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Compact System Cameras


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The best is to take a walk to the store and hold the camera and see what suits you best. In these thays if you have a Sony, Fuji, Olympus or whatever will not make much difference in the image quality. Just check what for you is important. Do you need viewer? Does it need to be very small or do you want camera that fits good in your hand. All this question you can let go through yourself and make a right decision.  Image quality is a matter of small differences as long you stick witt micro 4/3 or APS-C.

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Richard - if you do not need the wifi and nearfield and remote options, or the articulated screen, the original RX100 is generally a bit sharper and also for some reason gives much less exposure - the RX100M2 can be giving you 1/30th where the RX100 gives 1/100th, so the ISO settings are not comparable. I have  both on, Mk2 on test, and I don't think I have any plans to upgrade. The same wifi and nearfield stuff will arrive in NEX or Alpha for me in due course and my main requirements for the RX100 are what it does - be small, take big images.

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  • 3 months later...

I want to get into Microstock and had the same dilemma, my D40 was getting long in the tooth and I didn't want another big DSLR, even though the D40 is tiny by comparison to other DSLRs, especially FF models. So I started buying and selling, I went through the OMD E-M5, the Fuji X-E1 and the Nikon D7100 in the space of one month. I currently have the D7100 and am using it with the Nikon 35mm 1.8 G lens. I still have 15 days to change my mind and at the moment I am not sure at all as to what I should do. The OMD actually disappointed me, I expected more and the image quality and IBIS did not blow me away. I exchanged it for the X-E1 and for the first time I started having wow moments when opening the files on my computer. They were great, but I still had that nagging doubts as to whether the D7100 would be a better option and if maybe for the money I spent the D7100 would be able to squeeze that extra bit of IQ out of my Euros and give me a better chance of getting pictures accepted at microstock agencies. So I went on a pixelpeeping spree and check all sites I could find, eventually coming to the conclusion that the D7100 had a slight edge.

 

So I exchanged the X-E1 for the D7100 a few days ago. My verdict after only 4 days with the D7100 is that I miss the simplicity and the IQ of the Fuji. The Nikon is feature rich, highly customizable and incredibly competent, but to be honest I don't get excited when I open the images, they don't give me the same feeling as the Fuji images. I am sure that if you spend time processing RAW images you could arrive at the same or very similar results, but if I know that Alamy will accept the X-E1 files based on technical criteria, I think the D7100 will be replaced by the X-E1 or X-E2 in the next few days.

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Thank you for passing these thoughts on. I've been using the D7100 for some months now. I had problems finding a lens which suited me at first (and, incidentally, concluded that VR lenses do not provide images that are clean and sharp enough at 100% for my tastes. My benchmark is a 28-70 f2.8 Nikkor on a D700). But I did eventually settle for a 24-85 f2.8 which works well with the D7100. Images are passing QC without a problem. That combination is certainly a bit lighter and a bit smaller than the D700 with a 28-70 and easier to carry about all day. Not the same as finding a CSC that will give me the quality I want but good enough for me for the time being.

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I want to get into Microstock and had the same dilemma, my D40 was getting long in the tooth and I didn't want another big DSLR, even though the D40 is tiny by comparison to other DSLRs, especially FF models. So I started buying and selling, I went through the OMD E-M5, the Fuji X-E1 and the Nikon D7100 in the space of one month. I currently have the D7100 and am using it with the Nikon 35mm 1.8 G lens. I still have 15 days to change my mind and at the moment I am not sure at all as to what I should do. The OMD actually disappointed me, I expected more and the image quality and IBIS did not blow me away. I exchanged it for the X-E1 and for the first time I started having wow moments when opening the files on my computer. They were great, but I still had that nagging doubts as to whether the D7100 would be a better option and if maybe for the money I spent the D7100 would be able to squeeze that extra bit of IQ out of my Euros and give me a better chance of getting pictures accepted at microstock agencies. So I went on a pixelpeeping spree and check all sites I could find, eventually coming to the conclusion that the D7100 had a slight edge.

 

So I exchanged the X-E1 for the D7100 a few days ago. My verdict after only 4 days with the D7100 is that I miss the simplicity and the IQ of the Fuji. The Nikon is feature rich, highly customizable and incredibly competent, but to be honest I don't get excited when I open the images, they don't give me the same feeling as the Fuji images. I am sure that if you spend time processing RAW images you could arrive at the same or very similar results, but if I know that Alamy will accept the X-E1 files based on technical criteria, I think the D7100 will be replaced by the X-E1 or X-E2 in the next few days.

 

I've had no issues with either the X-Pro1 or the X-E1 that I use. That said, I would have a thought any of those cameras mentioned would be fine. If you can, go for the X-E2 as it is supposed to be much improved.

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If you have a London camera exchange near you then they are very helpful. I went into the one in Lincoln on Sunday with the same dilema as you, thinking of a CSC they let me put my memory card into a selction of their cameras that they let me try outside the shop, I sure other top camera shops will do the same. I was mainly looking at the X-E2 but the X-Pro1 is on promotion at the moment with camera, 18mm lens for £949 plus you let Fuji know which free lens you want out of 3 primes including 60mm which they send on to you later. The images are very similar but the X-pro1 is a bit bigger camera and when you have been used to a SLR then this feels more like you still have a decent camera in your hands. I too am still debating which one to go for so if anyone has experience of the 2 cameras I would be grateful to know.

Regards

Paul

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We saw that off Chris with the advent of internet shopping!! I used to always buy buy my gear in a camera shop and chat to the guys behind the counter. PART of the trouble was/is that we try the camera out in one of the few remaining high street shops, like it and then go buy it cheaper off the net. We reap what we sow I guess.

nj

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  • 1 year later...

I'm now in a similar position.  I mainly use a 1DX, 5D3 and a Leica M9, but I want what my wife calls a "handbag camera" that has to be small enough to always be with me (especially when cycling) but will still me the quality requirements.  

 

I have an old Canon G9 that fits the first part of the requirements well and I'm very tempted to go to the G16.  Any other thoughts?

 

Thanks

 

 

 

Sam

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Another major plus is nobody thinks you’re a professional when using these small cameras.

 

 

One man's bread is another man's poison . . . I find it an advantage shooting with what the great unwashed think of as a "professional" camera . . . I've been afforded priority access and vantage points not offered to others based on the assumption that I'm a professional, much to my commercial advantage in many instances.

 

dd

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For me: RX100 mk2 in a thin neoprene pouch (mine: Zing and Dynex) or even a ziploc bag (with some white package foam). Perfect for the bike.

The mk2 has wifi, which combined with an upside down monopod and a phone opens up a whole new world.

 

About the monopod: remove the platform and the rubber foot. The bolt from the top now fits in the thinnest end (which is threaded !). Add a tiny (Giottos) ball head and the whole thing is almost a straight pipe that will fit in a bike pump holder, like the ones that combine with a bottle cage. Add (or use only) 2 rubber bands for safety. In the road racing bike setup, the phone attaches to the monopod with the rubber bands. In travel mode, I use a bike holder.

 

Weight: both camera and monopod weigh around 270g. (My bike is a little over 7Kg.)

 

My previous bike cameras: Olympus XA - various Ixus - Nex 3.

 

wim

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I want what my wife calls a "handbag camera" that has to be small enough to always be with me (especially when cycling) but will still me the quality requirements.

 

Sony NEX6 with 16-50mm. Slips in a pocket but takes great pics. I've had mine for nearly a year now and I'm very happy to rely on it without hesitation whenever I can't be bothered to lug the DSLR kit around.

 

I tried the RX100 first but it wasn't good enough. The NEX6 is miles better.

 

Alan

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