Backup for D300 and holdiay camera

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Mike
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Hi

This has probably been done to death in various threads but hey-ho we all like talking gear :)

I'm looking for a camera that would mainly (80%) be a walk-around and holiday camera but also (20%) be a backup studio camera in case the D300 goes faulty or I drop it one day.

So it would need to shoot RAW with manual controls and also have a hot shoe to take a wireless trigger but also be small enough to carry around as that would be it's main purpose.

I'm toying with either a GF1 or a D40 type equivalent.

Are there any other suggestions anyone would care to throw in the pot to consider?

Cheers :thumbs:
 
d5100 is quite small compared to most DSLR's and does pretty much everything you need.
shoots raw
16 megapixels
11 point af
fully manual
good iso
same processor as d7000
 
Fuji X100 ticks all the boxes. Only stumbling block might be the fixed (fairly wide) lens. I guess only you can answer that one.
 
I would go for a smaller Nikon DSLR rather than start another system. Personally, I would go for the D7000 for (if nothing else) its in body AF motor to obviate the necessity for AF-S or similar lenses and the extra costs they incur. If all your lenses are AF-S or compatible, any of the Nikon DSLRs would do what you're after.
 
If you want another DSLR then buy a D3200. It's tiny, at least compared to a D300, well screwed together and its internals are bang up to date.

Personally I have a Nikon V1 as my second camera. A nice bonus is that the V1 uses the same model battery as my D7000.
 
gad-westy said:
Fuji X100 ticks all the boxes. Only stumbling block might be the fixed (fairly wide) lens. I guess only you can answer that one.
Click to expand...

This... the only thing to check is that your wireless triggers will work with it as not all do.

I would stick with APS-C, MFT & smaller sensors have a much greater depth of field and its hard to throw the background out of focus unless shooting from distance with a longer telephoto lens.
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I hadn't really considered the x100 as a serious studio contender but did a bit of googling and have to say its looking good. It definitely ticks all the boxes from a holiday/street type point of view and from a camera porn perspective it has to be in most peoples top ten I guess.

Out of interest I found this video from Mr Lovegrove
http://www.fujixseries.com/discussion/795/a-video-of-a-studio-portrait-shoot-using-my-x100/p1

And also this beautifully slobbering account from Zack if anyone is interested
http://zackarias.com/for-photographers/gear-gadgets/fuji-x100-review/

A fair point about the sensor Ian so I guess the x100 wins over the GF1. There's also the viewfinder as a major bonus.

Also take the points about the lens, so I think it boils down to that as the final decision I think.

Cheers

Mike
 
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