Second system?

I have a fairly good canon setup as it stands. I usually carry this when I am away but I am now on holidays and have decided its to much to carry.

I have been looking at reviews of the olympus pen lite 5 and it seems to tick a lot of buttons for me. I photograph everything but my favourite is wildlife and people with occasional bif but not loads of bif.

Anyone using the olympus and whats your experience please?

I dunno... get a pancake 40mm instead the real weight and bulk is in lenses.

Mornnb wrote in post #16215347
I dunno... get a pancake 40mm instead the real weight and bulk is in lenses.

No disrespect inteneded but "I dunno"- why comment. Pancake 40mm for wildlife???

jaomul wrote in post #16215374
Pancake 40mm for wildlife???

Yeah, seems like a strange comment.

Why do you want to get olympus? If size / weight is an issue, why not a smaller / lighter canon body that can still use your lens outfits if desired? Don't know too much about the new M, but that might be an option. Otherwise any rebel you'll find to be much smaller and lighter than the 6/7D. And really, with good glass the Rebels are quite capable cameras.

I missed that slight detail about wildlife... but the point is the pancake is a better way of achieving a compact camera, in terms of image quality and expense.

I have a Panasonic GX1 that I absolutely love as second camera (for a while it was almost first, changed instantly when I got a 6D). Paired with the PZ14-42 it is a very small take-anywhere kit. That zoom is perhaps not the very best but it's small size makes up for a lot. The GX1 is quite cheap at the moment and a great camera IMO, the EVF however isn't that cheap, but you will find that you want it, in bright sunlight the LCD is almost useless. I have never tried any of Olympus m4/3s but I can't think there would be much difference. On the downside you would need to invest in some new lenses. I brought my GX1 and the Panasonic 100-300 to Paris Air Show this summer and got some pictures I am very happy with.

Thanks all. I will look at the panasonic. The EOS M is not really in the running. It somehow never appealed, and coupled wiyh its small range of lenses. The reason for olympus is this OMD seems to be a fine well respected camera with good image quality, the pen lite shares sensor. I prefer the thought of micro 4/3rds due the smaller lenses due the smaller sensor. I am only testing the waters at the moment

jaomul wrote in post #16216183
The EOS M is not really in the running. It somehow never appealed, and coupled wiyh its small range of lenses.

It takes all ef and ef-s lenses. How many options do you need?

mjHession wrote in post #16217391
It takes all ef and ef-s lenses. How many options do you need?

But what's the point of a small camera if you're still going to need a big honkin' lens? If I'm going to still have a big overall package, I'd stick with the superior ergonomics of a DSLR.

mjHession wrote in post #16217391
It takes all ef and ef-s lenses. How many options do you need?

It takes them with an additional adapter (adding size and cost). I like canon but there are better mirrorless options that are smaller I think. The whole videa of a second system is portability for me without to much image quality compromise. Taking my same kit with just a smaller body is not really what I want. I will keep looking and reading. Thanks

jaomul wrote in post #16217707
zthe whole videa of a second system is portability for me without to much image quality compromise.

This is why I suggested the 40mm 2.8, as you can retain your existing image quality and achieve much more portability. As the real bulk of a DSLR comes not from the body, but from the big lenses.

Mornnb wrote in post #16217794
This is why I suggested the 40mm 2.8, as you can retain your existing image quality and achieve much more portability. As the real bulk of a DSLR comes not from the body, but from the big lenses.

But going for a camera with a smaller sensor means he can get smaller lenses that still covers a wide range of focal length. The f/40 is small but does only cover a very limited type of photography since it isn't possible to get wider without lots and lots of photo stitching. And it isn't possible to get longer, without lots and lots of cropping.

The thread title is "Second system" - and a DSLR that is only allowed to use a f/40 isn't really a system anymore, since it represents a concept where he is locked to a fixed lens.

emas wrote in post #16216146
I have a Panasonic GX1 that I absolutely love as second camera (for a while it was almost first, changed instantly when I got a 6D). Paired with the PZ14-42 it is a very small take-anywhere kit. That zoom is perhaps not the very best but it's small size makes up for a lot. The GX1 is quite cheap at the moment and a great camera IMO, the EVF however isn't that cheap, but you will find that you want it, in bright sunlight the LCD is almost useless. I have never tried any of Olympus m4/3s but I can't think there would be much difference. On the downside you would need to invest in some new lenses. I brought my GX1 and the Panasonic 100-300 to Paris Air Show this summer and got some pictures I am very happy with.

I agree 100%. The GX1 is a great backup to my 6D. I can carry the GX1 and several lenses in a really small case. It is a cheap camera to buy right now because everyone is anticipating the GX7. You can get away without the EVF but it is really nice to have on a sunny day.

jaomul wrote in post #16215236
I have a fairly good canon setup as it stands. I usually carry this when I am away but I am now on holidays and have decided its to much to carry.

I have been looking at reviews of the olympus pen lite 5 and it seems to tick a lot of buttons for me. I photograph everything but my favourite is wildlife and people with occasional bif but not loads of bif.

Anyone using the olympus and whats your experience please?

The wildlife and bif would be my biggest concern with a mirrorless system. Will you get the responsiveness with auto focus and shutter delay that you need for active wildlife?

I still recall with a shudder my attempt at using a Canon Powershot G3 while whale watching many years ago. The whales had surfaced and gone back under before the camera could take one frame. After years of shooting with a film SLR, I was really frustrated and soon thereafter entered the world of digital SLRs.

I am sure current mirrorless cameras are much better now, but it is something to consider for that subject matter.

jaomul wrote in post #16215374
No disrespect inteneded but "I dunno"- why comment. Pancake 40mm for wildlife???

It certainly would not be my choice. 400mm would be better, but for BIF even that's on the small side.