Christopher Sampson wrote:
I've been looking into some nice compact systems and wanted to see what you all suggested. Currently I shoot with a Canon 5dmk2 and an assortment of lenses and I want something still fairly powerful but maybe compact. I find I love shooting between 70-100 mm so if I found a system with a nice fixed lens that would be fine as well.  Something that could record video would be nice as well.


My budget is around a thousand dollars

Well, remember your title states DSLR (digital single lense reflex) camera.

I would focus on the Fuji X series or the Sony FF mirrorless cameras, even though the Sony FFs will be more than a $1,000. Boy, you can't go wrong with the Fujis right now.

If you can find one, the Canon EOS-M is a great choice. It's no longer in the Canon USA lineup and it doesn't have an EVF, however. Most of my recent natural light shots were done with the EOS-M.

Christopher Sampson wrote:
I want something still fairly powerful but maybe compact.

Sony A7

- not a DSLR

- Full Frame (one of the smallest)

- interchangeable lens system




Canon G1 X

- Not a DSLR

- APSc Sensor size

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Christopher Sampson wrote:
I've been looking into some nice compact systems and wanted to see what you all suggested. Currently I shoot with a Canon 5dmk2 and an assortment of lenses and I want something still fairly powerful but maybe compact. I find I love shooting between 70-100 mm so if I found a system with a nice fixed lens that would be fine as well.  Something that could record video would be nice as well.


My budget is around a thousand dollars

I use a Canon G15 for video. Excellent.

For stills, I can't get on with the shutter lag on compacts.

I've bought the Canon 40mm/2.8 pancake lens to cut the bulk of my 5D3. Great street-shooting setup. Nobody takes any notice of it.

Next thing will be a Canon EOS 100D/Rebel SL1 - they are tiny, and weigh very little. A 50mm lens on that gives you an 80mm equivalent.
Gives you a compatible backup, and cheaper than a new system.

Christopher Sampson wrote:
Currently I shoot with a Canon 5dmk2 and an assortment of lenses and I want something still fairly powerful but maybe compact. I find I love shooting between 70-100 mm so if I found a system with a nice fixed lens that would be fine as well.

Sigma's DP3 Merrill is truly remarkable. It's a pure photography camera, it does not have HD video. It produces far much images than does my 5Dii, even with my Zeiss lenses. It's a 1.5x crop with a 50mm f/2.8 lens. ISO 800 or below - above that noise becomes an issue.

Tony-S wrote:

Sigma's DP3 Merrill is truly remarkable. It's a pure photography camera, it does not have HD video. It produces far much images than does my 5Dii, even with my Zeiss lenses. It's a 1.5x crop with a 50mm f/2.8 lens. ISO 800 or below - above that noise becomes an issue.

I've heard good things about that camera but Sigma just isn't doing much using that sensor as Fuji is with theirs.

Tony-S wrote:

Sigma's DP3 Merrill is truly remarkable. It's a pure photography camera, it does not have HD video. It produces far much images than does my 5Dii, even with my Zeiss lenses. It's a 1.5x crop with a 50mm f/2.8 lens. ISO 800 or below - above that noise becomes an issue.

I have one of these Sigma DP3M. Totally love it. In the right conditions it produces just phenomenal images. If you can borrow (or rent) one then do - it's an amazing piece of kit.

Bare Essential Photos wrote:
I've heard good things about that camera but Sigma just isn't doing much using that sensor as Fuji is with theirs.

Fuji and Sigma use completely different sensors. The Fuji is a 6x6 Bayer array (20G, 8B, 8R), whereas Sigma uses a Foveon array that has RGB in layers that records all color data at each photosite. The only thing they have in common is the lack of an antialiasing filter. The Sigma produces a much nicer image than the Fuji sensor, so long as it's below 800 ISO.

Tony-S wrote:
Fuji and Sigma use completely different sensors. The Fuji is a 4x4 Bayer array (8G, 4B, 4R), whereas Sigma uses a Foveon array that has RGB in layers that records all color data at each photosite. The only thing they have in common is the lack of an antialiasing filter. The Sigma produces a much nicer image than the Fuji sensor, so long as it's below 800 ISO.

Yes, that's my point.

Fuji is developing a nice line of cameras using their new sensor, whereas Sigma isn't with the Foveon sensor. I don't know why?

This would be a great time for Sigma to compete with Fuji and Sony using that Foveon sensor.

(aka: Bare Essential Photos)

Tony-S wrote:

Fuji and Sigma use completely different sensors. The Fuji is a 4x4 Bayer array (8G, 4B, 4R), whereas Sigma uses a Foveon array that has RGB in layers that records all color data at each photosite. The only thing they have in common is the lack of an antialiasing filter. The Sigma produces a much nicer image than the Fuji sensor, so long as it's below 800 ISO.

If you are talking about the Fuji X-Trans sensor, it's actually a 6x6 random bayer-ish  array (8r, 20g, 8b) illuminating the need for a low pass filter

Tony-S wrote:

Sigma's DP3 Merrill is truly remarkable. It's a pure photography camera, it does not have HD video. It produces far much images than does my 5Dii, even with my Zeiss lenses. It's a 1.5x crop with a 50mm f/2.8 lens. ISO 800 or below - above that noise becomes an issue.

Yep.

Got the Sigma DP2M (45mm equivalent f2.8 lens).
Completely up to the quality of the 5D3 with L primes, possibly better for BW highlights.
Slow and annoying to use sometimes, best at 100 or 200 ISO - but worth it for the results.

Hugh Alison wrote:

Yep.

Got the Sigma DP2M (45mm equivalent f2.8 lens).
Completely up to the quality of the 5D3 with L primes, possibly better for BW highlights.
Slow and annoying to use sometimes, best at 100 or 200 ISO - but worth it for the results.

Now that then Quattro has been announced (and is on pre order) I'm really hoping the price of the DP2 drops significantly - or you start to see them coming available second hand. I'd love to have one.

There's a guy online who had all 3 DP1M 2M and 3M, fitted out a small hand carry case with them and had a complete set of superb quality focal lengths in less than the space of a FF camera and equivalent high quality zoom. Much less cost too.

attila zsargo wrote:
I just received the Fujifilm X-T1 with some primes,

OH My .. what a sweet little number!!!
shot with Nikon and Mamiya RZ67 for decades, now they all sold I feel free again.

It gives me the light weight I was hoping a fast auto focus, low light capability, and great interchangeable lenses.

It works for me as I want to do more street photography and I carry it with me all the time now.

It is a superb alternative!

I second the Fuji mirrorless XT-1! My avatar was shot with it

Art Silva wrote:
If you are talking about the Fuji X-Trans sensor, it's actually a 6x6 random bayer-ish  array (8r, 20g, 8b)

Yes, that's correct. I have corrected my error (which was made way too late last night).

Tony-S wrote:
Yes, that's correct. I have corrected my error (which was made way too late last night).

No worries, I tend to do that too.

Looking at that array, if you take the 6x6 and divide it by four, the four 3x3s are Bayer like but those squares are each subsequently rotated a quarter turn which is brilliant for getting a true read of light, tone and pattern. I love the image quality I get off these.

This was a quickie i did a couple nights ago using the XF18mm and Pano (auto stitch) feature, the next one was early morning a couple weeks ago:

As you can see, the Fuji X series makes a great walk around companion and alternative to bulky DSLRs.

Christopher Sampson wrote:
My budget is around a thousand dollars

You can buy two of these with your budget...

But then... maybe just get extra prime lenses.



APSc sized sensor, 16 MP interchangeable lens system

http://www.dpreview.com/products/fujifi … jifilm_xa1

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Kelly Hicks  wrote:
I'm trying out a xt-1, but having a hard time trying to find a way to use it tethered.

The fuji app only works with ipad/iphone, not so much with a laptop. For a laptop you need to have a router in order to use wifi, which is not possible in most locations.

Because the app is designed for iOS (a mobile operating system), your laptop is a Non-mobile operating system (OSX if its a Mac).