SLR to P&S have you done it?

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Mirus Lux

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I currently have a Canon 40D 50mm f1.8, 70-200f4L and the 18-55 IS. I had nearly convinced myself I can trade this all in for a single point and shoot on the basis of real portability. Something that I can just put in my bag or pocket and go and take photos. I was going to spend around £400 and had been looking at the Fuji X10 or (Fuji X100 at a push!).

Now I am having doubts and looking to hear from people who have done something similar. Was it a good or bad move? Do you miss the quality/functionality of your SLR. What camera did you get?

Any constructive help would be greatly appreciated!
 
I'm considering doing the same thing, except I have already bought a Fuji x100 and am now trying to decide whether to keep my 5Dc, 50mm 1.4 and 200mm 2.8.

I can carry my x100 with me most places and I haven't used my Canon gear since December......!

Oh and I pulled out my 5Dc yesterday and was shocked by how bad the ISO performance looked after looking at the X100's files... I need to repeat this experiment but it would seem the X100 is very good at handling high ISO out of camera.
 
Done it, down to an LX5.

What I love:

Portability - it can go anywhere, and wil never be subject to restrictions and never gets too heavy.
Can shoot f2 for everything
IS works well - so when coupled with the above I can shoot just about anything hanheld

What I Hate:

Screen. Impossible to see clearly.
IQ - It's very good for such a tiny peiece of electronic wizzardry but you sure as hell can't use it for anything crucial.
 
I'm really liking the X100 just wondering how I can convince my wife that its worth the money! I looked at the LX5 but haven't been convinced as yet, but you do have to like Leica...!

Interesting you haven't used your Canon kit for a while, what sort of stuff do you shoot?
 
Strictly, I wouldn't consider the x100 / x10 a p&s as such!

But mainly, it depends what you shoot.
 
Hard one. I have a Fuji X10 but I wouldn't have it as my only camera.

I am however considering replacing my DSLR with something smaller like the Sony NEX-7 or the Fuji X1 Pro - the replacement must offer great image quality which is my primary focus especially in mediocre light. I do feel that something like these two are the future for amateur photographers like me and manufacturers like Nikon and Canon better get stuck in fast or risk loosing huge market share.

I am just getting sick of lugging a DSLR around - feel lazy in my middle age. Plus I always feel I look like a bit of a nob walking around with a DSLR in public.
 
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I would hang on for a bit see what the spring & summer bring,you may want to get out a bit more with your cameras :)

Plus the market a bit dead on selling gear
 
My 5D II and a 24-70mm lens is a big ol' bit of kit, and I have to make a conscious decision to take it anywhere and lug it around all day... the problem is, my other half's Canon G9 - about as 'serious' a P&S as you can get - doesn't even come close to the IQ of the 5D.

We photographers have to suffer for our art :crying:

A.
 
I had to sell my DSLR a couple of years ago and have been using my dad's old Fujifilm Finepix S5500 as a stop-gap.

It's a pretty good camera on it's own merits, but it's so slow to use! The electronic viewfinder is rubbish, and doesn't work when the LCD is on at the same time. Adjusting settings has to be done in menus so it takes ages.

I can't wait to be able to afford another DSLR!
 
I made the change back in my film days because work commitments meant that I did not have time to devote to what was a hobby of nearly a lifetime. So a camera to shoot with had to be one I would use occasionally and without having top lug around a bag of bodies and lenses. I went APS initially with Nikon and then graduated to the Digital Ixus 300 as my entry into the ' new world ' of digital photography. Being able to see, download and send my results added to the fun and I began to shoot more. The arrival of my Godson also intensified my use of cameras as I upgraded from one P&S to another ( always Canon naturally ).

Now that I've changed careers I don't see a need for a P&S in my life or camera bag. That doesn't mean I haven't thought about packing something smaller for those social occasions but I just think the money for a good one buys glass and udder things.
 
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What about m4/3, takes the best bits of both, flexibility of different lenses, plus portability. The nex system is nice too, although lenses look large compared to m4/3
 
I'd consider m4/3 as a lightweight Main system not a supplementary one, they're just small DSLRs at the end of the day, they are not remotely compact.
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
I'd consider m4/3 as a lightweight Main system not a supplementary one, they're just small DSLRs at the end of the day, they are not remotely compact.
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GF3 with 20mm is
 
Depending on what and how you shoot, why not have both. I have a reasonable point and shoot (canon d10) for beach, water and lightweight use, but I'm happier usin my dslr for other things.
 
I have been contemplating this myself...although for a canon G1X.

I have A gripped D7000, 4 lenses including a big old 400mm...and I often think "can I be bothered when I know the canon G1X will have similar IQ (even up to 12800iso)....

Then I give myself a slap and wonder what I'm thinking :)

The ONLY positive is portability. Doesn't outweight superior IQ, functionality, manual video exposure, DOF work etc.

I think if you could have both then that's the ideal scenario. I'd just save up a little each month if you can...
 
A camera that fits in the pocket does not have high enough IQ as the reason they fit in the pocket is the small sensor and therefore small lenses. (LX5, Canon S95) The next size up doesn't fit in a pocket (Canon G12) but does have viewfinder and still lack IQ.

Once you go to 4/3 or NEX, Samsung NX200 etc,. they are too big for the pocket and you need a small bag. Is a small bag that much better than a larger bag?

What made the difference for me was the weight as much as the size. My Sony A700 weighs around 1200g whereas my Samsung NX100 weighs about 500g.
For that reason alone I take the Samsung NX100 everywhere. Is so happens the IQ is on a par with the Sony so an obvious choice for me and it has all the control I get from the DSLR although even though it is fast for a compact it is still not as fast as the DSLR.
 
I am quite tempted by the fuji x100 too..the images I have seen look pretty impressive! Just not so sure if I could only have that on its own.:shrug:
 
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ernesto said:
A camera that fits in the pocket does not have high enough IQ
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High enough quality for what? It is all down to purpose..

And that's before you "do a Sony" and make your pockets bigger ;)
 
I have been debating much the same question, with little success!! I have 2 small children and lugging a big heavy bag of camera gear around with me as well as the usual stuff that accompanies them is just not practical! So unless I am specifically going out with photography in mind it really is getting very little use :-( Anyway at the mo I am thinking of getting either a panasonic lx5 or olympus xz-1 as a compromise that I can easily carry with me everywhere, it won't break the bank too much and I get to keep my DSLR, that is my plan......hopefully!!
 
Mirus Lux said:
I'm really liking the X100 just wondering how I can convince my wife that its worth the money!
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Having had a play with one I struggle to see how anyone could justify the price tag, I was really disappointed by the way it felt in the hand, I was expecting something solid like my GF-1, but instead it reminded me more of a bigger version of those plastic Minox Leica replicas.

I realise it scores over the GF-1 and other m4/3 camera with regard to sensor size, but in all other respects it just seemed like an awful lot of money for what it is...
 
I have DSLR, MFT, LX5 and a Canon Ixus. The IXUS is frankly poor, the LX5 is better but although whole images look ok I don't think they stand up to close scrutiny so if you're a pixel peeper you'll be disappointed, plus the LX5 blows the highlights too easily.

MFT is better than an LX5 and although they wont fit in a shirt or trouser pocket either my GF1 (currently for sale) or G1 will fit in my coat pocket if fitted with the 20mm f1.7. With the G1 you also get a VF which is why my GF1 is for sale.

I could live with a MFT(with VF) + a LX5 for those occasions when even MFT is too big.

PS. As to complaints about MFT DoF, if you balance focal length, aperture and camera to subject distance you can get shallow DoF and even paper thin DoF if you are willing to alter your framing.
 
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Flash In The Pan said:
Having had a play with one I struggle to see how anyone could justify the price tag, I was really disappointed by the way it felt in the hand, I was expecting something solid like my GF-1, but instead it reminded me more of a bigger version of those plastic Minox Leica replicas.

I realise it scores over the GF-1 and other m4/3 camera with regard to sensor size, but in all other respects it just seemed like an awful lot of money for what it is...
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Did you just have a play in the shop or get some images from it on to a card and view them etc at home?..Must admit it does seem a lot of money and would want to try one out properly before I parted with that much cash.
 
I carry a fuji f10 with me everywhere i go anyway - but i couldnt imagine trading the dslr kit in purely for a compact
 
I have a 7D with 10-22, 15-85 and 70-300L. I also have an S95 p+s. Instead of getting rid of one or the other I'm looking at adding a G1X as an inbetween option. The best of all worlds I reckon. Having said that if the G1X was up to it I would like to get rid of the DSLR and lenses, but what would I do when I go to the zoo or safari park or the like and the creatures are too far away?
 
Any of you guys thought about a Canon Gx.
I had a g7 before I got my first slr, and to be honest the image quality isn't much different for 80% of stuff. Ok, when I slam on my prime lens it changes.....
Think they are up to g12 now, was on eBay and see g7's for 100 quid -pretty tempting for a carry about job...
I have a Nikon d3000 so maybe not the best, but just saying/agreeing some p&s are v good :)
One thing I will say, aperture priority seems to make not much difference with p&s, although the g7 was still ok at times (eg f2 looks the same as f8 on the g7 lol) if that makes sense (?) high iso is rubbish as well and I'm coming from a d3000 :) think v carefully about swapping your slr.....it's all a trade off
 
we've got a G5 at work but since i bought a 450D for the office no ones touched it - its so big and clunky that you may as well carry the dslr
 
This is what I use all the time now, a Sony Nex-5. Shown is a Jupiter 8 1:2 50mm Rangefinder Lens fitted, this Camera will accept any Lens ever made for any Camera. Apart from the supplied Sony Lenses, I have a nice little collection of Legacy Lenses from Japan, Russia, East Germany all bought on Fleabay for pocket money.

Nex-Jupiter8-2.jpg


JK.
 
StuartH said:
Did you just have a play in the shop or get some images from it on to a card and view them etc at home?..Must admit it does seem a lot of money and would want to try one out properly before I parted with that much cash.
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No, I just played with it in the shop, but to be fair, regardless of how good the images were I'd still be left with the feeling that I'd paid £700 for a £200 camera....
 
Flash In The Pan said:
No, I just played with it in the shop, but to be fair, regardless of how good the images were I'd still be left with the feeling that I'd paid £700 for a £200 camera....
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:LOL: I hear what your saying..I did initially look at getting x10 but seems that has few issues to but a lot less cash!
 
I also have a 40D and many lenses. I decided to buy an S95 for portability and although it can produce some great pictures it will never replace the quality of the DSLR because of the larger sensor. I will never let S95 go because it fits in my shirt or trouser pocket which means I always have it with me. I have been considering the Canon G1X to replace the 40D, but then I will miss the focal length of my 400mm and the usefulness of my 70-200mm f2.8. Not to mention my 50mm f1.8 0r my 10-20mm wide angle.

Maybe I need all three cameras!
 
I've been toying with the idea of getting a Ricoh GRDIV as a "carry anywhere" camera as it seems one of the few compacts that is aimed superficially at photographers rather than just the general consumer market.
Having said that my D700 goes with me most places - for example some of my friends think I'm "mad" always taking it with me when I go clubbing, pubbing etc :cool:
 
boliston said:
I've been toying with the idea of getting a Ricoh GRDIV as a "carry anywhere" camera as it seems one of the few compacts that is aimed superficially at photographers rather than just the general consumer market.
Having said that my D700 goes with me most places - for example some of my friends think I'm "mad" always taking it with me when I go clubbing, pubbing etc :cool:
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Clubbing with D700, oh my!!! Hope you take it with a small prime :)
 
I am working out if the G1X could replace my 550D, Tamron 17-50 and 60mm f2.8 macro. The IQ from the G1X is defenitely there but not sure about DOF. The superb ISO performance will help with faster shutter speeds at the higher apertures so it could be worth while as it will be easier to live with for my kind of photography.
 
D700 to V1 here.. Plan on getting an SLR body at some point, but for now I'm enjoying the marvels of downsizing. I always wanted a point and shoot which handled and focused as fast as an SLR but without the size and weight penalty, and the V1 most nearly fits the bill. ISO quality is somewhere like my old D80.
 
woof woof said:
No, enabling.

There's little point praising the qualities of a camera you don't have with you or don't have time to get out of the man bag on your back.
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Selling your DSLR and only have a P&S is stupid.

But if you keep your DSLR and have a P&S to use in the situations you say, it's a lovely idea. :clap: But a must then should be fully manual settings, raw and good ISO.
 
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