Lighter alternative to dslr

I think something like the Fujifilm XE-4 might fit the bill. Compact and with the ability to change lenses.
 
About two years ago I sold most of my DSLR gear on eBay, I kept my Canon 60D and a 18-135mm lens but I hardly ever use it now. I'm now 75 years of age and I am happy with my Panasonic DMC-FZ2000 camera, it does all I ask of it. Here's a shot of my basic gear, I hardly ever take it all out with me at the same time so it's light and compact and goes in my small rucksack. Not having to carry about three lens around is wonderful as I never seemed to have the right lens attached at any particular moment, it's great to be able to take a butterfly and then straight after take a bird some distance away without changng lenses, I also hated changing lenses in the field especially if it was windy when dust could easily get into the camera.

(1) Panasonic FZ2000.
(2) Slik Tripod
(3) Hoya Polarizer.
(4) Raynox DCR -250 Macro Attachment.
(5) Marumi DHG Achromat Macro-200 (+5)
(6) Lenspen.
(7) Cable release.
(8) Spare Battery.
(9) Spare SD Card.

P1040554.JPG
 
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Ricoh GR IIIx - small, light, compact and a 40mm equivalent lens. What more could anyone ask for? Asides from a few additional spare batteries and the optical viewfinder.
 
ancient_mariner said:
Your D810 has a 42MP sensor, and if you want to retain a similar image quality with less weight then a recent FX mirrorless body should do what you need while saving half a kilo or more.

Are you primarily a zoom or prime user? Mirrorless FX lenses tend not to be any lighter than DSLR, but primes from some of the other makers are often quite a bit lighter.
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My D810 must be inferior! D800/810 is a 36MP camera... perhaps the extra 6Mp accounts for extra weight....
 
Perhaps someone could explain to me why a 36 or 42MP sensors is so important to you, if you only view your photos on your monitor and this is only 1920x1080MP and you don't print huge poster size prints surely this is overkill. I'm not very clued up in such matters.
 
I had a D810 and a few lenses. Then a few years ago I faced exactly the same issue of the weight becoming a problem and I found myself taking fewer pictures.
I bit the bullet and bought an Olympus EM5 mk2 it was so light I returned to taking lots of images and enjoying photography again. Since then I have upgraded to the OM1 Mk 3 and I love it. The difference in image quality is barely noticeable especially when most images are posted on forums. If I was printing posters then that might be an issue for some. I sold all my Nikon gear.
 
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John75 said:
Perhaps someone could explain to me why a 36 or 42MP sensors is so important to you, if you only view your photos on your monitor and this is only 1920x1080MP and you don't print huge poster size prints surely this is overkill. I'm not very clued up in such matters.
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Hardly any difference between 36 and 42....but larger does allow for more cropping potential but this increase is only marginal. I was only pointing out that the person who said the D810 was 42MP was incorrect.
 
John75 said:
About two years ago I sold most of my DSLR gear on eBay, I kept my Canon 60D and a 18-135mm lens but I hardly ever use it now. I'm now 75 years of age and I am happy with my Panasonic DMC-FZ2000 camera, it does all I ask of it. Here's a shot of my basic gear, I hardly ever take it all out with me at the same time so it's light and compact and goes in my small rucksack. Not having to carry about three lens around is wonderful as I never seemed to have the right lens attached at any particular moment, it's great to be able to take a butterfly and then straight after take a bird some distance away without changng lenses, I also hated changing lenses in the field especially if it was windy when dust could easily get into the camera.

(1) Panasonic FZ2000.
(2) Slik Tripod
(3) Hoya Polarizer.
(4) Raynox DCR -250 Macro Attachment.
(5) Marumi DHG Achromat Macro-200 (+5)
(6) Lenspen.
(7) Cable release.
(8) Spare Battery.
(9) Spare SD Card.

View attachment 334826
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Hi John75 - love it! Spare and simple. What's the focal length of the lens on the Panasonic?
 
Back to topic......

Getting to the age myself when even my D810/D500 or K-1 plus 3 lenses is a bit of a burden - one must have the fastest lenses - I look at the lighter cameras and think won't they be nice. Then I handle them and wince. What might be the best lightweight camera may be something you don't feel comfortable handling. The design of the camera and how you handle it will probably impact on the final choice. All my SLRs have battery grips because I have big clumsy hands, however even though my Pentax Z-1p was fitted with a grip from new to improve handling it wasn't felt necessary to add one to my Z-1 even though they were the same body (the 'p' being an update)....

Good luck with your search. I hope you are able to find something that ticks the right boxes.
 
wornish said:
I had a D810 and a few lenses. Then a few years ago I faced exactly the same issue of the weight becoming a problem and I found myself taking fewer pictures.
I bit the bullet and bought an Olympus EM5 mk2 it was so light I returned to taking lots of images and enjoying photography again. Since then I have upgraded to the OM1 Mk 3 and I love it. The difference in image quality is barely noticeable especially when most images are posted on forums. If I was printing posters then that might be an issue for some. I sold all my Nikon gear.
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Thanks wornish - very helpful! What lens(es) do you use on your OM1 Mk3?

I seem to have lost my mojo for taking pics. It all started earlier this year when I bought an online session with a well-known landscape photographer where he critiqued my photos. At the time it was quite helpful, but for some reason I also found it all rather depressing. It took all the pleasure and joy out of picture taking and I haven't been able to get back to it properly.
 
mercurius said:
Thanks wornish - very helpful! What lens(es) do you use on your OM1 Mk3?

I seem to have lost my mojo for taking pics. It all started earlier this year when I bought an online session with a well-known landscape photographer where he critiqued my photos. At the time it was quite helpful, but for some reason I also found it all rather depressing. It took all the pleasure and joy out of picture taking and I haven't been able to get back to it properly.
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My default lens is the 12-100mm F4, I also have the 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro and the 300mm f4 Pro and 60mm f/2.8 macro and a TC-14 teleconverter. I don't have a wide angle yet!
 
John75 said:
It's a 24-480mm lens... using the iZoom setting it takes it up to 960mm... I keep my camera set on iZoom all the time!
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That’s interesting I bought the wife a fz1000mkii which is the same lens in a newer body . She does complain about focal reach i,I will look into this izoom
 
Thanks but using your comment as a base line I have now changed a couple of the settings first to iA then switched on izoom the difference is amazing , I will take it out with me tomorrow and see what it can really do
And that will teach me your never to old to learn I thought the camera had reached its focal limits I was even considering changing it for a Sony rx10iv that can now go on a back burner..the lens is 25-400 so that will now give 50-800 without being silly . Got graham houghtons guide here perhaps it’s time to rtfm
 
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the black fox said:
Thanks but using your comment as a base line I have now changed a couple of the settings first to iA then switched on izoom the difference is amazing , I will take it out with me tomorrow and see what it can really do
And that will teach me your never to old to learn I thought the camera had reached its focal limits I was even considering changing it for a Sony rx10iv that can now go on a back burner..the lens is 25-400 so that will now give 50-800 without being silly . Got graham houghtons guide here perhaps it’s time to rtfm
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I'm sure it will give you 25-800 at maximun picture size, just look at the bottom of the screen when zooming.
 
I also went to a Fuji set-up when my FF DSLR kit was getting too heavy.

I think an X-T3 (or even smaller X-T30) and 16-80mm and 60mm macro lens would be a good swap.
 
John75 said:
I'm sure it will give you 25-800 at maximun picture size, just look at the bottom of the screen when zooming.
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heres one from yesterday . now getting that full 800mm range . but iQ does suffer a bit . also cant quiet figure out how to get single point focus i.e focus on the birds eye ..getting the squares jumping all over , but if I press the multi pad focus button I get a very large point or a tiny red box ????
mrs stone by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickr
 
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