Ditch the SLR?

OK first up, I am not a Troll!

So recently I have been cursed with some gear miss-fortune. First my trusty flash of many years failed, then my 24-104 f/4L died, cost of repair of both is kiwi currency - 1 and a half Powershot G12's.

I have been shooting on SLRs now for over 20 years, EOS for 17. Now a days the SLR only gets used on holidays and family shots.

I have some goodish gear, 40D + grip, 20D 24-105 f/4L (dead), 420EX flash (dead), 70-200 f/2.8L, plus four studio flashes and backdrop (unused for two years but we have been moving around a lot and have had nowhere to set it all up).

I have thought long and hard about ditching and getting a good solid compact (must be RAW capable and have some sort of wide angle option as I was about to splash for a 10-22 before things fell apart). My main issue with compacts really boils down to depth of field control and overall speed, that granted I cannot remember the last time I had my camera on fast rapid fire!

Thoughts, objections, wisdom?

To really mix it up might even consider non-Canon and risk being banned from the forum

FlyingPete wrote in post #11832477
wisdom?

don't be daft.

in reality the slr gives you a lot of benefits when things start to go wrong.
Imagine if you will the flash failing on a compact (or an AF system for that matter)
The SLR you just replace what's broken...

p.s. welcome to the forums, and what have you done with Pete?

how does a lens just die? IS just go wanky?

Think of it this way, the odds of any of that happening again is much slimmer. Pick up the pieces and go on.

If you drive a Ferrari all day and date super models, could you go back to driving around in a Chevy and dating fat women that shop at Walmart?

I would consider the Canon S95, top range of P&S.
I believe there is a new Lumix that just came out (read on Gizmodo) and supposed to be right up to Canon's S95 specs but 100$ less. Both are sub 400$ cameras.

FlyingPete wrote in post #11832477
First my trusty flash of many years failed,

psssst...: http://cgi.ebay.com …ain_0&hash=item​5192d2156b

joeseph wrote in post #11839112
psssst...: http://cgi.ebay.com …ain_0&hash=item​5192d2156b

Hmmm, that is worth noting. In my case flash still fires, something else around the connector is stuffed up, only fires at full power.

Dropped lens into Canon today, authorised repair up to $400, hopefully that covers it!

Why are you looking for a compact that shoots RAW? So that you can have the best image quality possible? If thats the case I think you need to pick up your SLR's again.

Maybe cut down the gear you have?

If you want DoF control, you'd be giving up an AWFUL lot of it by going to any P&S (that I know of)....hell, the ability to have real DoF in my images was one of the things that drew me to dSLRs a couple of years ago. Otherwise, if it meets your needs, I'd say go for it <shrug>

Not everyone needs/wants $x000 in gear to do what they want to do with pictures.

FlyingPete wrote in post #11844040
In my case flash still fires, something else around the connector is stuffed up, only fires at full power.

and you've checked it isn't a slightly loose hotshoe on the body right?
E.G.

FlyingPete wrote in post #11845026
Dropped lens into Canon today, authorised repair up to $400, hopefully that covers it!

fingers crossed...

FlyingPete, i really cant help you, its just i dont see many other people on here from pakuranga Auckland, so Hi hahaha

-Smurff

Smurff wrote in post #11846038
i dont see many other people on here from pakuranga

there's a few of them around, wander over to This thread & you'll find a couple...

joeseph wrote in post #11846052
there's a few of them around, wander over to This thread & you'll find a couple...

Cheers, much appreciated

-Smurff