Carry Everywhere Camera

aquarian_light

I'll probably end up getting the 3200 for the fact that it can take the lenses I already have and it's got better image quality than anything else we've discussed here. It took me 3 months to decide on the D800E over the D800 lmao and that was a fairly small difference.

TaoTeJared

I'll probably end up getting the 3200 ...

And we started with...

Without further ado, what I'm looking for....1-Highly Portable. 2-At least decent image quality. 3-Under or around US$400 for full system. 4-Focus speed is paramount. 5-The look and feel of the camera are mildly important.

I just have to laugh how we move our desires along and allow for increased prices!

aquarian_light

I'll probably end up getting the 3200 ...

And we started with...

Without further ado, what I'm looking for....1-Highly Portable. 2-At least decent image quality. 3-Under or around US$400 for full system. 4-Focus speed is paramount. 5-The look and feel of the camera are mildly important.

I just have to laugh how we move our desires along and allow for increased prices!

isn't the 3200 most of those things? lol the camera with kit lens is only $546, it's decently small and excellent image quality, with the right lens it's very quick focusing, and sure the looks aren't anything special, but i did say that bit was only mildly important :P lol

TaoTeJared

Sure is lol. I was focused on your first couple of "important" things to meet - Highly Portable/At least decent image quality/under $400.

I like more discreet cameras for street/lifestyle/environmental type of shooting - but still have yet to really find one that I truly like. DSLRs look like DSLRs and in the mid-west US where I live, people really do not like those pointed at them. People's personal bubbles are very large here and as a result, very aware of their surroundings and people looking at them.

The fuji X100 has came the closest. I am really tempted by the Sony RX1 (can justify that in lieu of a 35mm prime and use it for work) or a nex n6 or one of the Oly's with a 24mm & 50mm & 90mm equiv as a kit. Like you though, I would like something smaller and in the $400 range.

aquarian_light

As apposed to the way say.... this guy does it.
skip to 3 minutes in or so for the good parts.

Msmoto

@aquarian_light
Well, that is the way I see a "carry everywhere" camera...LOL

Symphotic

...The fuji X100 has came the closest. I am really tempted by the Sony RX1 (can justify that in lieu of a 35mm prime and use it for work).....

I picked up a X100S at my local camera shop today, and even got a (small) discount because we do a lot of business there. Funny thing you should mention the 35 mm prime, TTJ: I pulled the 35 mm lens out of my camera bag and stuffed the X100S in the spot previously occupied. Like you, I thought about the RX1, but if I want Bokeh, I'll use a 35 mm lens on my D800. Otherwise the Fuji is the same size as a lens and a lot less than the RX1.

roombarobot

For really, really portable, another option would be something with a form factor like the Canon S110 or the Olympus XZ-2. I have the Canon S95 and like the added control and RAW ability that it offers. It is no SLR, for sure, but I find I take it a lot more than I do my Micro 4/3. I usually don't use my micro-4/3, because it is much bigger than a pocket, so I might as well take my dSLR with a small-ish lens.

Another good really portable option is the Sony RX-100. That looks quite intriguing for the size. I wish it was cheaper, however.

jjdarling

For me, if I truly want something I can carry everywhere, it has to fit in my pocket. If I need a bag for it, I might as well bring my DSLR.

For pocketability, I believe the Canon S110 is the best on the market. The RAW format with full manual control (and physical dials for aperture and shutter speed) means I can take most of the same pictures I could take with a DSLR. It even goes down to f/2.0 at the wide end, and the flash is pretty decently controllable.

If you're used to a D800, a carry-anywhere camera is going to have drawbacks. However, the ultimate drawback of the D800 is that there are so FEW places you can take it, so why not get something you wouldn't hesitate to take ANYWHERE, not just when you have your messenger bag?

aquarian_light

Because my messenger bag goes everywhere with me carries my iPad and my glasses and my notepad etc... I I found a best buy about 20 miles away and tested out a bunch of the camera's we're talking about and the only one's that they had that performed admirably to my desires were the 3200 and fuji x20. They had an lx7, a sony rx100, a p7700 and various other 'advanced point and shoots' that were deceiving given their name lol the LX7 was remarkably slow and the screen was annoyingly laggy, the P7700 was just kinda meh... the x20 was spot on, fast and the viewfinder was actually very good for a rangefinder style. The d3200 was likewise responsive and quick.

BabaGanoush

As of today, I have my new Sony RX100 and also my new Panasonic GX-1 with the 7-14mm f/4 MFT lens. This week is going to be a busy one as I put this stuff through its paces. If things work out, I'll be selling my D7000, which I decided to keep as a travel camera after I bought my D800 last year. I actually have a Panasonic G6 on pre-order, but I may cancel that and instead wait for Olympus to announce the successor to the EM-5.

paulr

Stick to the faith, Get a V2 I use mine now most of the time for personal images, plus if needs be, you still have the option of all your other Nikon lenses =:)

Vipmediastar

Well for now I have been using my HTC one phone as my camera. I have enjoyed the last few days taking photos. The phone is awesome especially to view my photos taken with the D800. The phone itself takes decent photos. I wouldn't trade the D800 for anything but for my daily street shooting I would probably add a more compact. For now I'm happy with the HTC one as I walk Chicago feeling good about myself everytime I click the shutter.