Only a 12MP M 4/3 and 25mm Summilux?

raid

raid

Dad Photographer
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I want to travel very light (to Italy). This implies that I want to keep camera equipment to a minimum for size and weight.

Would I really lose anything by using a M 4/3 with a very good lens, and make it my only outfit?

I tried it out a few days ago in a trip to Germany. It was so relaxing not to have any checked luggage and to have one small and light camera.

I am so tempted. What do you say?

Thanks.
 
Very often I do the same on my trips, especially shorter trips but sometimes transoceanic ones too.I take either the IIIf usually with the collapsible Elmar 3.5 or the E-P1 with the 17mm, if I want digital. Just about to go to Denmark and Germany and will take the Leica.
 
I took a trip to Florida last year and brought only my Oly EP-2 with the Panny 14mm 2.5. Nothing else. I was very happy with the images and did not feel like I missed out by not having other lenses. Take what the camera/lens gives you and don't worry about. Think about all the time you will lose changing lenses, hauling gear, and trying to decide what lens to mount and when. Pick one camera and one lens and go. These days for travel I carry a Sony RX100 and usually a film camera like the Konica Hexar. Everything in a small shoulder bag. No more hauling gear around for me.
 
I use a m43+25mm for nearly all my every-day shooting. Granted 50mm equiv. is my preferred focal length so I never feel like I'm missing something.

Also, if you are out to save weight/size, I find the Oly 25/1.8 renders so closely to the PanaLeica 25/1.4 that the latter is not worth the extra bulk.
 
Increasingly I have gone for lighter gear when I travel, leaving my heavy and large Nikon DSLR camera and lenses behind. On a recent trip to Bali I only took my Olympus OMD EM5 but I did take a 3-4 lenses too - never been able to quite cope with one lens only. With M4/3 kit it is all small enough, lenses included, that you can do this without breaking your back while also using carry-on baggage so no camera gear needs to be checked into the baggage hold (always a scary proposition for me given issues of damage and loss). My problem is that I like to at least have one longer lens for more distant street shot portraits etc, a wider lens for interior shots and at least one fast lens for low light work. But if your style allows you to get away with one lens I say go for it. My only two gripes with M4/3 is that (a) its low light performance is not as good as say late Sony E series or FF kit and (b) the angle of view prevents really wide angle shots - many of mine had to be stitched when I was shooting interiors. But the lightness makes it worthwhile, as does the high lens quality. 12 mp is not really an issue as this is still plenty for shots that will only be shown on screen. But if you really want to only take one lens, a wider lens and a large mp camera would be better to allow cropping when closer shots are needed. BTW I did take a 25mm Summilux with me - but it was the larger one designed by Leica for the original Panasonic 4/3 camera. Its comparatively large compared with the native m4/3 equivalent but ultra nice rendering (and its a sexy lens I have always lusted after).
A couple of typical shot from that series of Bali images, which show nothing was lost in image quality:


Lonely sea, lonely sky Jimbaran Bay Bali by Life in Shadows, on Flickr


Faces of Bali 4 by Life in Shadows, on Flickr
 
I've never been impressed with the image quality of the 12MP (pre-Sony) m43 cameras and would prefer something like a Fuji X100 series or a Ricoh GR II. My own EDC camera of choice is the Sony RX1RII, which is very expensive, but the original RX1 is now quite reasonable on the used market.
 
Thanks for all the feedback. The other alternative is using only the M9 with the 35mm Summilux or the small Canon 35/2.
 
I use a 12mp A7s with a 28 Summicron
I'd prefer some more mp but up to now it's been a very useful combo .
I usually carry a 50 Summicron too .
 
A point to consider is that the micro 4/3 system was designed to be just that, a system. You might consider one of the native lenses for your camera rather than the summilux.
 
Probably my all time favorite digital sensor/camera is the 12mp Olympus E-P1.
I have sold 12"x16" prints in a gallery from the E-P1 and 17/2.8. If you don't need to print larger, the 12mp won't be a limitation.

If I was taking a trip and wanted to travel light with only one digital camera, the aforementioned combo would be my choice.
 
It depends... if photography is the focus of the trip, then I go with something more substantial. If the trip is for relaxing with my girlfriend, then I bring something compact.
 
Darthfeeble said:
A point to consider is that the micro 4/3 system was designed to be just that, a system. You might consider one of the native lenses for your camera rather than the summilux.
Click to expand...

This Summilux is made by Panasonic for the M 4/3 system.
 
Swift1 said:
Probably my all time favorite digital sensor/camera is the 12mp Olympus E-P1.
I have sold 12"x16" prints in a gallery from the E-P1 and 17/2.8. If you don't need to print larger, the 12mp won't be a limitation.

If I was taking a trip and wanted to travel light with only one digital camera, the aforementioned combo would be my choice.
Click to expand...

I may just take the E-PL1 and the sharp 25mm/1.4 for a 50mm view, plus maybe a Zeiss Planar 50mm/.1.4 for a 100mm view. Maybe just the 25mm lens.
 
If I was in your shoes, I’d probably take my Canon EOS-M with the 22/2.0 pancake lens, and that would be all. I do prefer traveling light.

Jim B.
 
raid said:
I want to travel very light (to Italy). This implies that I want to keep camera equipment to a minimum for size and weight.

Would I really lose anything by using a M 4/3 with a very good lens, and make it my only outfit?

I tried it out a few days ago in a trip to Germany. It was so relaxing not to have any checked luggage and to have one small and light camera.

I am so tempted. What do you say?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

In 2016 I went to Moscow with old Panasonic 8MP P&S with Leica zoom for pictures I didn't wanted on film and I wanted digital. At the second half of the trip I had new M-E with me, but I continued to use mostly this old P&S. Much less hassle and to be afraid. I printed some pictures from it on 4x6 in addition to 8x10 darkroom prints from this trip. The joy is adequate. Almost :)
 
i always ask if the trip is made to make photos and in the answer is yes much gear, different bodies, different lenses, tripod, etc etc is useful.
But if the goal of the trip is the experience, is to see places, to meet people, to enjoy life in a different place in this case a minimalist set is my way to go.

An few years ago with Simo we took part in a workshop in Prague, beautiful experience and I shot only with the Leica x1 with all its limitation and the fixed lens 36mm eq. It worked out well.
Sometimes traveling with the M7 and two lenses: one on the camera and the other in the hotel safe: one day shooting 35, another day shooting 50...for me it works...

For the upcoming trip to Camogli I'll bring with me only the Holga...

Just kidding :) I'll bring the M10 (I know you are curious) and the 35 cron also because my 50 cron is in Wetzlar for 6 bit coding and be brought to digital specs plus a general control.

Of course when traveling by car is easier to have one more camera or something more just in case I desire to shoot something different (like my Polaroid 340) or as back up. Thinking about this an instant camera Polaroid or Impossible is oft an addition in my bag...

robert
 
Last year I won a university photography contest with my 6-year old M4/3 camera (E-P3) and the consumer level 17mm f/2.8 pancake lens. Straight out of camera 12MP jpg. You gotta love the blue and green from those Oly bodies.

Before I re-jumped into film photography the E-P3 stays in my bag all the time. Plus I've taken the camera to various trips (lots of walking always) and I never felt I missed anything (bigger). When traveling I use the 17/2.8 for general things and Jupiter-8 for portraits.
 
only 12mp... lol

Ive survived on 2, then 4, then 8 and 10 now im up to 12.

I rarely print anything... let alone larger than a 11x14.

I can still make those prints with my 2mp D1 files, so im not sure how you would be lacking...

Have fun on your trip! Take the Summilux and M43 body.
 
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