£400 maximum limit

[kgb144]

Fellow RFF members,

I have a Nikon P7000 that I use as a travel camera with either an Olympus ECR or Muj II. I also have Nikon a SLR and DSLR for anything more complicated.

I am finding the P7000 is showing its age and the image quality is now well behind current standards, especially at anything over 400 ISO. In addition the user interface is very poor.

So I have been looking to replace the P7000 and have a a maximum budget of £400. As noted above this will be mainly a travel/family camera, I checked Lightroom last night and a high number of shots tend to be taken between 24mm and 30mm (35mm equivalent).

To date I have whittled the long list down to two options; the Olympus E-PL7 or the Ricoh GR. I am not phased by a fixed lens but a small and reasonably pocketable is important.

Size, optical quality and good B&W are positives for the Ricoh.

The zoom, image rendering and feel in the hand are positives for the Olympus.

It is a tough decision, but before I make my choice is there anything else I should be looking at; new or second hand?

Thanks for your help.

ft

 

[bonatto]

Have you considered the Nikon Coolpix A? It is an excellent camera that can be had for a few £ under budget.

 

[kgb144]

Yes I did look at the Nikon but the GR seems to have the better spec for me.

Thanks for the reply.

ft

 

[Roger Hicks]

How will it improve your photography?

Cheers,

R.

 

[kgb144]

Roger,

I have no doubt that my photography will remain challenged/brilliant in equal measures, I am not looking to change what I do but what I produce as a finished product. I am an enthusiastic amateur but I have had recent success in producing one-off books for local farms who wish to record their business for the next generation or posterity. The book and print sizes and often dark or gloomy subjects (cow shed in winter) necessitates the need for better ISO performance if I do not have my Nikon SLR/DSLR to hand.

Your question is very apt and one I wrestled with for some time before coming to a decision to look for something better in terms of image quality.

Kind regards,

ft

 

[Roger Hicks]

Roger,

I have no doubt that my photography will remain challenged/brilliant in equal measures, I am not looking to change what I do but what I produce as a finished product. I am an enthusiastic amateur but I have had recent success in producing one-off books for local farms who wish to record their business for the next generation or posterity. The book and print sizes and often dark or gloomy subjects (cow shed in winter) necessitates the need for better ISO performance if I do not have my Nikon SLR/DSLR to hand.

Your question is very apt and one I wrestled with for some time before coming to a decision to look for something better in terms of image quality.

Kind regards,

ft

Fair dinkum. You KNOW what you want. Many don't, hence my honest question.

Then again, with a subject that specialized, that you aren't shooting at random, why not carry your Nikon SLR/DSLR?

Cheers,

R.

 

[segedi]

I have a GR and it is one heck of a camera in a small package. Once you spend the time to set it up as you want, it's easy to use and quickly do so. For example, I have a setting where I change the mode to a custom profile and it switches to 35mm crop mode in B&W. And I set the ISO at Auto and use TAv mode. Basically manual, but usable in most situations as the ISO is the only point the changes.

Most importantly though, I really like how the photos look.

 

[trondareo]

Fuji x100 in one of its variants is the ultimate travel/family camera!