Nikon D3100/Voigtlander pancake 20 as alternative?

Canyongazer

Canyongazer

Canyongazer
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I need/want an X100 for an upcoming trip to Europe but it is clear now that it is not happening.
So, I'm thinking Nikon D3100 with a Voigtlander 20mm f3.5 MF pancake lens.

In favor:
30mm equiv. good for street and general photography in London and other cities. Landscape, too.

The lens will also work on Full Frame bodies

Same AP-C size sensor as the Fuji (14mp)
Will also take my 35mm 1.8 DX Nikon...good lens---and also light.

Body/lens combination is small and light.

Theoretically should have high I.Q., probably the equal of the X100.

OTOH:

Does not offer the hybrid/faux RF viewfinder of the X100.
I'm guessing the D3100's viewfinder is pretty bad...Tunnel View but not in the good, Yosemite NP way.

Perhaps too wide (although I also have a 24, albeit not a small, light pancake)

This concept would, of course, also work just as well with the equivalent Canon body (T3?)

The D3100/20mm Voigtlander combination costs a bit less than the X100.

Thoughts?
_______________
btw, in case you wonder...my GF1 20mm 1.7 will be unavailable to me on this trip. Otherwise....
 
The D3100 is reported to be a good camera. Four years ago I took a Canon 20D with lenses, and a Bessa R2a I had just bought.

Last October I went to Europe with a Lumix GF-1, kit lens, and pancake 20. Also took the same kit to Maui in January, and just got back from Key West with the GF-1.

First trip to Europe I carried my gear around in a small camera bag and used a much larger one as carry on luggage (and stored the extra stuff in the hotel room) My wife used a photo back pack and almost knocked people, and other objects over wherever she went.

Second trip, camera with zoom around my neck or in hand with the other lens in pants pocket. I suppose you could do the same with a 3100. I don't think I would limit myself to only one focal length.
 
D3100 with a prime would be great. I think 20 might be a bit wide. I've gone on a few trips, with similar sized d40x and either 18-70 zoom, and 35/1.8 prime, or just 35 prime, when I've taken both lenses, once I got the prime on, it never left. I have a very small lowepro case that the dslr fits in with 35 prime, that is smaller than any RF bag I've seen, but still has good protection.
 
Perhaps the D3100 is better, but I find shutter lag in my D3000 to be pretty frustrating in street photography. But your CV 20 would require manual focusing, so you wouldn't have any AF delay to deal with. The viewfinder is not terrible. And the D3x00 body is pretty rugged, considering how cheap it is.
 
I love love love the CV SL lenses but a 20 3.5 on a D3100 is in my opinion less than ideal. I feel like that 3.5 aperture could get bothersome. Then again, the D3100 can bang out high ISO images like I wouldn't believe a consumer camera could, and you can zone focus a 20 pretty easily.

As long as you shoot some film too I'm ok with it. 🙂

Gotta experience those CV primes full frame. The 40mm is divine. I'm selling my 5D Mark II and the only thing I'm bummed about is not using that 40mm again.

Then again, X100 ain't so bad.
 
Thank you for the responses.

Thardy, ampguy, I'd also bring my 35mm f1.8 G. It weighs the same as the Voigtlander 20 (7 ounces) is the same diameter but twice as long (2" vs. 1") Still, quite small, light and it's AF.
We would then have 30mm and 52mm equiv. FLs. Total weight, body and both lenses would be under two pounds.

dbarnes: Yes, I'd zone focus the 20 but not the 35. The 35 focuses plenty fast on the D300 but on a D3100...? We'll have to see.

sper, I'd hope to be shooting the 20 at 5.6 or even 8 when possible so whether it's f2 maximum aperture doesn't matter much to me. In fact, I prefer f3.5 since faster would mean bigger and heavier which would defeat the idea behind the D3100/2 lens kit.

Film? I did a project for the Texas Historical Commission a couple of years ago. For archival and future compatibility purposes they insisted I shoot on film.
That was the first time I'd shot film since 2005. And the last.

Thanks again to all for your thoughts.
Meanwhile, like most of us, I'm still looking forward to someday, getting that Fuji X100. It sounds like an M2 with a 35mm Summicron...oh boy!
 
Sigma 30mm f1.4 are the only lens I would take with me.
I use to have Nikkor 35mm f1.8 and those are fantastic lens but Sigma won with 1.4 and extra 7.5mm when recalculated to DX.
Enjoy your trip🙂
 
Vobluda ? "Sigma won with extra 7.5"
I get the fraction of a stop wider (1.4 vs. 1.8) but it is the Nikon that is 7.5mm DX longer, not the Sigma.
Another good point (to me) for the Nikon AFS-G....I already own one. 🙂

Off topic: I was in Prague in 1992 just weeks after westerners were allowed...Drove from Budapest to Telc (ah!) on backroads, then to Prague. What a fabulous trip!
Hodne stesti to you!
 
I love my D3100 it does have great high ISO capability (from what I heard slightly better then the D300) I almost always have the 35 f1.8 on it. I love that combo it is light and relatively small and fast.

The D3100 is worlds better then the D3000 Nikon really messed up with that camera. If you shoot with the ADR on it would slow the camera down to be almost unusable. The D3100 doesn't have that problem it is fast and quiet (the quietest SLR I have ever used) you can turn off the image review and the display info so you can shoot really fast and stealthy.
 
I found the CV 20mm to have too much lens distortion to use as a walk around. Therefore I don't like the idea. maybe a Nikon 24/2.8 AIS. It is a great lens and might make the walls line up better.
 
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