Best Compact Alternative for a Canon EOS 1DS Body.

<p>Dear All;<br>

As a Canon EOS 1Ds+24-70 2,8 L user -you would know- it is impossible for me to carry my camera everyday with me. I am considering a camera with which I can go out easily without worrying about image quality and controls. I really think about Canon Powershot G11. Which camera do you use to carry in your small bag for everyday use instead of your bulky pro-camera, or do you have any alternative in mind. Do you have any experience with G11?</p>

<p>THANKS IN ADVANCE,<br>

Hakan </p>

<p>a <img id="mainImage" src="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/multiple_images/item_images/IMG_171496.jpg" border="0" alt="" vspace="0" /></p>

<p>Well, I do carry a 1D/Ds size body with 24-70 or 24-105 with me pretty much 24/7, there is simply no substitute. If I need to go compact, the lens comes off and the whole shebang fits in a very small bag. If you believe that carrying a smaller camera 24/7 with you is less of a hassle, it ain't so: the size really does not matter here. When I really don't care about the quality/versatiility, I simply use my cellular phone (5 mp camera.)</p>

<p>wait for the Canon mirrorless. </p>

<p>I'm not sure what you mean by</p>

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<p> I can go out easily without worrying about image quality and controls.</p>

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<p>Do you mean you want good IQ and controls, but they have to be compact and easy? or Do you mean IQ and controls are not a priority?</p>

<p>If they're not a priority then I would just get an Elph compact P&S. If they are a priority, which is the way I assume you meant it, then I guess the G11 would be a good choice, but keep in mind that even though the G11 shoots RAW, it is a much much smaller sensor and is a CCD sensor at that, so while IQ may be good, I don't really think there is a true (compact) alternative to a full frame digital camera.</p>

<p>I would also check out <br>

Panasonic LX-5<br>

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Cameras-Camcorders/Digital-Cameras/Lumix-Digital-Cameras/model.DMC-LX5K_11002_7000000000000005702</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I like my G11 for casual use. My only complaint is that the flash control has been unnecessarily dumbed down. </p>

<p>Nathan,<br>

I mean, I want a compact camera which has an acceptable noise control over the image and also which has an ease of use over the controls.<br>

Thanks for your response,<br>

Hakan</p>

<p>Michael, it's not just the size, but the weight! Oi! You must be a pretty sturdy guy, because even a 40D + 18-55IS becomes an oppressive weight to me when carried 24/7. That's as much as I smalled down before making the jump to a G11. I considered getting one of the little rebels -- maybe an XTi + 18-55IS, but I did want the G11 for a couple of other reasons -- silent operation and very high X-sync speed. I felt it added a bit of versatility to my collection.</p>

<p>That said, Hakan, you're going to be a bit disappointed in the noise. You'll also curse a few times at the controls before learning to keep your right thumb clear of the rear buttons (very easily pressed by accident). However, it's a nice little camera for what it does, if you don't expect it to break any of the laws of physics. It's definitely light and small, and it's sooooo much easier to carry 24/7 than either of my dSLRs. It's also very chic and makes you look very non-pro when you don't want to stand out.</p>

<p>Expect a usable ISO of 80-400 and usable aperture of 2.8-5.6 (with the 5.6 end clearly stepping into the diffraction limited zone). Abandon any hope of shallow DoF at normal shooting distances, although I'm sure you can get a pretty fuzzy background when focused at 1 cm. The manual focus is hard to use, except when doing zone focusing (in which case it's very useful).</p>

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<p>Which camera do you use to carry in your small bag for everyday use instead of your bulky pro-camera?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>A Canon G11.<br>

Very happy with it for casual snapshots, but like most small(er) sensor P&S cameras, it tends to blow out the highlights, even with the contrast adjustment function.</p>

<p>i have been carrying a 850IS for about 2 years..great little cam, has its p&s probs but is an easy tote-along</p>

<p>I've been enjoying a Canon D10 for casual use. It's light enough to carry everywhere and is practically indestructible, even waterproof to 30 feet. The zoom range is nothing spectacular (35-105mm equivalent) and most other complaints about P&S cameras apply (poor in low light, slow focus, etc). But it's great to have a camera I can take everywhere and use in the rain without worrying.</p>

<p>Not sure how much control you need, but if you can live for periods of time<br>

without DOF control I would suggest a fixed lens film camera like the Olympus<br>

Stylus Epic (35mm/2.8). Inexpensive, good quality lens, no fuss (unless you<br>

have to do your own color negative developing...).There are similar but more<br>

expensive film-based options as well that feature decently fast fixed lenses<br>

and aperture control. Not a route many care to take these days, but it's still<br>

hard to beat 35mm film for portable quality in my opinion.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>You wouldn't go wrong with the G11. If you want even more compact than that, try the S90. I've used it some, and it's a fun little camera. <br>

But I think the real answer to your question depends somewhat on how you plan on using it. I use my SLR mostly for nature, macro and wildlife photography, and when I do that I shoot exclusively in RAW, and I don't ever want to compromise on IQ. So I've decided that for my serious photography, I'm going to stick it out with the SLR no matter what. But I also want to take pictures of my kids and just have a camera with me for incidental things I might see when doing other things. I live in FL and took my kids to Disney with my SLR and backpack--and I was miserable. I returned and immediately shopped for a compact zoom. I wanted a smaller camera with a lot of zoom, and I wanted to be able to take HD movies. So, believe it or not, I settled on the SX210IS. Other than the fact that it has a 14mp sensor (I wish it were 10mp), it has just the feature set I wanted. And now I take it with me when I go out to shoot nature shots too, since I can HD movies to accompany my pictures. I'm pretty happy with the camera--Lightroom 3 handles the noise in the images, and it does what I need.<br>

If I decided to use a compact camera for more serious photography, I probably would have bought the <a href="http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/s90.htm">S90</a>. For me, it's better at being high quality and compact for serious photographers than the G11, but that's my personal opinion.</p>

<p>I carry a Canon PowerShot G11. It's okay. Nothing special. It's better than my old G10. I really bought it for concerts where a compact camera is allowed into the venue.</p>

<p>I hope to hear of the G11's replacement soon.</p>

<p>If you want a small digital cam, and you like both a fast lens and a wide angle, it's hard to beat the S90. It packs quite a punch for its small, almost shirt-pocket size, especially when used with a bit of skill and attention. At the time I bought mine, I looked at the G11, but I decided it was too big for my purposes, with a slower lens than the S90.</p>

<p>I'm not saying it's the best camera in the world, nor that it's a competitor for DSLRs, but within the parameters of pocketability, it's a pro camera which will eat most P&S digicams for breakfast.</p>

<p>I don't need to argue about it, because I know I have the pictures to prove it. I'm just posting this to be helpful, because it certainly is worth looking at.</p>

 

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<p>it is impossible for me to carry my camera everyday</p>

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<p>this is actually possible</p>

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<p>I am considering a camera with which I can go out easily without worrying about image quality and controls</p>

</blockquote>

<p>This is more an impossibility<br>

I understand you want : Compact and Best Image Quality<br>

Easy answer: Sony Nex-5 with an adapter to use your Canon lenses</p>

A micro 4/3 camera is the best answer. A Pan g1 will be light, and give better iq than any compact

<p>Don't forget that there are digital SLR's that with the right lenses would be very compact. </p>

<p>I know pentaxians love their pancakes! The smallest SLR setup you could get would be one of the rebels with a 50 or 35mm lens on the front. I wouldn't think this could be much bigger / heavier than some of the 4/3 stuff that is out there. I even think of my 5D as fairly handy when it's got a normal prime lens on it.</p>

<p>I'm waiting for the next version G11 (G12?); the next version might have HD video.</p>

<p>Hakan, for what do you want to shoot with your compact camera? You can have a small "pro" camera such as a Leica MP or an M9 if you want a digicam. Other options could include the Sony NEX5 or a Leica X1. I have a D3, a couple of Leica's, and Canon G10 among others. The Leica M will afford you the best image quality, and also the ease of use that you desire (nothing could be simpler), but a G11 is another level of compactness again. What is your budget?</p>

<p>My rebel with a 35 mm or 28 mm lens is pretty easy to carry. The controls are way better than any P&S.</p>

<p>For true pocket camera: Canon S90 or Lumix LX3 (or new '5') - both shoot RAW so give you better possibilities for image manipulation. It has the same sized sensor as the G11.<br>

For a small bag or large pocket: Canon G11. There doesn't seem to be a genuine alternative at this size.<br>

If you just want a smaller 'SLR-style' camera, I would think about the Panasonic G2. To my mind this is preferable over the Panasonic G1 because the electronic viewfinder allows you to hold to the eye and so be a more stable picture platform. Or the Olympus EP-1/EP-2.</p>

<p>Sorry Mike but the G1 has the same electronic viewfinder as the G2, I think you meant the GF1 which only has an optional extra EVF. The G2 only really differs from the G1 in having video and a touch screen.</p>

<p>I deleted my post, Sorry.</p>

<p>Not wanting to carry a 20lb camera bag while traveling casually, I went with an Olympus Micro 4/3, I hear the Panasonic is wonderful too, and Sony's Nex sensors are even larger, there's just not the glass available for them yet that there are for the other two, and it felt awkward in my hand.</p>

<p>My Travel camera bag now has about the same reach as my big one, slightly wide to fairly telephoto (although not quite as fast) a fast normal prime, and a bounce flash with a diffuser, and still weighs about 3 pounds instead of 20, and the whole kit cost less than my last canon lens. IQ is amazing and I love the retro styling of the Oly, I didn't get the evf and do catch myself raising it to my eye anyway!</p>

<p>Just sold my G10 and got the Lumix GF1 with 20mm/1.7 and 7-14mm. Vastly superior to the Canon IMO.</p>