You always hear that in order to become a great photographer, you need to have your camera with you all the time. I always wanted to be that guy, the guy who carried around his [big, heavy] DSLR all the time, but to tell you the truth, I already carry a backpack, lunch bag and gym bag out to my car every morning. I tried to carry my big camera bag too. It worked for a few weeks, but inevitably I’d wind up putting it in the car each morning, and then taking it out (along with the three other bags) when I got home…with no photos on the memory card. Then the next day I forget to take it with me or just not feel like it, and kick myself when the sunrise/clouds/sunset/rainbow/storm/light/fog/foliage on the Hudson River looked amazing and I had no gear with me.
It was Olympus designer Maitani's life work: designing cameras that were as small as possible for the image quality. He wanted the perfect "take-everywhere" camera. I'm not sure we have it yet, there are many good choices, but compromises in them all. But things are moving fast now in the digital age, so in five and ten years it'll look different yet again.
The new Olympus Pen-F. A beautiful camera, and compact and light for the quality and powers it has.
That is a very pretty camera. I would be sorely tempted if I hadn't just bought a Panasonic GX8, which is quite a bit larger but justifies it with that lovely tilting viewfinder.
ReplyDeleteThe GX8 has a good reputation. Is it clearly bigger?
ReplyDeleteDoes it have in-body-image-stabilization (IBIS)?
Yeah, IBIS is the holy grail for this class of small but capable cameras. I was very disappointed to learn that Sony's just released A6300 doesn't have IBIS. Probably would have upgraded from my Nex-6 if it did.
ReplyDeleteIBIS is gold.
ReplyDeleteThink how much more they charge for a lens which is a stop or two faster. And here is tech which can make all your lenses 3-4 stops faster! (Depending on subject movement).
I'm amazed how many still choose not to have it. Sony even has it in the A7 full frame cameras.
Yes, the GX8 has IBIS. It's good on its own, and can also work with the lens's OIS (only on certain lenses, and only after a firmware upgrade which I haven't got around to yet). There is a very good review of the GX8 at http://www.dpreview.com/
ReplyDeleteThank you.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy they have started putting IBIS in them, Panasonic.
I'd already started reading the review on imaging-resource.com . I like their reviews, they are personal and pleasant to read. And the site has some great comparison tools, for example you can see how two different cams show the exact same motif (and indoor constructed one), at different ISOs.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny though, the answer to too much gear is always more gear. Start fresh with this new xx mark iii and your slate will be clean, your mind fresh, your back at ease, and your photos great. They never mention that all you have to do is lose a couple pounds around the waist and you have more than made up for any small camera savings (says the guy with a drawer full of M43 gear).
ReplyDeletePoint taken, no doubt it's beneficial to be fit.
ReplyDeleteBut I think it's quite different to carry two kilos around your waist, where the strong leg muscles take the load, and they are mostly vertical. ... And to carry it in your hand.
Coincidentally, today's post on TOP is about the GX8 IBIS!
ReplyDeletehttp://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2016/03/panasonic-dual-is.html