-55mm lens, and have actual buttons for only the most important tasks. As you move up through the lineup, you'll get more direct buttons and knobs, status LCDs, better focusing/metering systems, more lens support, metal or magnesium bodies, weather sealing, wireless flash control, higher frame-per-second rates, and more. You also get better kit lenses (that's the lens that comes with the camera) as you move up, and at a certain level (usually the third camera in the lineup) you'll also be able to buy the camera body by itself without any lens.


DSLR pros:
--- Image quality: This is the number one benefit of the DSLR - even the cheapest camera and lens combination will give you better pictures that any point and shoot, even if the P&S costs much more. (B&H currently lists 3 DSLR kits (camera and lens) for $450 - that's cheaper than some P&Ss.) Looking at pictures of a P&S and a DSLR side by side, you'll be blown away by the difference in sharpness, color, and dynamic range (explained later) of the DSLR. When it comes to low light, there's no contest; the DSLR wins hand down.
--- Control: In a DLSR you have control over every single shooting parameter. There are no limits to what you could create; everything's at your beck and call. Flash power, exposure, color, and most importantly, RAW shooting. (I'll get into far more detail on that last thing later.)
--- Special effects: Out of focus backgrounds? Easy peasy. Long exposures? Timelapse? You bet.
--- System expandability: DSLRs are sometimes called 'system cameras'. This is due to the fact that unlike P&Ss, a DSLR is not just a camera; it's at the heart of an entire system. Each brand has dozens of lenses available, plus many more from third-party lens manufacturers. You could get flashes, transmitters, remotes, and many other goodies and they will all work seamlessly and communicate properly to one another. BTW, this is why you should choose your first SLR very carefully: you're probably buying into a system. First you get a camera and lens, then another lens, then maybe another lens or a flash, and then the a new camera comes out so you buy that. It's quite the pain to switch to a different brand once you're bought in to the system.
--- Viewfinder: By definition, a DSLR is a single lens reflex camera; what that means is that inside the camera just behind the lens mount there's a mirror, which projects the image from the lens into a prism, which in turn shows up in the viewfinder. The big advantage of this is that when you look through the viewfinder you're actually looking through lens, and as such are seeing exactly what the lens sees. This gives you an extremely accurate and life-like view, which makes it easy to compose your shots properly. A viewfinder also lets you use the camera in bright light without worrying about not being able to see the screen.
--- Speed: A DSLR is ready to shoot almost instantly after being turned on. No matter where you are, be it a menu or playing back you pictures, a slight tap of the shutter button and the camera is instantly ready to shoot. Focus is nearly instantaneous, and shutter lag is pretty much a non-issue. Another speed aspect is continuous shooting - holding down the shutter button while the camera rattles off picture after picture. An entry-level camera  could easily do around 4.5fps (frames per second), while higher level cameras could do 7 or 8 (or 12, if you count the $6800 Canon 1D X).


DSLR cons:
--- Size and weight: There's no getting around it: DSLRs are big and bulky, especially if you're carrying more than one lens.
--- Price: DSLRs start at about $450, and go way up. One of the most common cameras, the Canon T4i, will set you back about a grand. And then you want to buy another lens. And another one. And another one... :D
--- Video: DSLR video is a really weird situation. On the one hand the quality is INSANE. Just look on Vimeo and see what people have been doing with the Canon 5DMk2 and Mk3 and you'll see what I mean. On the other hand, if you look at the behind the scenes video of one of those, you'll see that the camera is mounted on a rig costing $10K or more. The rig stabilizes the camera and provides support for the focus controls, the zoom controls, the sound system, and many other things. Why is all this necessary? Very simple - because the camera does a horrible job at all this if left to it's own devices. Focusing during video is horrible, especially if anything's moving through the scene. What this means is that if you're buying an SLR and are planning on taking videos of your kids running around in the park, you will be sorely disappointed - nothing will be in focus half the time, and when the camera finally does achieve focus, the built-in mike will have picked up every grind and whirr of the lens as it moved back and forth. Canon has made some progress on eliminating these issues with their new STM lenses, but for now that's only two cameras and two lenses, and even that isn't perfect.


__________


Mirrorless: Known by many different names (ILCs and EVILs for example), the industry has seemed to settle on Mirrorless lately. This was the brainchild of a joint venture between Olympus and Panasonic, and was aimed on creating an interchangeable-lens camera in with a P&S body and DSLR-like image quality, and has been wildly successful. Olympus and Panasonic are still the major players with their Micro 4/3s system, followed by Sony with their NEX line. Many others have tried to take over market share from the big 3, but have been largely unsuccessful mainly due to inferior products. Nikon 1, Canon, M, and Samsung NX are examples of fairly unpopular systems.


Most mirrorless cameras have a P&S form-factor, albeit somewhat larger. With the exception of Olympus and Panasonic, the lenses are not interchangeable between brands, but adapters are available to convert practically any DSLR (or old rangefinder camera) lens to just about every system. Most adapters will not autofocus the lens, so it's not exactly a perfect solution.


Mirrorless pros:
--- Size and weight: This is the main draw for most people. While not exactly pocket sized once a lens is in place, it it still a fairly compact kit and could be carried in a purse with ease. It's more like a large P&S than a small DSLR.
--- Price: Generally cheaper than a DSLR of a similar level. The Panasonics and Olympus (Olympusus? Olympi? ??? ) especially seem to be on sale more often than not.
--- Image quality: About as good as an SLR, simple as that.
--- Expandability: Like DSLRs, these cameras are part of a system. In the last couple of months more and more third parties have started to make lenses too. Micro 4/3s is a much more robust system then Sony NEX though, with many more lenses available.
--- Video: Video on mirrorless cameras is insanely fantastic. Similar in quality to an SLR, but with the ease of use of a P&S. It focuses quickly, perfectly, and fairly quietly.


Mirrorless cons:
--- Lenses: Far smaller selection than SLRs, although to be fair most important lenses are covered.
--- Image quality: A DSLR will still have slightly better image quality, especially in low light scenarios.
--- Viewfinders: Most don’t have viewfinders at all, which make it harder to use in low light. Some of those have axillary finders you could out in the hotshoe (usually at exorbitant prices or some reason), but these are just to give you a general idea of what the camera is seeing.
--- Batteries: Uses batteries like a P&S (200-400 shots), while a DSLR usually gets around 2000 shots per battery.
--- Speed: Focusing, while worlds better than P&Ss, isn't quite up to DSLR standards yet, but that's getting better every day.
--- Control: While mirrorless camera offer the same level of control as DSLRs, very often you'll have to dig through menus to get to where you want to. The main point of mirrorless being cutting down on size, buttons and knobs were eliminated without mercy.


___________


Lesson Summary:
--- Point & Shoots are great for most everyday shooting. Cheap, more options than you could ever want, great image quality and video. Quite difficult (but definitely possible - I'll show you how) to get the 'pro' look.
--- DSLR are king when it comes to image quality, control, and expandability. For the best pictures in any situation, go for a DSLR. Video, not so much.
--- Mirrorless cameras are the best of both worlds, with some caveats. Amazing image quality, the best video, and fairly small and portable. Less control and versatility than an SLR, though.

___________


For the full lesson series visit the Learn Photography Master Thread.

____________________________________________________

Links to additional Info:

Learn Photography Master Thread: Lesson 2: Camera specs - What do they mean, and which ones matter to me?

Canon's DSLR naming scheme
Nikon's DSLR naming scheme
« Last edited by Curlyhead on August 10, 2016, 11:42:18 AM »

Author Topic: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread  (Read 378852 times)

Offline Mocha

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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #360 on: January 02, 2014, 11:45:35 AM »
Well you see a significant difference? Very definitely. Is it with the shlep? It's your back and your decision...

You should consider mirrorless - DSLR quality and (largeish) point and shoot size.
ok thanks maybe ill just drag it with me. (already can get my hands on a canon rebel eos xti)

Offline noturbizniss

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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #361 on: January 02, 2014, 01:04:04 PM »
1) Since lenses are sharper in the center, and APS-C uses only the center of this lens, you have potentially sharper pictures.

2) Better resale value

Other than that of course if you upgrade you're golden, but for now that's pretty much that.

Thanks!

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Offline Nitantnel

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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #362 on: January 02, 2014, 11:13:31 PM »
Ah - the dreaded erectile dysfunction :(.

Sorry man - new camera for you. It'll cost you more than that to fix it.

And btw, your kids probably dropped or bumped it with the lens extended. #1 cause of death for P&Ss.


Just to make sure, that it's indeed a dysfunction -- it's definitely erectile  ;)

I get this message:
Lens error
Will shut down automatically
Restart camera



Offline puddles

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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #363 on: January 03, 2014, 09:00:32 AM »
Hey All! Trying to find a DSLR for my sister in law. She definitely doesn't want a point and shoot? She is a 15 year old girl that has been saving money from babysitting and really wants to get into photography.
Can you guys advise on what Camera you think would be best for her? Budget is ~$500
TIA

Offline sky121

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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #364 on: January 03, 2014, 09:03:24 AM »
Hey All! Trying to find a DSLR for my sister in law. She definitely doesn't want a point and shoot? She is a 15 year old girl that has been saving money from babysitting and really wants to get into photography.
Can you guys advise on what Camera you think would be best for her? Budget is ~$500
TIA

I'd go with a low end Canon SLR. You can buy a refurbished one from Canon.
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Offline puddles

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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #365 on: January 03, 2014, 09:29:05 AM »

Offline Mordy

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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #366 on: January 06, 2014, 03:40:46 PM »
Just to make sure, that it's indeed a dysfunction -- it's definitely erectile  ;)

I get this message:
Lens error
Will shut down automatically
Restart camera




I had a powershot that my daughter did that to. It was a mechanical error, and as Fishy said, will likely be more expensive to send it to fix than it is work. Thankfully however, you have 2 options:
1) In some cases, I managed to sort of make my old powershot work by forcing the lens. Something was stuck in the gears and it would cause the motor to seize, but I'm not someone who is afraid of taking a screwdriver to it. Eventually I got it working, but at the cost of the little shutters that cover the lens when retracted. They got stuck, so when fullt extended, I was taking pictures through a horizontal slit unless you physically pushed them aside with your fingers. Not ideal, but great for a little girl who will probably break the next camera I let her use anyway. ;)

2) I can't stress this enough, check out the Canon Loyalty Program. Best kept secret in photography purchasing. If you trade in your broken camera, they will give you an excellent deal on another one, to keep you in the Canon family. Do a google search on it, or call (866) 443 8002, select Option 2.
Hey All! Trying to find a DSLR for my sister in law. She definitely doesn't want a point and shoot? She is a 15 year old girl that has been saving money from babysitting and really wants to get into photography.
Can you guys advise on what Camera you think would be best for her? Budget is ~$500
TIA

A couple of ways to go at this. First thing I'd advise is the program I mentioned above- if you don't have a Canon camera to trade in, find a broken one! I once bought a broken powershot for $5 on ebay to be eligible for the program. You can then get cheap DSLRs from their inventory, which changes all the time. Last I checked (half a year ago), you could get a T2i (body only) for 268.79, or with a kit lens 18-55 IS for 313.59.

Excellent starter camera on the cheap, and can easily lead to bigger and more pro-level cameras and lenses in the future. They might even still have the T1i for less, and all of them are better options than the T3 (sans the i).

The other option, depending on how technical she is, is to get a mirrorless camera like the Olympus E-PL1. You can find them refurbished for $120 (body only), then get an adapter and play with vintage lenses like a Canon FD 50mm F/1.4 for $60. She will have to learn how aperture and exposure works, and focus manually, which is not necessarily easy for a beginner. But its a wonderful learning experience and she will be able to potentially take far more interesting pictures with that combo than the DSLR + kit mentioned above.

Its all about how much you want to "learn" versus just do. The Canon kit will cost more, but she won't have to understand how/why any of it works and can start taking pictures right away. If she wants to understand and tinker, the manual approach is a steal at that price. I helped a friend put together a cheap kit with an Olympus and a 50mm f/1.8 OM lens and adapter, the entirety of which cost him $170. He then ended up taking some pictures of the Siyum Hashas that were submitted and I think even printed in some magazines. But it could also potentially be extremely frustrating for someone who just wants to press the shutter and have some magic happen. Just throwing this out there as an option, it may not be the right one for her.
« Last Edit: January 06, 2014, 03:43:53 PM by Mordy »
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Offline Nitantnel

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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #367 on: January 06, 2014, 07:55:11 PM »
I had a powershot that my daughter did that to. It was a mechanical error, and as Fishy said, will likely be more expensive to send it to fix than it is work. Thankfully however, you have 2 options:
1) In some cases, I managed to sort of make my old powershot work by forcing the lens. Something was stuck in the gears and it would cause the motor to seize, but I'm not someone who is afraid of taking a screwdriver to it. Eventually I got it working, but at the cost of the little shutters that cover the lens when retracted. They got stuck, so when fullt extended, I was taking pictures through a horizontal slit unless you physically pushed them aside with your fingers. Not ideal, but great for a little girl who will probably break the next camera I let her use anyway. ;)

2) I can't stress this enough, check out the Canon Loyalty Program. Best kept secret in photography purchasing. If you trade in your broken camera, they will give you an excellent deal on another one, to keep you in the Canon family. Do a google search on it, or call (866) 443 8002, select Option 2.
A couple of ways to go at this. First thing I'd advise is the program I mentioned above- if you don't have a Canon camera to trade in, find a broken one! I once bought a broken powershot for $5 on ebay to be eligible for the program. You can then get cheap DSLRs from their inventory, which changes all the time. Last I checked (half a year ago), you could get a T2i (body only) for 268.79, or with a kit lens 18-55 IS for 313.59.

Excellent starter camera on the cheap, and can easily lead to bigger and more pro-level cameras and lenses in the future. They might even still have the T1i for less, and all of them are better options than the T3 (sans the i).

The other option, depending on how technical she is, is to get a mirrorless camera like the Olympus E-PL1. You can find them refurbished for $120 (body only), then get an adapter and play with vintage lenses like a Canon FD 50mm F/1.4 for $60. She will have to learn how aperture and exposure works, and focus manually, which is not necessarily easy for a beginner. But its a wonderful learning experience and she will be able to potentially take far more interesting pictures with that combo than the DSLR + kit mentioned above.

Its all about how much you want to "learn" versus just do. The Canon kit will cost more, but she won't have to understand how/why any of it works and can start taking pictures right away. If she wants to understand and tinker, the manual approach is a steal at that price. I helped a friend put together a cheap kit with an Olympus and a 50mm f/1.8 OM lens and adapter, the entirety of which cost him $170. He then ended up taking some pictures of the Siyum Hashas that were submitted and I think even printed in some magazines. But it could also potentially be extremely frustrating for someone who just wants to press the shutter and have some magic happen. Just throwing this out there as an option, it may not be the right one for her.

Thanks, we'll try that out.

Offline noturbizniss

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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #368 on: January 09, 2014, 09:22:05 AM »
So apparently the 70-300mm Canon I got with my camera was not the version eligible for a rebate (the L version is the one), and I'm deciding if u should return it and get a different lens or different brand. I paid about 530 for it. My choices are (and I'm open to other ideas) the 55-250mm, I can probably get a decent price on ebay, even new, or a tamron http://www.tamron.com/en/photolens/di_telephoto/a005.html or Sigma 70-300mm.
For Sigma I see 3 versions, 2 macros, http://www.sigmaphoto.com/product/70-300mm-f4-56-apo-dg-macro or http://www.sigmaphoto.com/product/70-300mm-f4-56-dg-macro or an optical stabilized lens http://www.sigmaphoto.com/product/70-300mm-f4-56-dg-os. The macro interests me, but I'm not sure if the os id something much more useful than the curiosity of macro, since most shots will be my family and kids as opposed to nature.
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Offline avadah

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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #369 on: January 09, 2014, 04:51:40 PM »
Anyone familiar with the Sony hx50v? Does it tend to take blurrier pix than other cameras in not so good lighting or movement? How does it compare to dslr's?

Offline Mordy

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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #370 on: January 12, 2014, 11:42:28 AM »
Anyone familiar with the Sony hx50v? Does it tend to take blurrier pix than other cameras in not so good lighting or movement? How does it compare to dslr's?

I don't have much experience with the Sony HX line, but the specs on that camera don't look well suited for low light in my opinion. The sensor is 1/2.3" and it seems to have a small aperture, which means it needs more light to expose correctly. Slower shutter speed = more motion blurring.
That being said, the big pros of this camera appear to be an excellent zoom, 30x optical! Most basic P&S cameras, and even the more expensive RX100 can't reach that far, and this thing fits in your pocket. It also supports 60p video recording at full 1080 resolution, which means you can record some nice slow-motion video clips with it as well.

But no, it seems not so well suited for indoor / low light photography. And at that price, if that's what you are looking for, I'd look elsewhere. But again, I'm judging based on the specs alone. The reviews on Amazon seem to agree with me though.
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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #371 on: January 14, 2014, 02:42:51 PM »
Returned my NEX 3n for a few reasons. 1. Wasnt really ready for that size camera, but I thought if the pix would really sizzle then it would be worth it. They didnt really. Granted, I got some pix impossible to capture with a standard PAS but most of them were nunu. Also, most of the shooting was indoors and  I didnt really give it the full run-through in natural light, but thats where I do most of my picture taking. 2. Auto focus indoors was also not speedy or spot on. 3. The coloring had a different feel than I was used to (canon) , and although I couldve got used to it I didnt feel connected enough to the camera. 4. Ergonomics. I have biggish hands and they were really cramped after a little bit.
That intro/review was kinda for all those that cashed in on yesterdays amazong deal, but also leads me to my next question. Im obviously looking now into the advanced PAS market as Im not ready for the big leagues. The s110 gets some heavy mentioning in this forum, and Im just wondering if its just because of value or is it the best out there. The lumix lx7 is catching my attention for its optics(f1.4 leica=low light), and features, as is the nikon p330. They seem to be better built than the canon( read many lens error reviews on amazon..). Im just worried I'll have some of the same issues as the nex, biggish size, features more advanced than I am, etc. But in the 280 range they seem to be lots of camera for decent buck. Any body familiar with these cameras please weigh in. Thanks!

Offline jaywhy

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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #372 on: January 14, 2014, 08:44:16 PM »
SF,

I'm thinking of selling all my Canon gear and getting the Olympus OM-D E-M5 or M1.

I'e been reading some amazing reviews about these cameras. I'm really attracted to the small form factor and the image quality seems to be on par with most DSLR's. Supposedly, it is really good in low light even though the sensor is smaller than APS-C.

What are your thoughts?
In the process of selling my Canon gear. I ordered the Panasonic GX7. I was going to go for the Oly EM-1 but the Panny seemed to have most of the features I was looking for at $600 less than the EM-1. I figured that money would be better spent on glass.
Will be giving it the run through in Hawaii next week.

Offline Mordy

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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #373 on: January 14, 2014, 09:12:59 PM »
In the process of selling my Canon gear. I ordered the Panasonic GX7. I was going to go for the Oly EM-1 but the Panny seemed to have most of the features I was looking for at $600 less than the EM-1. I figured that money would be better spent on glass.
Will be giving it the run through in Hawaii next week.

Amazing choice- I love the swivel viewfinder on that little marvel! I've been thinking of picking one up myself because of the focus peaking with manual glass (toss up between that and the cheaper G6).
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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #374 on: January 14, 2014, 09:15:22 PM »
Returned my NEX 3n for a few reasons. 1. Wasnt really ready for that size camera, but I thought if the pix would really sizzle then it would be worth it. They didnt really. Granted, I got some pix impossible to capture with a standard PAS but most of them were nunu. Also, most of the shooting was indoors and  I didnt really give it the full run-through in natural light, but thats where I do most of my picture taking. 2. Auto focus indoors was also not speedy or spot on. 3. The coloring had a different feel than I was used to (canon) , and although I couldve got used to it I didnt feel connected enough to the camera. 4. Ergonomics. I have biggish hands and they were really cramped after a little bit.
That intro/review was kinda for all those that cashed in on yesterdays amazong deal, but also leads me to my next question. Im obviously looking now into the advanced PAS market as Im not ready for the big leagues. The s110 gets some heavy mentioning in this forum, and Im just wondering if its just because of value or is it the best out there. The lumix lx7 is catching my attention for its optics(f1.4 leica=low light), and features, as is the nikon p330. They seem to be better built than the canon( read many lens error reviews on amazon..). Im just worried I'll have some of the same issues as the nex, biggish size, features more advanced than I am, etc. But in the 280 range they seem to be lots of camera for decent buck. Any body familiar with these cameras please weigh in. Thanks!

I don't have first hand experience with the Lx7 or the S110. They are both very respectable cameras based on specs. I always feel like you get excellent quality for the money with Canons, but that lx7 lens looks like a treat in low light. If that's the most important thing to you in a camera right now, it looks like a very strong candidate.

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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #375 on: January 14, 2014, 10:20:36 PM »
Returned my NEX 3n for a few reasons. 1. Wasnt really ready for that size camera, but I thought if the pix would really sizzle then it would be worth it. They didnt really. Granted, I got some pix impossible to capture with a standard PAS but most of them were nunu. Also, most of the shooting was indoors and  I didnt really give it the full run-through in natural light, but thats where I do most of my picture taking. 2. Auto focus indoors was also not speedy or spot on. 3. The coloring had a different feel than I was used to (canon) , and although I couldve got used to it I didnt feel connected enough to the camera. 4. Ergonomics. I have biggish hands and they were really cramped after a little bit.
That intro/review was kinda for all those that cashed in on yesterdays amazong deal, but also leads me to my next question. Im obviously looking now into the advanced PAS market as Im not ready for the big leagues. The s110 gets some heavy mentioning in this forum, and Im just wondering if its just because of value or is it the best out there. The lumix lx7 is catching my attention for its optics(f1.4 leica=low light), and features, as is the nikon p330. They seem to be better built than the canon( read many lens error reviews on amazon..). Im just worried I'll have some of the same issues as the nex, biggish size, features more advanced than I am, etc. But in the 280 range they seem to be lots of camera for decent buck. Any body familiar with these cameras please weigh in. Thanks!

None of the problems you had with the 3n will be solved with a P&S; in fact they'd become worse.

- Autofocus will be far slower on any P&S compared to the 3n.
- The coloring issue you mention is the white balance. Canon tends to warm everything up a bit (slightly more yellow), while most everyone else tries to keep it more realistic. So unless you get a Canon P&S, that issue won't be solved. But that's all tangential, since with most advanced cameras (I didn't check the 3n specifically) you could set a custom WB shift which would allow you to match the camera to what you're used to with Canon.
- Ergonomics? The bigger the camera the more comfortable and steady it feels, which is why there's an entire industry built around adding grips and such to your camera. Moving down in size will not help at all in the ergonomics department.
- An advanced P&S will have basically the same controls as a mirrorless (albeit harder to use due to less buttons and dials), save for interchangeable lenses. If your mirrorless was too advanced for you, so will the S110, LX7, et al. If you feel overwhelmed by any camera simply keep it in full auto mode; you won't be able to mess up the picture even if you tried. If and when you start getting more comfortable, then you could start exploring all the advanced features it offers you.

Overall, looking at what you didn't like about your 3n it seems to me that what you want is a DSLR. Blazing fast focus, awesome ergonomics, full color control (as well as set-it-and-forget-it), and a 100% idiot-proof auto mode. But of course, if size is a major issue (as you mentioned), all that is out the window.

But my basic point is that I can't see how a P&S is gonna solve the issues you had with the 3n, other than being smaller.
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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #376 on: January 14, 2014, 10:21:30 PM »
Amazing choice- I love the swivel viewfinder on that little marvel! I've been thinking of picking one up myself because of the focus peaking with manual glass (toss up between that and the cheaper G6).
Thanks. The reviews rate it very highly.
The only thing I'm concerned about is the built in IS. The EM-1 has a 5 axis system that gives 3-4 extra stops IRL. GX7 is 2 axis and only gives one stop although it can be combined with IS built into the glass for a bit more.

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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #377 on: January 14, 2014, 10:56:05 PM »
Having got my Canon Rebel t3I recently I enjoy playing around with the 2 different set of lens that the camera came with. Is it bad for the camera to keep on switching back and forth between the 2 in my home? And what would you do outdoors where there may be dust? Not the case now but will be once I figure out the camera.

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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #378 on: January 14, 2014, 11:20:32 PM »
Having got my Canon Rebel t3I recently I enjoy playing around with the 2 different set of lens that the camera came with. Is it bad for the camera to keep on switching back and forth between the 2 in my home? And what would you do outdoors where there may be dust? Not the case now but will be once I figure out the camera.

Nothing's bad with changing lenses per se, the problem is that every time you take the lens off you allow dust and other particles to potentially enter your camera. With a few basic tips you can greatly reduce possible dust issues:

- Don't change lenses just because. If you have a reason, go for it, but the less you take them off the less chances dust has of getting in.
- Always change lenses with the camera facing downward. That way floating particles won't settle inside easily.
- Keep the camera uncovered for as little time as possible. A lens change shouldn't take more than 3-5 seconds.
- Use a rocket blower periodically. Be careful not to touch the inside of the camera with it. Again, point your camera downward so that loosened particles should fall out instead of landing right where they came from.
- If your camera has a dust-reduction or sensor cleaning feature, use it and use it often (duh!).
- And the most important thing - the cleaner the environment, the cleaner your camera. Don't change lenses in very dusty places, fog, etc.

Remember that most cameras eventually get dust in them. Usually they're pretty much undetectable, sometimes they show up in your pictures, and sometimes they get so bad that you'd have to give the sensor a full-on wet cleaning (or send it out to get done). 
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Re: Which Camera Should I Get? Master Thread
« Reply #379 on: January 14, 2014, 11:24:31 PM »
Thanks for the quick lesson. Now I know what the sensor cleaner on my camera is. I get the message when I turn it off and was curious what it was. Rocket blower, I admit I had to google that one  :).

When you are out in foggy conditions you are stuck with what's on your camera? What do you do in the rain? I recall killing a good P and S in Alaska when our boat found a pod of orca's in the rain.