so, I have to figure out a camera ...

[harveysteeves]

<p>I signed up to do a glamour photography workshop in Costa Rica next December. This will be my first trip to CR, so I was planning on spending some additional time there and shoot more traditional travel shots. I need to travel light - very light. I'm doing my second hip replacement in a couple of weeks and hope to be walking semi-normally by December. There are a lot of mirrorless options out there but my range of possible shooting goes from glamour to scenic to street to poison frogs to monkeys. I just don't want to end up carrying too much crap but still want good quality images. In my position, what would you do?</p>

[Ian Taylor]

<p>I would look at the new FUJIFILM X-T1. I was shooting with one yesterday, it's a pretty amazing little camera. And the 56/1.2 (same as 85mm on 35mm) is incredible. Like it much better than the Sony A7 which I owned for a couple of weeks.</p>

[Sanford]

<p>Whatever you decide on, take a backup.</p>

[harveysteeves]

<p>I try to carry two bodies that take the same batteries. Carried Nikons to Iceland last autumn. That hurt.</p>

[shutterbud]

<p>Hi Ian<br>

I've been mulling over which camera is superior, or should I say, better suited to my own needs: the A7 or the XE-2. I had a look at the XT-1 and the rear four-way controller kind of killed it for me. The XE-2 seemed much nicer. Although, I've heard the new Sony 52mm is astounding. Sharpness was literally off the charts on dpreview.</p>

[eric_arnold]

<p>one good thing about the Fuji system is that its very compact, has high IQ, and is very configurable. you can pair an XE series body with an XT1 and have a nice two-camera kit that uses same lenses, batteries and chargers with a fraction of the bulk of a DSLR. most of the lenses are pretty light too, and there are more options than the Sony FE lenses at present. an XT1 with a 56/1.2 can handle glamour shots, while an XE 1 or 2 with a 14 and/or 27 would be great for travel shots. i'm currently building a travel kit around an XE1 with 14/27/35/60 primes; hope to add an XT1 and 50-140/2.8 down the line, but i could also just pick up another XE1 for fairly cheap...</p>

[Brad_]

Eric makes excellent points.

 

Also important is Fuji's reputation for dropping frequent firmware upgrades that are not just about

fixing bugs, but adding new and useful features. Even for cameras that are not currently sold.

[harveysteeves]

<p>to cover the wide range I would be looking at in Costa Rica, I would have to go from ultra-wide to long telephoto(monkeys). With Fuji's longest being 230mm, that might cut that out. I like the 56/1.2 idea though but I could go 45(or so) MFT as well. </p>

[jcuknz]

<p>My choice has been for a Panasonic GH2 with the 14-140 and usable highish ISO to cope for low light situations. Weight about that of a single smaller DSLR ... I gave up travelling with two cameras awhile ago .... I'm 82yo :) Today I probably would have the GH3 and a new 14-140 but the body came out just a month too late for me to buy when I needed it ...I waited and waited ... BUT :)</p>

[r22eng]

My choice would be to go with the Fuji system. The XPro1 or XE series is very good. The optics are pretty good too.

 

I am traveling with the Fuji X20 as my "pocket" camera. It covers the 28 to 118 range for me. So far I am satisfied with

the trade off between image quality and easy to carry. The battery life is only 200 images so far. I just carry a spare

battery and charger.

 

I noticed that your site has mostly scenics and the X series or the X20 would be fine.

 

I am waiting for the next XPro to show up before deciding on the next major purchase.

 

If you are just starting with the system consider the XT-1 or an inexpensive XE1 and 35/1.4 just to try it out. You will be

happy with that image quality.

[laur1]

<blockquote>

<p>but I could go 45(or so) MFT as well</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The E-M1 (or E-M5) with Olympus 12-40/2.8 lens makes a nice weather sealed package. The E-M5 body is really small and the E-M1 uses the same battery as the E-M5, so you can get the E-M5 as backup for the E-M1. The Olympus 75-300 lens is a very good long option, but note that it is not weather sealed. If you need a wider angle than 12mm provides, Panasonic 7-14 seems to be the best option at the moment. Olympus plans a weather sealed 7-14/2.8 but it will likely come out next year.</p>

<p>Given that you seem to have some time to prep and each choice is costly, I recommend renting and trying out the combinations you are considering.</p>

[eric_arnold]

<blockquote>

<p>to cover the wide range I would be looking at in Costa Rica, I would have to go from ultra-wide to long telephoto(monkeys). With Fuji's longest being 230mm, that might cut that out.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>if you absolutely positively have to have long tele, i would go with m4/3, with E-M1 being the go-to body. you could easily pair that with an inexpensive 2nd body and share lenses as needed. you could also use a 70-300 or 80-400 w/ an adaptor for Fuji but you wouldnt have AF. i would think m4/3 would be a capable travel system, though i would wonder how the smaller-than-APS-C sensor would impact glamour photos. i guess if you're not planning on enlarging too big or shooting at extreme hi-ISO the m4/3 system can do it all too, although you wont quite have the same shallow DoF capabilities. you can minimize that a bit with the Panaleica 42.5/1.2, but... that lens costs $1600, or $600 more than the fuji 56/1.2. (FWIW, there's a 1.2 shootoff between the two <a href="http://admiringlight.com/blog/fuji-56mm-f1-2-vs-panasonic-leica-42-5mm-f1-2-nocticron/">here</a>). i think olympus also has a 45/1.8 for much less if you can forgo that extra aperture.</p>

[jcuknz]

<p>There is an interesting accessory two threads away from this one which maybe of use to you in your choice ... <a href="/digital-camera-forum/00cV2z">http://www.photo.net/digital-camera-forum/00cV2z</a> 'The Throttle'<br>

Only one made so far but talk of a MFT version which would overcome the inability to get limited DoF in bright light.... something I must try to keep a track of.</p>

[phillips]

<p>Tired on lugging my almost thirty pounds if Nikon gear for vacation travel,I settled on the Sony NEX 6 (now have the A6000 on order), with the Sony 10-18mm, Sony/Zeiss 24 mm f/1.8, Sony/Zeiss 16-70mm, and the Sony 55-210 mm, along with a Gitzo series 1 traveler tripod. I have quite happy with the camera /lens combination from the standpoint of image quality. My thoughts based on my trip to Costa Rica a few years ago would be to leave the 24 mm lens at home and add my 105 mm Micro Nikkor f/2.5 with an adapter. In Monteverde, the butterflies, hummingbirds and flowers can be worth the trip by themselves. On the Pacific side, the area around Quepos affords opportunities for some nice landscapes. On the Gulf side, in Tortuguero, the wildlife allowed us to get surprisingly close-certainly within the range of a 200 mm on a crop sensor.</p>

[mjferron]

<p>Personally I am using a new (to me) XE1 and love it. Took me a bit to figure out the controls but they well thought out once you get use to them. Image quality is outstanding. Not a camera for fast action but it is a wonderful, compact travel camera with superb Fuji glass available. </p>

[douglas_green]

<p>I would go with Micro 4/3. I agree that using two bodies that share the same battery is desirable:</p>

<p>That leaves the following options: OM-D E-M5, OM-D E-M1, and E-P5 share a battery. The E-P5 lacks a viewfinder, but can take several accessory viewfinders.</p>

<p>The OM-D E-M10, E-PL5, and E-PM2 also share a battery, and are smaller, cheaper and lighter - but these cameras are not weather sealed, and may be less ergonomic, particularly with larger telephoto lenses.</p>

<p>The Panasonic G6 and GX7 and GH3 and GH4 are also good choices, but do not share batteries, and the GH3 and GH4 are bigger and heavier - but also shoot the best video.</p>

<p>If it was me, depending upon budget and need for weather sealing and willingness to pack slightly more weight for more ruggedness, I'd say the OM-D E-M1 and OM-D E-M5 make the top of the line tandem.<br>

<br>

The OM-D E-M10 and E-PL5 (with either a VF-2 or VF-4 viewfinder) make a lighter, less expensive tandem that has the same image quality as the tandem listed above. This would be my personal choice, unless weather sealing was critical. There is very little sacrifice in crossing brands of bodies and lenses within the System.</p>

<p>There are so many lens options between 7mm and 300mm that I would be reluctant to make recommendations without knowing more specifics about your shooting preferences. Suffice it to say there are tons of choices both in terms of zooms, high end constant aperture zooms, and fast primes.</p>