Complimentary Equipment Advice Needed ...

<p>Hi Guys,<br>

Long time no talk, and I hope you all doing fine...<br>

We'll take a trip to Cuba soon, and I would like to add a point&shoot, 3/4s or mirrorless camera to my gear, especially for my wife's use.<br>

I currently have a D800 w various Nikon Lenses, which serves to my needs. My wife, who has very limited photography background but a good eye; asks for having her own equipment that she can use during the trip. Her request, in a way, matches with my future plans to have a simple, easy to carry camera, which may also serve as a complimentary to my set.<br>

I always had Canon G series in my mind in the past, but I am not very familiar with recent developments. So your recommendations are more than welcome...<br>

Thx in advance and all the best, Ismail.<br>

P.S. : The main reason why I post this question in this forum is about the people in here with whom I believe I share similar photographic choices / standards...</p>

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<p>Nikon 1? I'm a Canon user so I don't know the ins and outs of Nikon but I expect the 1 series to be a good match to your existing equimpent. If I'm not mistaken you can use existing Nikon lenses with an adapter on the Nikon 1 cameras. It would be the first place to look if I were a Nikon user.</p>

<p>I ended up adding a µ43 rig to my photo gear last year... eventually I sold all my Nikon stuff cause it works better for me, but I'm not a full frame guy.</p>

<p>I think there are some amazing deals on some µ43 stuff out there right now that would be what I'd look at first. Olympus EM-10 is at an amazing price. The Panasonic GX7 is a good one to look at, too. As is the Olympus EPL-5.</p>

<p>There are other mirrorless options out there, but for real small and portable, I like µ43 the best.</p>

<p>Complementary how?<br />

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If you want something small for when your D800 and lenses is too bulky, I'd recommend something like one of Sony's RX100 range, or Canon's G7x - or maybe a Panasonic LX100.<br />

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If you want something which can cope when you have the wrong lens on your D800, there's something to be said for a superzoom (DPReview have just done a roundup).<br />

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If you want something that can use the D800's lenses, I'd not rule out the D3x00 or D5x00 series (which are pretty small). I got a micro 4/3 system and an F-mount adaptor when my wife indicated she'd like a small camera but to share the big lenses I was carrying, but the crop is probably a bit much, and the lack of autofocus is annoying. The Nikon 1-series will autofocus (and has a cool trick high-speed mode), but the crop factor is extreme. You'll need native lenses as well unless you only want a lot of telephoto.<br />

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If you want something that'll take good shots that the D800 can't, there are a few fixed-focal length options. High on the list would be the Fuji X100 series, which have a leaf shutter and integrated ND filter, meaning you can get fill in bright light much more easily. They're not small (or especially cheap), though. If you want a decent sensor in a pocketable camera, the Coolpix A is, apparently, available as a good deal at the moment. The Sony RX1 would give you very good image quality, but it's expensive, not that small, and won't do that much your D800 won't.<br />

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I rarely use my micro 4/3 system because it's still a little chubby to carry around - I have an E-series 50mm that I can put on my D810 and have something not much deeper than the hand grip. The RX100 is really small enough to carry "just in case" (or put in the pocket of my joins), though it's obviously less flexible than the mirrorless systems. I got an original version, which may not have been my choice if I felt richer, but which was by far the most affordable. I think there are too many dependencies on what exactly you're looking for to suggest a single camera to you, but good luck!</p>

<p>I'm a Nikon DSLR shooter but the "serious" point and shoot I use for vacation and family pictures is a Canon Powershot G-15. Got a good deal on it last year or so after they came out with the G-16. You can put it in auto-everything mode and hand it to the kids, or put it into full manual, including raw and manual focus. Has a hot shoe for flash -- I've put a Pocket Wizard in the shoe and done off-camera flash -- and I bought the adaptor that lets me put a polarizer on the lens. Has both an optical viewfinder and live-view LCD.<br /><br />I've found it very good for landscapes, buildings, scenics, people sitting still. Not as good as a DSLR for any kind of action or people moving because I prefer to have the viewfinder up to my eye rather looking at the LCD. Looking through the optical viewfinder you can compose, but you don't know where the AF spot is hitting and can't change exposure settings on the fly.</p>

<p>Just because Craig brought up auto-everything, I did want to point out that a modern DSLR is perfectly capable as an auto-everything camera too. It's easy to forget that just because we may shoot in manual mode with back-button focus, that doesn't stop the camera from working as a point-and-shoot in P mode, matrix meter and area AF (ideally with the AF moved back to the shutter button). Just because your wife has a "limited photography background" doesn't mean she can't use a D800 perfectly well. The same even applies to a Df!<br />

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Not that this makes a complementary camera a bad idea, but DSLRs have this reputation (both among novices and experts) of being scary bits of high technology for expert users, and they really don't have to be. One day I'll get around to picking up a 5x4 camera, and then I'll really have a chance to be intimidated by the technology of it all.</p>

<p>I quite frequently see "old" point-and-shoot compacts offered for peanuts at photo fairs - often boxed and with full accessories. I've picked up a few of these just for the sake of it and usually end up passing them on to deserving friends at cost price. Anyway enough of the back story. The point is that most of these 10 megapixel plus little cameras can do a perfectly adequate job and deliver good image quality, while being simple to use and small enough not to be an encumbrance.</p>

<p>I've also got a couple of bridge cameras, and have handled a few 4/3rds models. None of them really fits the bill of being "pocketable", and if I have to carry something that needs its own case, then I might as well lug a full-size DSLR around. The so-called "serious" compacts either have a very limited (or no) zoom range or require a whole bag of lenses to cover the full range of travel photography needs.</p>

<p>Going back to compact cameras: The zoom range on them today is amazing, and the ISO ability is also good. Many of them offer PASM control as well as fully auto and scene modes. I see no reason to go bigger really, and my suggestion Ismail, would be to talk it over with your wife and get a camera that she feels happy with. Forget thoughts about it being your second camera in future.</p>

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<p>I would like to add a point&shoot, 3/4s or mirrorless camera to my gear, especially for my wife's use.</p>

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<p>well, unless we're talking Nikon 1 or Coolpix, this question would probably be better answered in the mirrorless forum. this question isnt an easy one to answer, since there's such a wide range of cameras which fit the OP's criteria. my selection process would probably be to pick the most-desired attributes and then compare models. some of the things to determine are: sensor size; zoom range (or fixed-focal); interchangeable lenses or no; manual controls; compact/ultra-compact; video; etc. also experience level may come into play.<br>

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that said, if i wanted a camera to complement a DSLR for travel, i would probably look at the Sony RX100, the Fuji X100s/t, the Coolpix A, and the Panasonic LX100. a compact camera which can be deployed quickly is a good companion to a bigger rig. for something larger with a bigger zoom range, i would look at the Sony RX10, the Panasonic FZ1000, the Coolpix p900, or the Canon G7x if you like the G-series. (DPreview has a review of recent superzoom cameras <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/articles/7192763593/2015-superzoom-camera-roundup?utm_campaign=internal-link&utm_source=features-default&utm_medium=homepage-block&ref=features-default">here</a> btw). When you start talking about m4/3 or Fuji X, it gets more complicated because these are system cameras, so you have to consider what lenses you would get if you are going beyond just a kit lens.</p>

<p>the Nikon 1 system has potential, but it's not really a mature system. and it's pretty quirky too, in terms of UI. if you plan on snorkeling, the AW1 makes sense, but it's difficult to recommend a Nikon 1 off top to someone who has never held one. you have to be comfortable with what it does and how it works.</p>

<p>Have you seen how small the D3300 with the 18-55 VR lens is? OK, it can't compete with a Canon G-series on size, but it's tiny by SLR standards. Set it to auto and it's no harder to use than any other point and shoot camera, and in the future you can share lenses (or perhaps this is a disadvantage?!).</p>

Guys thx for the responses. Today I visited some camera shops and handed some options.

Fuji mirrorless cameras are good but out of my budget atm.

Samsung NX series are also considered, but as someone mentioned both are system cameras. I wouldn't go for samsung just because

its a little cheaper than Fuji which would have been my first choice.

The father in law offered his D3100 which seems to be the most convenient option, for which We can share lots of lens options too (may

be good or not :) ).

Thx for the help and with my Best Regards...

<p>My wife uses a small m43 camera (panasonic) for these things. She uses it as a point and shoot mostly but you still get the quality of a large sensor in a small package.</p>

<p>While the D3100 is OK it's not really pocketable. And video is not so good (AF on dslrs doesn't work well for video).</p>

<p>I'd look for an panasonic or olympus on sale. You could find something good starting from around $300 with lens. I only really have experience with panasonic G-series, GF-series and GH-series and I think they're all good, even the ones that are a couple of years old now. And m43 is still a real mount so it's not like a compact camera.</p>

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<p>Glad you have options, Ismail. There's always a lot to be said for the free option! The D3100 isn't exactly cutting edge - but nor are some of the Samsungs, although the latest sensors seem to be good, and you'd clearly be paying for the portability of micro 4/3 systems by having a smaller sensor (which may or may not be fine). Honestly, I'm sure the D3100 is good enough, and the ability to share lenses is a significant bonus (especially if anything happens to your D800). And if travelling off the beaten path, there's a lot to be said for not having the latest and most expensive gear on you - a D3100 will get a lot less attention than a D800. While it's harder to hide out of sight, it's also more likely you'll notice if someone tries to lift it; my RX100 is light enough that I currently have no idea whether it's in my backpack or not. Have fun, don't stress, take good photos!</p>

<p>If you want a small rangefinder style camera that takes RAW or JPEG or movies, check out the Nikon Coolpix P7800. I have an earlier model, P7000, and took it on a Baltic Cruise last year and left my D 800 and lenses at home. The smaller camera was a joy to use and the images were fine for prints and web. I even used some of them for camera club competitions. If you want more zoom range or focal length, check out the 12x to 24x zooms offered Nikon, Sony, Panasonic and Leica. <br>

Joe Smith</p>