One digital camera around the world?

[ElectroWNED]

I'm moving to Bangkok in June, and will be travelling outwards from there on a regular basis. My favorite camera is a tie between the Olympus XA and the Yashica Electro 35, but I don't want to bother with paying to process film, waiting for the results, etc... I recently bought a Ricoh GRD III and sold it just as quickly, as the focal range was nowhere near usable for me. I'm thinking about the GF1 w/ the 20mm lens, but have my doubts as to whether it can be a reliable 'street' camera (not many great street shots on Flickr + dissenting opinions on the web).

Is there one (affordable... ie. sub $500) digital camera that will offer me more control than a point and shoot + portability? Is the GF1 + 20mm pancake the best option in this price range?

Please help!

 

[gavinlg]

gf1+20mm probably the best option. You've got 40mm focal length, fast AF, good optics etc. Put a little 40mm finder in the hotshoe and it's pretty close to a rangefinder.

 

[ElectroWNED]

I've read a few people knocking the M4/3's system as not conducive to street shots-- I don't know why, as the AF on this camera is excellent, the focal length is ideal for me, and the camera is about as inconspicuous as the XA. Perhaps the lack of image stabilization is the main knock, as well as the LCD? You'd think that the 1.7 lens would make up for any wobble when shooting low-light situations...

 

[gavinlg]

Well, the olympus e-pl2 is definitely a bit better at high iso's, and has the IS if you need it... I think the main reason people knock m4/3 is when they haven't tried it. As long as your using the good lenses like the 20mm panasonic, it's really capable. Bonus with the e-pl2 is that you can use the olympus EVF which is excellent. The 14mm and 20mm Panasonic's make a versatile 28-40 kit, which can do most things..

 

[ElectroWNED]

I would spring for the VF, but can't justify the expense, and don't like the aesthetic of external VF's at all.

I guess nobody else in here has anything to add!?

 

[kxl]

Digital for $500 or under -- I would go with either of the following options:

1) A used Nikon D40x for about $200 to $250 and an 18-55mm lens for ~$120.

OR

2) A Canon G12 for a little over $500.

 

[ElectroWNED]

No SLR's...

I shot my friend's G11, but wasn't really impressed. Don't know what it was, but it felt chinsy.

Maybe I should just buy a ton of bulk, expired film and wait for a year to develop everything I've shot.

 

[andredossantos]

Or, mail your film out to a lab in the US and have it forwarded once processed to a US address where someone can save it for you until you get back?

As for digital, what about a NEX?

 

[acheyj]

G 11 is a great tool and will produce prints up to 13x19 inches, plus has a good range of focal lengths. For a bigger sensor your choice of the GF1 and 20mm F1.7 makes sense but you are stuck with a single focal length. If you go down the micro 4/3 route maybe consider the Pannasonic G1 or its variants due to the vastly superior VF.
BTW I got a G1 to try and was very skeptical, delighted now tho its not really pocketable, got it for $400 as a run out model.

ron

 

[ElectroWNED]

Or, mail your film out to a lab in the US and have it forwarded once processed to a US address where someone can save it for you until you get back?

As for digital, what about a NEX?

I won't be printing anything, so that doesn't matter.

processing prices in BK are like... $2 per roll w/ CD scans. biggest problem is that my netbook doesn't have a CD Drive, so USB digital files are a big plus.

re: Nex... I haven't really looked at it at all... I'll start checking out the flickR images, etc...

 

[yanidel]

If you can bear with sticking to low ISO's, the DP2 is in my opinion the best compact camera out there for street at this price point with good manual focus functionality.

 

[Archiver]

Funny, as I began to read your post I thought, 'Ricoh GRD III', but then you said you'd had one and sold it!

I second the vote for a Sigma DP2 as long as you can afford it, and can stick with low ISO's or shoot in black and white in the higher ISO's. At low ISO's the colour is just fantastic, like very few other cameras. At high ISO's the colour sucks, but the black and white conversions are superb. It is also quirky to focus in low light, but the manual focus implementation is pretty good.

 

[pvdhaar]

re: Nex... I haven't really looked at it at all... I'll start checking out the flickR images, etc...

The NEX with 16mm is very portable, focusses fast and gives extremely good image quality straight up to 1600ISO, I never take it out of auto-ISO (200-1600ISO) unless I specifically need a shutter/aperture/speed combination.

My only concern when it comes to using the NEX as a holiday camera, is that it has somewhat of an appetite for batteries. Probably not an issue if you can charge the battery every night in a hotel, but if you're out hiking, a spare battery won't hurt..

 

[isorgb]

or Samsung NX10 + 30mm f2.0 (eq. 45mm, like your Yashica Electro 35)
Cheapest than m4/3, still small, bulit EVF, fast...
but not for JPG, RAW is very much better...
but RAW file is BIG.

 

[bensyverson]

Hexar AF... scan later

 

[ElectroWNED]

Hexar AF... scan later

If I was going to go film, I'd probably get the Yashica GX... still, I feel like SEA has so much to offer that I want instant gratification 🙂

I'll have to check out these recent recommendations...

 

[shadowfox]

I'm thinking about the GF1 w/ the 20mm lens, but have my doubts as to whether it can be a reliable 'street' camera (not many great street shots on Flickr + dissenting opinions on the web).

For what it's worth:
http://www.blurb.com/books/1475956

Olympus Pen E-P2 + 20/1.7 Panasonic. A great street camera kit, I think.

 

[mugent]

I've owned a GF1 and a NEX, IMHO...

The NEX is the better camera, but the standard 16mm lens is, to put it bluntly, crap. It's slow, soft, and generally gives unpleasant results.

The GF1 is bulkier, but has a hotshoe if you want to add an OVF or EVF, the NEX can take an OVF, but it's a pain to put on, so you either leave it on all the time, and ruin it's tiny pocketable size, or never bother.

The standard 20mm Lumix lens is outstanding, sharp even at 1.7, and of course, M43 has a number of lens options that the NEX simply doesn't have, if you want a fast,standard lens for the NEX, there isn't one.

The NEX is much better to focus old manual lenses though, as the screen on the back is a LOT better.

Overall, I'd take the GF1, the lens really is a different class to the NEX.

MT

 

[The Meaness]

That book looks wonderful. If it's yours, Shadowfox, congrats. Either way, it's a great response to the thought you can't use the m4/3 for street.

From what you've given us so far, I'd say the m4/3 cameras are the best. High resolution and interchangeable lenses at low cost.

If you don't need large prints or control over dof, save yourself some hassle and just get a great point and shoot like the canon s90/s95. Manual controls, pocket-ability, unlimited dof, and an unthreatening look may make it a great street tool for you.

 

[ElectroWNED]

If you don't need large prints or control over dof, save yourself some hassle and just get a great point and shoot like the canon s90/s95. Manual controls, pocket-ability, unlimited dof, and an unthreatening look may make it a great street tool for you.

I sort of agree, but the one thing that I want is control over my DOF and the ability to compose my shots w/ shutter speed and aperture.

I had the GRD III but hated the wide lens-- that rules out the NEX-3 w/ 16mm (I don't want a zoom lens either, so that pretty much rules out the NEX all together). The X100 is probably perfect, as it has the built in VF-- that's the only thing I'm concerned about with the GF1+20mm combo... I probably won't even be able to find a GF1 w/ pancake for under $600 (700 more like it?).

Maybe I should just buy the Yashica GX and spend the remainder of my budget on film... 🙄