Exciting and kind of sad - Jumping ship.

Just wanted to write a few lines because i am feeling almost emotional at the moment.

I have been struggling a lot in the past few weeks to decide what to do.
I have been a canon shooter.. well always.
Went from film to small digital compacts, from there to SX-superzooms, 350D and lastly a 40D. Have my closet full of Canon gear, lenses, flashes... u name it.

Now i wanted something new, something portable, something with awesome video. My DSLR has been collecting way too much dust during 2011 and in three weeks i am headed to Thailand and don't want to carry that beast anymore.

My choices where to jump ship or get a 600D. I have decided long time ago that i will never go back to normal compact sensor (bought a G10 a year back and it was epic fail..)
Today I borrowed a 60D (not 600) from my friend for testing and played around with it, it's a nice camera, gotta love that flip screen if one likes to shoot video. 600D would be an awesome camera as it has almost everything that 60D has in a smaller package, however.. no matter how you think about it, it will never fit in any of my pockets.

So i am back in square one, in that same place where i was two weeks ago.. When i saw Panasonic GX1 online. Micro four thirds 2.0 crop sensor, rangefinder styling, 16Mp, kicks 40D's ass on high iso, great video quality with continuos AF, high quality digital VF, and tons of small pancake lenses to choose from.

I am sorry, i have not bought the actual camera yet -but just found a 9-18 Olympus micro four thirds lens cheap online and bought it - so i guess a body must follow.

I hoped for a long time that canon produces a DSLR with good AF during video - did not happen.
Than i hoped that they make something to compete with the micro four thirds camera size / IQ (i am not a fan of the bulk anymore) - Did not happen.

So here i am, i guess i'll keep my canon stuff for now, but it won't be seeing much daylight.. Very excited to be able to carry my camera with me more often and capture more shots.
That's what it's all about i guess.

GX1 won't fit in your pocket either...

mguffin wrote in post #13641095
GX1 won't fit in your pocket either...

I am from Finland, we use jackets here -so yes it will.

But you are right, it's not THAT small.
But even hanging it on my neck (413g) i think the feeling is quite different compared to my 40D+17-55mm (approx 1.4kg).

I bought a Fujifilm x100 earlier in the year to have something lighter to carry around. I am really impressed about that camera. I just went on Christmas vacation back to my home country of Denmark and had a lot of fun running around with this fixed-lens camera and I really liked the quality of the pictures it took.

I still have my Canon and will continue to use it, sometimes having more lenses available is good. Other times portability is more important.

I recently added a Panasonic GF2 to my kit for times when I don't want to carry a bigger DSLR and I have been very happy with it. The GX1 looks even better.

The Panasonic 20/1.7 is a great lens for walking around and the package is small enough to carry in a coat pocket. I've also been happy with the results I get from my old manual focus Pentax glass when using an adapter.

krb wrote in post #13641148
I recently added a Panasonic GF2 to my kit for times when I don't want to carry a bigger DSLR and I have been very happy with it. The GX1 looks even better.

The Panasonic 20/1.7 is a great lens for walking around and the package is small enough to carry in a coat pocket. I've also been happy with the results I get from my old manual focus Pentax glass when using an adapter.

That lens is definitely something i will pickup before my holiday -looks like a great bang for the buck.

I made lot's of comparison between all M43 cameras, looked GF2, GH2, G3, Pen's, but i decided that i want to get something rangefinder styled, even though i would loved to have an articulating screen. I am still not 100% sure about GX1... but looks like the best compromise at this moment for my liking.

BrianS wrote in post #13641129
I bought a Fujifilm x100 earlier in the year to have something lighter to carry around. I am really impressed about that camera. I just went on Christmas vacation back to my home country of Denmark and had a lot of fun running around with this fixed-lens camera and I really liked the quality of the pictures it took.

I still have my Canon and will continue to use it, sometimes having more lenses available is good. Other times portability is more important.

That must a be a fantastic camera, i also thought about it but changing the lenses and video functions turned my head to another direction.

I don't think i am going to sell my canon gear either, there are places where a DSLR just rocks -especially if you have lot's of accessories for it. Provides great creative freedom and stability for certain tasks.

But now i feel that portability is the main priority, i want to take reasonable quality photos without all the bulk. Especially when traveling a DSLR just feels too much -not to mention that i don't enjoy the attention DSLR's draw to them.

It's a good thing you have a lot of choices today, 5 years ago it was different.

johnz wrote in post #13641208
i don't enjoy the attention DSLR's draw to them.

gosh when i used film i never got the attention. even now with a digital slr i don't seem to get any attention here in the US or earlier when i was in India..... weird

johnz wrote in post #13641086
So i am back in square one, in that same place where i was two weeks ago.. When i saw Panasonic GX1 online. Micro four thirds 2.0 crop sensor, rangefinder styling, 16Mp, kicks 40D's ass on high iso, great video quality with continuos AF, high quality digital VF, and tons of small pancake lenses to choose from.

I am sorry, i have not bought the actual camera yet

Not sure why people compare old cameras to new cameras as a reason to switch brands or justify their purchase. The 40D came out 4.5 years ago and the GX1 is about 3 months old.

And I can almost guarantee you the 60D would "kick the GX1's ass on high iso" you know. I sure hope your camera that you hope will have "great video quality" and autofocus that is actually fast enough to take get pictures taken "on time" and be useful during video.

It really sounds like the Nikon J1 would be more suited to your uses with its new fast, very functional autofocus and small size.

I understand the lure, I have a GF-1. I carry it in a jacket pocket with the 20/1.7 mounted. I carry the 14-45 zoom in the other pocket mostly for when I need the image stabilizer or when I need wider than 20mm.

I think of this as the modern rangefinder.....not good for fast action, not good for sports. But just a great little camera to take on trips that is not much of a hassle to carry around.

I'd seriously look at the Sony NEX bodies, except the 16mm f/2.8 doesn't thrill me (little too wide, but more to the point a little too slow). And if you wind up really liking the form factor, at least for now there is nothing for the Sony wider than the kit lens 18-55.

Most of my international travel is business. I don't want to lug a big dSLR and I don't have time to pursue much photography. Something a little small is fun for those travel snapshots. I also use the GF-1 for dinners and parties with friends etc. Much better than a compact digital.

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HappySnapper90 wrote in post #13641856
I sure hope your camera that you hope will have "great video quality" and autofocus that is actually fast enough to take get pictures taken "on time" and be useful during video.

Actually, the Panasonics have very good quality video and surprisingly fast AF. Of the cameras that I have handled it is easily the fastest phase detect AF I've seen. On the downside it slows down in low light more than I would have expected. Still faster than my S90 under any conditions.

One important note for anybody getting a m4/3 camera is that there are some compatibility issues issues between the current crop of m4/3 bodies that use contrast AF and older 4/3 lenses that were released when phase detect bodies were still the rule. The lenses will not AF at all on some bodies and on bodies where AF is possible it is very slow, much like using live view AF on a Canon SLR. Contrast detect AF requires the lens to very quickly make a series of small movements. Move focus a little, check contrast, move focus a little, check contrast, etc., etc. The current crop of m4/3 lenses are designed specifically to work under those conditions but older 4/3 lenses are designed to use phase detect AF where the camera simply sends a single "focus at this distance" command and the lens makes a single large focus adjustment.

This leads me to believe that we will never see fast contrast based AF in Canon or Nikon SLRs unless and until they begin designing lenses specifically for the purpose. Even then, the larger elements in the lenses will be a challenge for the engineering teams.

And rather small sensor and a lens mount that is not fully supported yet. 4/3 and m4/3 have been available for long enough that there is a used market for lenses so you can save some cash.

If you're happy with the IQ then more power to you. Enjoy and be happy.

Gee...emotional about what brand and gear to use.....Yeah, someone has issues.... And I thought you were talking about some life changing decision you are about to make...

larrycumba wrote in post #13642495
If you're happy with the IQ then more power to you. Enjoy and be happy.

It cannot match my 7D or 1Ds mk II but neither of those will fit in a my coat pocket.

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