Looking to switch from a 5D MkII to a more compact camera - recommendations?

[richard_barry6]

<p>I've become increasingly unnerved with the limitless possibilities available on full frame digital SLRs like my 5D & find I waste too much time on switching lenses, altering settings & mucking around in post-production rather than concentrating on taking the actual shot. I'm also finding it too tiresome lugging everything around & it's taking my passion's allure away from me.<br /><br /><strong>In short I want to get back to the roots, have something smart & compact that can allow me to focus on taking great pictures.</strong> I've come to this realisation as some of the better shots I've taken lately have been on my iphone & it's just so user friendly to whip it out & snap something straight away.<br /><br />I love film but have no experience whatsoever in it plus have no access to a darkroom or anything similar but I love the effect film bestows an image. I'm thinking that a <strong>Leica</strong> might be the way to go but I know nothing of them so would love to hear people's views. It should be noted, although not my primary job, I do get called upon for commercial projects on occasion so if I'm to sell all my Canon equipment I will need something that can stand up to this task if required.<br /><br />To give you an idea of the kinds of photos I like to take you can see some of my previous ones here: http://richardbarryphotography.tumblr.com/<br /><br /><br />Cheers!</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>Consider some of the recent Sony mirrorless bodies. Small, quick, and some pretty good lenses available. But more importantly, you can use a modestly priced adapter to mate up your existing Canon-mount lenses.<br /><br />Though I'll be out today using a full-frame DSLR with a vertical grip and a bag of lenses (and wouldn't go without that rig for the job in question), I recently got a Sony NEX-family body for a specific application. Despite my life-long Nikon inertia, I have to say I'm impressed. You need to physically handle these things to know if the ergonomics will suit. Like I said, the full-on Nikon rig is going to be doing the job for me this afternoon (Nikon's CLS/iTTL lighting technology is incredibly useful to me, and I can use their bodies through pure muscle memory at this point), so for me this isn't either-or, but different tools for different occasions.<br /><br />If you're really going to ditch one system for another, though, Sony's line deserves your exploration. </p>

[lex_jenkins]

If your style doesn't depend primarily on the few

advantages to full frame, consider the Fuji X

series. The image quality is outstanding and the

in-camera JPEGs are the first I've seen in a

decade that actually can be called "film-like"

without exaggeration. They're really good. Not

necessarily accurate, but a very pleasing

interpretation of Fuji's own films.

 

 

It's the first digital camera I've used that

doesn't tempt me to rework every photo from raw

files. After around 1,000 photos in the past few

weeks, on all lighting conditions, I'm really

impressed. And I'm not really impressed by most

in camera JPEGs.

 

 

The X-A1 gives me the IQ I wanted with a smaller,

lighter camera than the next most comparable

Nikon dSLR. However it lacks an eye level finder,

so I can't recommend it as a substitute for a

dSLR. The higher end Fujis may fill that niche

for some photographers, but you'd need to try one

to decide. The SLR-like X-T1 would ease the

transition.

 

 

Also, Fuji lacks the complete lens lineups and

TTL flash systems of Canon and Nikon. Based on

your sample photos that may not be a problem. It

might be for some wedding pros, sports and

wildlife photographers.

 

 

The X-A1 and X-M1 with kit zoom were at entry

level prices earlier this year and you may still

find a few bargains on Amazon. At the price of a

high end point and shoot it's a low risk

experiment for someone considering a total system

shift. Some shops may have higher end Fujis for

rent - an X-E1 or X-Pro 1. Well worth a try.

[andylynn]

From your photos, it doesn't look like you rely much on high ISO or on using the large sensor to blur backgrounds. Given

that, I think you could go with any of the usual mirrorless systems (Sony, Fuji or Micro 4/3). It looks like you shoot a lot of

landscape, so maybe a Sony because they're using the highest resolution sensors, but if you like primes and/or want the

best quality (not quantity though) lens selection at sub-Leica prices, look at the Fujis.

[William Michael]

<p>I have nothing against Leica: but I started out exploring Fuji and bought into Fuji this January. I have kept my Canon DSLRs so Fuji is a 'complement to' and not a 'substitute for' my Canon Kit. Fuji is less expensive than Leica and has some excellent glass: they were the main reasons for choosing Fiji over Leica.</p>

<p>If you can live with one lens, the x100s is worth a look, maybe to get a feel for a "rangefinder". Even consider the x100 because you might get one very cheaply now and you could experiment to consider better if you like the idea before committing a lot of money to the exercise. As you state that you like the idea of film, then I can advise that shooting JPEG SOOC and using the in- camera FILM Settings, is great fun and quite liberating.</p>

<p>***</p>

<p>BTW, Richard for people who are interested in the responses, it is actually a pain following the same conversation in the two threads, that's why there is a rule against doing it.<br /> REF: <a href="/leica-rangefinders-forum/00cZPk">http://www.photo.net/leica-rangefinders-forum/00cZPk</a></p>

<p>WW</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>"Simplify"<br>

That's the key here, and well-meant as some of the suggestions are, if you find</p>

<blockquote>

<p>altering settings & mucking around in post-production rather than concentrating on taking the actual shot. I'm also finding it too tiresome lugging everything around</p>

</blockquote>

<p>then many of the suggestions are just complicating your picture taking process in other, albeit new, directions.<br>

Get something like a mirrorless camera with one zoom lens, or any of a number of high-quality "bridge" cameras. Something pocketable would be good.</p>

[howardfuhrman]

<p>Richard,<br>

Your choice of camera and Lenses (or lens) can best determined by the subject matter. There are many smaller and simpler camera available depending upon your subjects and your budgets. <br>

You indicated that your desire is to simplify and get equipment that is smaller and lighter. The range of cameras are broad. Some questions come to mind that you need to answer or provide to this forum for those making recommendations.<br>

What subjects do you shoot?<br>

Do you shoot in low light or day light?<br>

Are your subjects sports, fast action?<br>

Do you require wide angle, normal, short telephoto, long telephoto?<br>

Will a good zoom lens work with you?<br>

Do you require a very responsive camera?<br>

What is your IQ tolerance? i.e. Do you require the the top IQ possible or is good enough OK?<br>

What is your budget?</p>

[dcstep]

<p>You take some good images, so I think you're going to want to stick with full-frame in a more compact body, as in Sony and Leica. You'll need a couple of good zooms, but can probably do 90% of your work with one high quality zoom. A crop sensor might be okay, but something like the tiny sensor in a Canon G15 won't work for you, I suspect. (You just can't print those images large enough for full impact).</p>

<p>Getting hung up with post processing isn't going to get fixed with a camera change. That's a personal problem. Try limiting yourself to global adjustments and cropping for 99% of your shots, leaving PS for problem shots.</p>

[DickArnold]

<p>I had a full complement of lenses with a Sony NEX 5N. I also had a pricey EVF. I sold all of that after using it for two years. The Sony menus were difficult and long and hard to understand logically. The emount lenses IMO were not that good. I really liked focus peaking. The Sony 1.5 crop sensor was excellent and I thought was quite good up to 3200 ISO which I did not hesitate to use. The EVF was certainly usable but I had difficulty in bright light and my 7D optical finder is better particularly in bright light. The 16mm pancake was panned in reviews but I thought it was better than reported being quite sharp in the center. <br /> After a six month or so interregnum I couldn't resist buying another small camera. I also could not resist the EOS M fire sale that was going earlier this year and bought the following for about 650 USD: A Canon EOS M, a miniatiure Canon ETTL flash, 18-50 and 22 mm lenses, and a Canon Adapter that transmits all Canon functions with all Canon EF and EF-s lenses. I have seven lenses that are usable. There have been problems with the M with slow focus being one of them and the reviewers have not at all been kind. Canon came out with a firmware change last July and that helped the focus issue. You cannot use an EVF with the M. Having said all of that the lenses are unbelievably sharp and the color and quality of my pictures are the same as my 70D or 7D as the sensor is the same 18MP and size as the 7D. I have just ordered an Olympus optical hot shoe viewfinder which approximates the 22mm lens to handle bright light when it is not possible to the see the lcd. The menus are easy to use for an old Canon hand. The build is quite solid. The lcd is bright and colorful. Regardless of its defects I really, really like this little camera. I use it much more than I did my Sony. I have a big pocket on my leather jacket and it fits with the 22mm pancake. Of course, as a 24 year eos user I am biased. The lenses are said by some reviewers to out perform their ef-s counter parts. This camera will never replace my DSLRs but when I shoot swim meets it is great for head shots and groups while I use the 70D with a three pound lens for the action. </p>

[ant_nio_marques]

<p>If you were looking for film, I'd say a Fuji GA645Zi (or one of the other GA645* models), which is one I'd like to have.</p>

[drew bedo]

<p>Sony's new A-600 looks good.</p>

[rdm]

<p>Mat had some good points with his suggestion :</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Consider some of the recent Sony mirrorless bodies. Small, quick, and some pretty good lenses available. But more importantly, you can use a modestly priced adapter to mate up your existing Canon-mount lenses.</p>

</blockquote>

<p><br />Hes right about that, <strong>but</strong> remember that the Sony mirrorless system has only <strong>SOME</strong> good lenses. If you look at the Micro Four thirds system, with the new Panasonic and Olympus Mirrorless bodies and lenses, then you have an even better system of mirrorless bodies and many fantastic lenses.<em> Small, quick, and </em><strong>Many, Very</strong><em> good lenses available. But more importantly, you can </em><strong>Also</strong><em> use a modestly priced adapter to mate up your existing Canon-mount lenses.</em><br /> <br />However if you just want to buy a Body Only, to replace the what you got , and you do NOT plan on selling off the Canon gear that you have, well there is only one solution, in my very knowledgeable opinion. The only Full Frame camera that is the More compact than any other , and can use all the lenses that you already have, is the New Mirrorless Sony A7 series of cameras. It is the only Mirrorless full frame camera and the most compact and lightest full frame camera out there. Currently there are only 2 (the A7 & A7r) but soon there will be 3 (the A7s) to choose from. <br />The A7 is the Cheapest of any new Full frame camera sold too.</p>

<p>But if you are looking to start a whole new system and get rid of all your Large and heavy canon gear, you can not get into a better and more compact system than the Micro 4/3 system. With the lightest and most compact Pro Bodies and Lenses available. Also the largest selection of lenses and camera Bodies from any Mirrorless system available too (Not including adapted lenses).</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>I switched, well not exactly switched, but I Purchased a Pentax K5 II recently. I highly recommend this camera, the features are beyond anything that Canon is offering in their pro-summers . It is compact but well built and it is a DSLR with an excellent sensor. </p>