Travel camera recommendations

Jim_Tod

Jim_Tod

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Jim
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I’m a nikon system user generally, d500 and d810 with variety of lenses. I’m trying to be a good husband and reduce the kit i take on family hols/ weekend breaks but with the ability to get great images (i accept the muppet behind the camera has to be up to that task also).

I was initially thinking of an lx100 ( actually been hanging about for the lx200 but not convinced this will turn up soon- was expecting mp increase)- still might go for this.

Started looking at fuji kit and thinking x-t10, x-t20 or x-e3 or one of the x100 series.

Thoughts on these cameras for a travel kit camera appreciated, landscape and street for the travel shots mainly.

I like the idea of a fairly large sensor in a small format hence m43 or aps-c sensors here
 
I’ve owned full frame Nikon and Sony and changed them all. I owned two LX100 and while a fantastic camera the zoom lacked reach or an internal flash (clip on though) for me at the time. I have an FZ1000 which I really like but it’s not pocketable I use this as my holiday camera (up for sale). I’ve owned an X100t which was great but struggled with fixed lens. Liked the RX100 mk3 but no viewfinder.
I now use xt2 for main and as said FZ1000 for travel. To summarise if size less important the FZ1000 gives superb versatility, LX100 better image quality but not by as much as you might think! Pocket friendly RX100 but I preferred others image. I love X100t but not the focal range.
Hope this helps
 
I own the D750 as my main camera but went around the houses with a travel camera. Journey went like this:

EM10 with 14-42mm EZ > EM5-II with 12-40mm f2.8 > Sony RX100-3 > Canon G7x > Fuji XT1 with 18-55mm f2.8-4 (plus 35mm f1.4) > Olympus EM1 with 12-40mm f2.8 (plus 40-150mm R and 45mm f1.8. I’m now set on the Olly and can only see me changing to the EM1-II when the price comes down a lot.

I prefer the output from Olympus over Fuji (YMMV) and imo it provides the perfect compromise between size/weight and IQ. Being able to carry an 80-300mm eq lens (40-150mm R) in my pocket and not even feel the weight is a godsend. Also the EM1 (and EM5) with 12-40mm is weather sealed, to get a similar setup with Fuji would require the much larger and heavier 16-55mm f2.8. The 18-135mm is a good versatile weather sealed travel lens, although has the disadvantage of the relatively small aperture.

The 1” sensor compacts didn’t give me good enough IQ for my needs, and they were too small and fiddly to use for me (YMMV).
 
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I have found the LX100 to be an ideal travel companion. Great size, good build quality, great camera for an enthusiast, great lens and excellent image quality. Okay the reach can be a bit limiting but nothing is ever perfect.
 
I have the LX100 and it's a pretty good camera and great for travel. Don't forget it has a micro 4/3 sensor so you can get reasonable DOF. The Sony RX100 Mk3 is also a small and impressive camera.
 
Jim Oly EM1 and panasonic 12-32 for sale in the classifieds by @damianmkv is perfect for what you want! check out his pictures using the search function. Be quick though, most em1 bodies alone go for more!
If I didn't already have an em1 I would snap it up!
 
Donnie said:
Jim Oly EM1 and panasonic 12-32 for sale in the classifieds by @damianmkv is perfect for what you want! check out his pictures using the search function. Be quick though, most em1 bodies alone go for more!
If I didn't already have an em1 I would snap it up!
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Yes, if I had not just got an X-T1 I would be buying this........
Mmm still tempted to do so, wonder if he'll give me finance.
 
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APR might be a little steep Jon :)
 
For info, I did post a wanted a few weeks back for this camera model. The only one I got offered was a 2013 model, with 25K clicks, body only was asking more than this one.
 
damianmkv said:
APR might be a little steep Jon :)
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Shame :(

I wanted one but broke now, why could you have not posted it a week ago :(

Best colours and that lens is a good walk-a-round lens.
 
Sorry, I didn’t see it - I’ve been meaning to sell it for a few weeks but haven’t pulled my finger out til now
 
damianmkv said:
Sorry, I didn’t see it - I’ve been meaning to sell it for a few weeks but haven’t pulled my finger out til now
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For me I think that is the issue with a single wanted section. Things soon disappear and listings may not get the best exposure (no pun intended).

I think each classified section should just have a wanted drop down box and the wanted section scrapped.

Sorry Jim, not meaning to hijack your thread.
 
I bought a 1" Panasonic TZ100 mainly just to see what 1" cameras are like and I've been reasonably happy with it. I'd say that the image quality is a little behind MFT if you go looking for the differences and the pictures are a little soft but only again if you go looking and pixel peep. Whole image wise when viewing normally the pictures can take a lot of processing such as boosting the shadows without falling apart and I've been happy with the performance at ISO 25,600 for whole images after only basic processing.

For holidays I like to take two cameras, a quality camera with a wide aperture prime and a more compact camera for longer and wider shots and for when a larger camera would be too intrusive. My current holiday combo is my Sony A7 with a 35mm f2.8 lens and my Panasonic TZ100.

If you can live with a two lens combo I'd recommend the tiny Panasonic GX80 which can be partnered with the relatively compact but excellent 12-35mm f2.8 or the really tiny 14-42mm Mega OIS f3.5-5.6, add the compact 45-150mm or go for a three lens set up and add a wide aperture prime (17 or 25mm f1.8) and the kit would perhaps cover most holiday needs.

Good luck choosing.
 
Wife took me on a surprise trip to New York this week. I didn’t know where or how long I was going for, she just said pack your camera stuff.

I packed almost everything including a tripod! I didn’t take the drone as she said I wouldn’t need that.

Anyhooo, 4 days walking round the city, 28 miles and all I used was my D610 and a 24-70!!!! The rest of it stayed in the hotel.

Best prepared etc......
 
For a Pocketable solution, I've got a TZ100 and it's great for snaps but is behind the X30 Fuji IMO in terms of IQ, despite the larger sensor but the Fuji doesn't slide into a shirt pocket. For a larger option, I've got a Fuji outfit with the 18-135 as the walkaround lens option - the extra length and the weather resistance is (TO ME) worth more than the extra aperture width and marginal IQ that the 18-55 offers. I've got a couple of bridge cameras as well but they don't offer much over the compact (other than reach) and are as bulky as the X-T + 18-135, albeit a bit lighter.
 
Depends what you want. For a shirt pocket the Sony RX100 in one of it's many versions would be a good choice. Something a little large but with manual control that feels more light a "camera"? X10, X20 or X30 will all do a great job and are a pleasure to use with good IQ. From there on up in size you're into small interchangeable like the Fuji mirrorless or a million other options. I personally use an X10.
 
I took my Nikon D7000 and Fuji X10 to Marrakech a few months back. The Nikon didn’t get taken out of the hotel.

That experience persuaded me to pull the trigger on a Fuji Xe2s. The “kit” 18-55 is quite superb but I’ve acquired a 23mm f2 prime and that tends to stay on the camera most of the time.

The weight and bulk difference between it and the Nikon is like night and day.

Still love my little X 10 though and used it exclusively on a Scandinavian work trip last year.
 
Mountkeen said:
I took my Nikon D7000 and Fuji X10 to Marrakech a few months back. The Nikon didn’t get taken out of the hotel.

That experience persuaded me to pull the trigger on a Fuji Xe2s. The “kit” 18-55 is quite superb but I’ve acquired a 23mm f2 prime and that tends to stay on the camera most of the time.

The weight and bulk difference between it and the Nikon is like night and day.

Still love my little X 10 though and used it exclusively on a Scandinavian work trip last year.
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Thanks for that. I've pretty much convinced myself that I'm going fuji, x-t20 or x-e3, need to get to a shop to pick them up and see which feels right.

I hanker towards the prime route and was thinking of the 27mm pancake lens but as I'm looking for a travel camera with a bit of landscape and travel I think the 18-55 would be a better bet (initially) although I need to try to avoid the trap of basically ending up with a second system.
 
Definately look at the Xt-10 or 20, they are superb but so is the Olympus.

I'm looking for something myself to be a permanent car glove box camera. I already have 2 XT-2's but I'm not willing to leave them in the car. I've also looked at the xpro-1 and x100 bodies.
 
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If it’s just holiday snaps then I would look no further than a a good mobile phone camera
 
Nod said:
For a Pocketable solution, I've got a TZ100 and it's great for snaps but is behind the X30 Fuji IMO in terms of IQ, despite the larger sensor but the Fuji doesn't slide into a shirt pocket. For a larger option, I've got a Fuji outfit with the 18-135 as the walkaround lens option - the extra length and the weather resistance is (TO ME) worth more than the extra aperture width and marginal IQ that the 18-55 offers. I've got a couple of bridge cameras as well but they don't offer much over the compact (other than reach) and are as bulky as the X-T + 18-135, albeit a bit lighter.
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Totally unrelated (sorry jim) but why do you put not Ethel as your name Nod?ive been meaning to ask for yonks lol
 
Another vote for the TZ100.
Also Fuji T10 or 2 with 16-50 attached is a nice lightweight combo.
 
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