Need help choosing a smaller camera than my DSLR

[grahamfitter]

Graham. That is the shore break. Most of the boards were solid redwood. This one might have balsa stringers but I doubt it. Probably pine. Took 3 of us gremmies to carry it to the water.

Caption reads:
"Photographer wishes for a longer lens to capture scene from a distance" ?
"Surfer ponders Newton's laws of motion as his buddies run for cover" ?

Curiously I'd never heard of gremmies before so I looked it up. Word of the day for sure.

[ywen]

Took an Olympus EPL-1 on my recent trip out West.. the body, extra battery, 15-150 zoom, and a 20mm prime lens fit into a tiny package about the same volume as my full frame body + 50mm prime, but less weight. The EPL-1 is an old m4/3 model that goes for $149 now... I also used my Android cell phone for a lot of the pics. Taking my Canon 5D + lenses would have totally sucked on this trip..








Android phone

[off-roader]

I also used my Android cell phone for a lot of the pics. Taking my Canon 5D + lenses would have totally sucked on this trip..

Yup a full sized dslr can be problematic when size/weight is an issue. I assume this shot was with your cell phone since everything is in focus? It's an advantage (or disadvantage) of the smaller sensors/optics.

If you're still considering options, this is one difference between a large sensor camera (DX/FX sensor in most dslr's) and smaller sensors (u4/3's, point and shoots, camera phones, etc.) and either can be a benefit depending on your shooting objectives.

[ywen]

yes very true... however I've realized shooting from traveling, landscapes, I hardly ever need shallow DOF.. and that whole shallow DOF thing has gotten overplayed with the democratization of dslrs... everyone and their moms are shooting flowers of their plate of food close up at f/1.4.. it gets old fast.

the m4/3 actually does allow very nice shallow DOF via the 20mm f/1.7 lens... which I brought with me. I doesn't give me the same DOF as full frame @ f/1.2 but I rarely need that... In fact, I mostly shot with the 14-150 zoom lens on the trip

@f1.7

[off-roader]

Actually what I'm getting at is as I recall w/ my own experiences a shot at f/2.8 w/ a point and shoot sensor and f/2.8 w/ a FX or DX sensor seem to me to have different depth of field results along with other difference such as low light performance and image clarity... although I suspect the low light performance is likely due to actual optics and in-camera image processing/handling.

Regardless, as I noted, it can be a benefit or detriment depending on your shoot objectives. Or whether or not you care LOL.