Have you ever sat down and thought...

Talley wrote in post #18444345
What about family needs to capture the kids sports. How does that Leica do then?

depends on the sports.

If you look at Chucks stuff it's almost all action sports included.

DaviSto wrote in post #18444330
If I am travelling with my family, I'm hoping I get the opportunity to capture more than just snapshots ... it's not my main mission but I'm hoping the chance comes along to take an occasional really good shot.

I agree with this 100%. The last thing I want is for my "family" gear to be anything less than the best image quality that I can afford. Images of my family are far more important to me than any other types of photos I take. I've tried to talk myself into the SL-1 with 40mm pancake ... but honestly I don't think that setup would be all that much smaller than say an 80D with 35 f2 IS ... or even a 6D with 50mm (if I could afford that). Smaller, yes ... but still something that needs to be carried around as it won't fit in your pocket.

Talley wrote in post #18444344
Ya. But take you and your wants out.

I think Mal has it spot on. His pictures are awesome and he has a minimalist approach.

I could see that Sony working for a family. Outside the expense which if you can swing it then who cares it fits the family needs well.

Agree this ... I wasn't making an argument for carrying big kit; that will not be good for anybody. But take the best lightweight kit you can put together ... keep your priorities in order ... and everyone is happy*.

*other things being equal, of course. It's a holiday, after all, and sometimes those things don't turn out quite perfectly, despite all best efforts. Just go book another one!

Talley wrote in post #18444311
Nice capture.


I thought about it but ended up going w/ the X-T20 for travel/wife camera. The X-E3 is coming out soon and I want that for me.

No matter how you slice it the fuji w/ a 23/2 or 18/2 or 27/2.8 and the XE3/XT20 is within an ounce or two in weight to the Sony and within 7-10mm in size in any direction and has almost double battery life and is also 1/3 of the price as well. The money saved could pay for a trip. XT20 also has a pop up flash which works great for those times it's needed. Also using the 23/2 the weather sealing is most likely much better than the Sony which could be of benefit when traveling w/ family.

Not disputing the R1 it's just a different animal. I'm sure it's almost double MP and higher ISO performance will destroy the fuji but then again I ask...

Do you really need 42MP snapshots of kids smiling in front of a statue or on the beach?

Is that camera best for the "family"?

I think it depends on what you're trying to do with family shots. If we're talking straight up run of the mill snap-shots, I'd argue that nothing more than a smartphone is really necessary. With family photos I still try to put a lot creative effort into things, and don't take it any less seriously than my paid work.

What made the rx1rII appealing to me is the creative flexibility of F2 on a FF sensor, and an AF system that allows me to quickly take a shot so I'm not fiddling too much with the camera. With regards to the former, F2 or f2.8 on an aps-c doesn't appeal to me because I've owned 35mm f2.8 FF lenses and it creatively limiting, since I like shallow DOF when shooting people. With regards to AF, I actually attempted to downgrade to the RX1 MK1 thinking that AF isn't a big deal, but I gave it a try and was reminded how useful AF is with young children. Eye focus works really well because it allows me to quickly get the shot without jacking around with AF points...this means less time disengaged from the activities. 42mp is definitely overkill though, and I could live with less high ISO performance.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #18444325
Need to try Leica M and a 35 1.4 Summilux FLE asph....

That set-up has piqued my interest for years, but $$$$$

mystik610 wrote in post #18444448
That set-up has piqued my interest for years, but $$$$$

Leica M 10 body is slightly less than top of the line nikanon.

So, still @~**@~ expensive then ....

I know for me, a lot of the driving force to get great family photos, is also to keep it reasonable on the budget.

I shoot ancient equipment and some semi-modern glass and modern flash because it's cheap. I most often shoot a 5D classic, which is about $300 tops for a good one. I get the field of view and big fat pixels of an old full frame and it cleans up well at high ISO (even at ISO 3200). But, it has crude old AF. I often manual focus with it as I'm faster than the camera is typically! But I like the look of the old files, and they are great to work with, and I actually like smaller files when I don't need the resolution. My EOS-M is also cheap, they're $150 often times. More modern, does video, good resolution, good ISO use. Cheap. And I can hook up any Canon lens to it. Fits in my pocket. I would love to merge the look and joy of my 5D FOV and files with the size of my EOS-M.

I know to do that and keep Flash access (real flash), Fuji pretty much is it right now.

Any modern Fuji body and a 23mm F1.4 would make me happy pretty much (but, $$$$), as long as I had the option for a full size ETTL/HSS flash. And the option to go ultrawide (haven't seen this yet in Fuji).

I've been shooting my 1Ds II lately and the size/bulk, I don't mind, definitely is not conducive to family outings. I don't want to walk around with a 1D when I'm just with my family some where. I don't mind taking my 5Dc or EOS-M for going out with my family. So I know being realistic with myself, regardless of what *I* like, I know my family likes it better when I have a small kit and I'm near by (not always 20+ feet away, shooting images). So I know that whatever I have, I need a bigger sensor and really wide glass for it to be able to be something I'll want to use.

Honestly if my Galaxy S7 could trip a HSS/ETTL flash, I would use it!

Very best,

MalVeauX wrote in post #18444467
Honestly if my Galaxy S7 could trip a HSS/ETTL flash, I would use it!

Very best,

https://godox.shop …-lithium-battery-pre-sale

a couple of years ago on vaction with the family .. I brought the 5d3 24-70mkii 430 exii combo plus the 50 f1.4 and 85 f1.8 because you never know when you might need a prime , tripod, and the t4i with 10-18 for video and panasoninc gx8 with a couple of lenses.. I mean those m4/3 lenses are pretty small anyway.
first day out it all came with me .. 2nd day only the t4i with the 24-70..and I got some really nice pics of everyone ... and the family never asked why I didn't take the "big camera"(5d3) as they like to call it.
I was able to use what I have to the best of its abilities instead of thinking about my options.

with every trip I try to minimize so that I can focus on the moments with the family..
I've got a vacation next week .. just me and my son , a first for us(vaction withjust us two.. a bonding vaca )
the photography enthusiast in me wants to bring it all , including some led lights and gimbal for some really smooth video !!
but , the "artistic father"? in me says "Bring as little as possible and capture moments you and your boy will look at years from now and think of fondly"

I've reduced it to the Fuji xt2 , 2 primes (23 f2 and 50 f2)and a pentax k1000 with some Kodak trix or ilford film
tripod stays home but am bringing a joby gorilla thing .
doing my best to make this about the moments not the gear

Lets not focus on just the travel moments... but all the moments of the family needs.

I honestly don't think you can pull it off with a one camera system.

I know for sure my entire kit is overkill for our family needs. I think my lighting kit is perfect for our needs because we do studio time in our home and the occasional on location stuff but thats kind of rare.

I haven't though much about it until I saw your thread. My wife prefer I use my professional camera (5D IV) and get professional quality of my kids. She photographed our kids alot with her iPhone, but it's more like snapshot especially when it's dark (blurry, bad expression, grainy, poor clothing and location choice).

Being a weekend wedding photographer, it is hard for me to settle for snapshot pictures when some of the place we visit are really pretty. I bring off camera flash (AD200 & Godox 860II), 70cm softbox to capture beautiful environmental portraits. My family have been really understanding and assisted me to get the shots. We usually travel with grandparents on vacation so I got alot of great images of my kids, and my family. The very best image get print on metal canvas. I got my dad a Sony a6300 & gimbal so he has video of our trip. Some video and great images = priceless memory.

Travel camera: 5D IV + Tamron 15-30, Canon 24-70 II 2.8, Sigma 135 1.8
off camera flash: AD200 & 70cm softbox.

level5photog wrote in post #18444542
I haven't though much about it until I saw your thread. My wife prefer I use my professional camera (5D IV) and get professional quality of my kids. She photographed our kids alot with her iPhone, but it's more like snapshot especially when it's dark (blurry, bad expression, grainy, poor clothing and location choice).

Being a weekend wedding photographer, it is hard for me to settle for snapshot pictures when some of the place we visit are really pretty. I bring off camera flash (AD200 & Godox 860II), 70cm softbox to capture beautiful environmental portraits. My family have been really understanding and assisted me to get the shots. We usually travel with grandparents on vacation so I got alot of great images of my kids, and my family. The very best image get print on metal canvas. I got my dad a Sony a6300 & gimbal so he has video of our trip. Some video and great images = priceless memory.

Travel camera: 5D IV + Tamron 15-30, Canon 24-70 II 2.8, Sigma 135 1.8
off camera flash: AD200 & 70cm softbox.

Seems well thought out and it helps when you have a family that also wishes for the same output. My wife loves her Fuji... loves it so much. I know however she would love a Sony A7RII but she doesn't know that yet. I'm the only hold back for her to have the best of the best.... she demands the best of the best but she compromises to a degree to have portable. She tried the 70D/80D and she missed having something portable. She wanted smaller and wanted to use "my" camera for times she wanted high quality... she says now with her Fuji and her glass she has especially the 56mm that she no longer needs my camera that her images look amazing out of the fuji.

What you mention is exactly what we would be going for. Bring one 860 and one AD200 and one modifier and you can do some really great on location stuff with that. I personally have a 36" Cheetastand ricebowl which fits small into it's own carry bag. Bring the one boom stand and thats all we need but this is when we travel via vehicle. We are not really a family that flys around at all... too expensive and even if we could afford it I doubt we would.

Great setup and I'd definitely prefer a good controlled light setup with 2.8 glass over no light setup and prime. I miss my 15-30 but it was too bulky to carry so I swapped it for the 16-35 F4 IS. My goto video lens. I carried that 15-30 for 4 full days of disney and 12+ hours a day. Great lens!

Talley wrote in post #18444558
Seems well thought out and it helps when you have a family that also wishes for the same output. My wife loves her Fuji... loves it so much. I know however she would love a Sony A7RII but she doesn't know that yet. I'm the only hold back for her to have the best of the best.... she demands the best of the best but she compromises to a degree to have portable. She tried the 70D/80D and she missed having something portable. She wanted smaller and wanted to use "my" camera for times she wanted high quality... she says now with her Fuji and her glass she has especially the 56mm that she no longer needs my camera that her images look amazing out of the fuji.

What you mention is exactly what we would be going for. Bring one 860 and one AD200 and one modifier and you can do some really great on location stuff with that. I personally have a 36" Cheetastand ricebowl which fits small into it's own carry bag. Bring the one boom stand and thats all we need but this is when we travel via vehicle. We are not really a family that flys around at all... too expensive and even if we could afford it I doubt we would.

Great setup and I'd definitely prefer a good controlled light setup with 2.8 glass over no light setup and prime. I miss my 15-30 but it was too bulky to carry so I swapped it for the 16-35 F4 IS. My goto video lens. I carried that 15-30 for 4 full days of disney and 12+ hours a day. Great lens!

It helps that my wife is not a photographer. She doesn't want a DSLR/mirrorless camera of her own except a good phone with nice camera to capture candid shots. She knows what is involve to get great pictures (OCF, post process, lens and camera). She rather not waste her time and increase cost with camera system of her own. She patience in taking care of the kids while I take family pictures at sunset, or grab some landscape shot in between too.

I brought AD600B to Hawaii and got some amazing images. With the AD200 & v860II, it's even more portable to bring it everywhere. Still deciding if I should bring 2-AD200 for fail redundancy. I bring my SMDV 70 but leave my SMDV 110 at home. SMDV 70 fit in my luggage along with my Feisol 3442T tripod. I might just bring my Tamron 15-30 and Sigma 135 1.8 Art in the future for vacation and leave the 24-70 at home.

Talley wrote in post #18444530
Lets not focus on just the travel moments... but all the moments of the family needs.

I honestly don't think you can pull it off with a one camera system.

There have been times over the past year where I've been tempted to sell it all and get an RX10ii or iii and just call it a kit. Keep my speedlight and be done with it.