My review. CSCs and compact zoom options... not so easy!
Discussion
I spent over 2 hours yesterday at a camera shop trying a few cameras and thought I'd share with you my initial thoughts.
Camera Objectives
My objective is to look for a small pocketable/semi-pocketable camera that is
- fast in operation
- has fast AF
- feels/looks good
- ergonomically good
- reputably with good optics and ability to work in low light without flash (many social photo opportunities are in the evening/indoors)
This would be my second camera alongside my D300+lenses which I will keep for events. But for travel, social use, and just being out and about with the family/friends, this compact would be my go-to.
Cameras I tried
- Fuji XPro-1
- Fuji X100
- Fuji X10
- Olympus OM-D
- Nikon V1
- Canon G1X
- Canon S100
- Sony RX100
- Sony Nex 3
- Sony Nex 5
- Sony Nex 7
- Panasonic TZ30
- Panasonic GX-1
One thing that was very clear after a couple hours playing with all the above, is that these really are compromised cameras. All of them. Maybe I've been spoiled by the handling/speed/responsiveness of a proper DSLR, but it was evident that every one of them revealed a weakness that was noticeable within the first 60 seconds of handling it. Picking a winner amongst the list was definitely going to be an issue of not which one was most performant/strongest, but which was the overall least weak. Let me be clear - factoring in price, there is no clear winner amongst them.
Fuji XPro-1
Big and actually quite chunky. Almost too chunky. Lens system is proprietary, meaning you are limited to Fuji lenses. Not great when there is such a plethora of Micro 4/3 lenses that appears to be the developing standard. The XPro-1 is slow in responsiveness. And expensive. 4/10
Fuji X100
Smaller than the XPro-1, the X100 is a really nice size that fits well in my (size 10 gloves/size large) hands. It is a lovely camera to fondle and use. But responsiveness of the camera controls is VERY slow. This is not a Point and Shoot camera - scenes need to be identified, camera powered up, consider the scene, frame, compose, and CLICK. Fixed fast lens resolves very nicely, and it certainly feels like a quality item producing commensurate IQ and photos. Lovely, but a camera that makes you think about every photo. Good if you can mentally think about taking just the 36 shots in a day and it provides a real feel good factor. Quite expensive too. 7 maybe 8/10
Fuji X10
Smaller than the X100, the feel is nice, but a bit fiddly to manually use the zoom ring on the front of the body (the only way to zoom on this camera). Pleasantly quite nice, but again - not the most responsive in use. Decent price (350). 8/10
Olympus OM-D
Diminutive in the hand, this was one impressive camera. AF Speed and responsiveness of controls was top of the class. Hybrid EVF was very nice. Tried a few different lenses on it, and be it the pancake 14mm (ideal for evening/social use) or the longer zooms - just fantastic. By the time you have all the lenses and accessories, this is no longer a pocketable camera - it will need it's own camera bag. It is a DSLR system in miniature. And the price! 2 lenses + body = 1800. Expensive enough to make you seriously think if it's worth it at all. Ignore price, and this is a solid 9/10. Factor in price, and sadly it is 6/10.
Nikon V1
60fps? Wow. A terrific gimmick. But speed is what this camera is about - it's fast. AF, shutter lag, etc are all minimal amongst this group. Not keen on the flat front design, but it was about 1" thick and the overall size felt good in the hand. No viewfinder. Not many controls, and the buried menu system was annoying. Fast to shoot, slow to setup. Advantage of the V1 is that it can utilise Nikkor lenses, so if you have a Nikon DSLR, they can all be used (with an optional adaptor). But is that what we want to really use? 7/10.
Canon G1X
Industrial chunky. Lousy optical viewfinder - the same quality as a disposable camera, maybe worse - inexcusable really. Just a little too chunky/industrial for my preference. Fixed zoom that should really go to 24mm given the size of the camera. Not a standout amongst this crowd. 6/10
Canon S100
Small. Tiny. Party camera! This camera speaks for itself based on previous reviews/etc. It's a great point and shoot and a decent price, although it does not pretend to be anything more than a point and shoot imho. Image wise, it punches well amongst this company, and is priced quite well. Is there anything better though? 9/10 if size is the primary factor. In my case, I'd be willing to go slightly larger for better creative control and overall performance/etc.
Sony RX100
The sharp edges of the all metal body with flush buttons are immediately impressive and makes you feel like you are picking up a quality item. Certainly it has to be inline with the £500 sticker. It is small and pocketable. The AF was fast, responsiveness fast, and the handling as good as one could expect for a high end pocketable camera (slightly bigger than the Canon S100). Screen is very nice, but the menu system could be better. It has a polished 'Sony' (high end consumer) feel to it which is probably a good thing. Seemed to offer alot of creative control through quite a well balanced combination of menus and physical buttons. 8.5/10
Sony Nex3/5
Proprietary lenses. Felt outdated amongst this company. Doesn't make any shortlist.
Sony Nex 7
FAST. Great handling. Supposedly brilliant images. But proprietary lenses, and there is only an 18-55 at this time. This camera desperately needs to adopt the 4/3 lens mount and it would sell like hotcakes. As it is, it feels like it could end up being another BetaMax. Great fundamentals in terms of performance, but it has too strong a price given it's proprietary system with almost no lenses. Good option if you never planned to grow the camera beyond the basic package... but then would you want to pay £1k for this? The RX100 would make more sense. 6/10.
Panasonic TZ30
Point and shoot travel zoom. Amazing zoom range. Great all round Lumix handling. Good price. Average P&S optics, but not great in low light. Probably the most able P&S camera the average punter would need and want. 7/10.
Panasonic GX-1
A very smart looking camera imho, that is deceptively small in the hand. 4/3 system gives it a lot of flexibility. Responsiveness was excellent - as quick as the OM-D for most things, quicker in others. Not convinced by the PowerZoom lenses - they are very compact and will make a good travel companion - acceptable given it seems to combine both the CSC manual control with the pocketability offered by a zoom compact. Price (650) is middle of the road, the good looks are in it's favour, as is the 4/3 lens options. Lots of control, built in flash for when it is needed... 8.5/10.
The least weak?
So amongst these, the least weak appeared to be
- Fuji X100 (650)
- Sony RX100 (500)
- Panasonic GX-1 (650)
Each have their strengths - I am drawn to the Fuji because it is just lovely to hold and use in a more deliberate manner. As a companion to my D300+ lenses, the Fuji would feel like it were a luxurious treat. Perhaps it would be better if it were my only camera, because it doesn't allow you to do the quick P&S thing very well. On a leisurely Sunday street shoot, however, it would be perfect. It is a much harder decision between the RX100 and GX-1. One is a very capable zoom compact that is good enough for parties, the other is a capable CSC that seems to strike a good balance all round. Both look and feel great in the hand - from an ownership proposition, this is always a plus in my book. I will be heading back to the store later to [hopefully] make a decision...
Camera Objectives
My objective is to look for a small pocketable/semi-pocketable camera that is
- fast in operation
- has fast AF
- feels/looks good
- ergonomically good
- reputably with good optics and ability to work in low light without flash (many social photo opportunities are in the evening/indoors)
This would be my second camera alongside my D300+lenses which I will keep for events. But for travel, social use, and just being out and about with the family/friends, this compact would be my go-to.
Cameras I tried
- Fuji XPro-1
- Fuji X100
- Fuji X10
- Olympus OM-D
- Nikon V1
- Canon G1X
- Canon S100
- Sony RX100
- Sony Nex 3
- Sony Nex 5
- Sony Nex 7
- Panasonic TZ30
- Panasonic GX-1
One thing that was very clear after a couple hours playing with all the above, is that these really are compromised cameras. All of them. Maybe I've been spoiled by the handling/speed/responsiveness of a proper DSLR, but it was evident that every one of them revealed a weakness that was noticeable within the first 60 seconds of handling it. Picking a winner amongst the list was definitely going to be an issue of not which one was most performant/strongest, but which was the overall least weak. Let me be clear - factoring in price, there is no clear winner amongst them.
Fuji XPro-1
Big and actually quite chunky. Almost too chunky. Lens system is proprietary, meaning you are limited to Fuji lenses. Not great when there is such a plethora of Micro 4/3 lenses that appears to be the developing standard. The XPro-1 is slow in responsiveness. And expensive. 4/10
Fuji X100
Smaller than the XPro-1, the X100 is a really nice size that fits well in my (size 10 gloves/size large) hands. It is a lovely camera to fondle and use. But responsiveness of the camera controls is VERY slow. This is not a Point and Shoot camera - scenes need to be identified, camera powered up, consider the scene, frame, compose, and CLICK. Fixed fast lens resolves very nicely, and it certainly feels like a quality item producing commensurate IQ and photos. Lovely, but a camera that makes you think about every photo. Good if you can mentally think about taking just the 36 shots in a day and it provides a real feel good factor. Quite expensive too. 7 maybe 8/10
Fuji X10
Smaller than the X100, the feel is nice, but a bit fiddly to manually use the zoom ring on the front of the body (the only way to zoom on this camera). Pleasantly quite nice, but again - not the most responsive in use. Decent price (350). 8/10
Olympus OM-D
Diminutive in the hand, this was one impressive camera. AF Speed and responsiveness of controls was top of the class. Hybrid EVF was very nice. Tried a few different lenses on it, and be it the pancake 14mm (ideal for evening/social use) or the longer zooms - just fantastic. By the time you have all the lenses and accessories, this is no longer a pocketable camera - it will need it's own camera bag. It is a DSLR system in miniature. And the price! 2 lenses + body = 1800. Expensive enough to make you seriously think if it's worth it at all. Ignore price, and this is a solid 9/10. Factor in price, and sadly it is 6/10.
Nikon V1
60fps? Wow. A terrific gimmick. But speed is what this camera is about - it's fast. AF, shutter lag, etc are all minimal amongst this group. Not keen on the flat front design, but it was about 1" thick and the overall size felt good in the hand. No viewfinder. Not many controls, and the buried menu system was annoying. Fast to shoot, slow to setup. Advantage of the V1 is that it can utilise Nikkor lenses, so if you have a Nikon DSLR, they can all be used (with an optional adaptor). But is that what we want to really use? 7/10.
Canon G1X
Industrial chunky. Lousy optical viewfinder - the same quality as a disposable camera, maybe worse - inexcusable really. Just a little too chunky/industrial for my preference. Fixed zoom that should really go to 24mm given the size of the camera. Not a standout amongst this crowd. 6/10
Canon S100
Small. Tiny. Party camera! This camera speaks for itself based on previous reviews/etc. It's a great point and shoot and a decent price, although it does not pretend to be anything more than a point and shoot imho. Image wise, it punches well amongst this company, and is priced quite well. Is there anything better though? 9/10 if size is the primary factor. In my case, I'd be willing to go slightly larger for better creative control and overall performance/etc.
Sony RX100
The sharp edges of the all metal body with flush buttons are immediately impressive and makes you feel like you are picking up a quality item. Certainly it has to be inline with the £500 sticker. It is small and pocketable. The AF was fast, responsiveness fast, and the handling as good as one could expect for a high end pocketable camera (slightly bigger than the Canon S100). Screen is very nice, but the menu system could be better. It has a polished 'Sony' (high end consumer) feel to it which is probably a good thing. Seemed to offer alot of creative control through quite a well balanced combination of menus and physical buttons. 8.5/10
Sony Nex3/5
Proprietary lenses. Felt outdated amongst this company. Doesn't make any shortlist.
Sony Nex 7
FAST. Great handling. Supposedly brilliant images. But proprietary lenses, and there is only an 18-55 at this time. This camera desperately needs to adopt the 4/3 lens mount and it would sell like hotcakes. As it is, it feels like it could end up being another BetaMax. Great fundamentals in terms of performance, but it has too strong a price given it's proprietary system with almost no lenses. Good option if you never planned to grow the camera beyond the basic package... but then would you want to pay £1k for this? The RX100 would make more sense. 6/10.
Panasonic TZ30
Point and shoot travel zoom. Amazing zoom range. Great all round Lumix handling. Good price. Average P&S optics, but not great in low light. Probably the most able P&S camera the average punter would need and want. 7/10.
Panasonic GX-1
A very smart looking camera imho, that is deceptively small in the hand. 4/3 system gives it a lot of flexibility. Responsiveness was excellent - as quick as the OM-D for most things, quicker in others. Not convinced by the PowerZoom lenses - they are very compact and will make a good travel companion - acceptable given it seems to combine both the CSC manual control with the pocketability offered by a zoom compact. Price (650) is middle of the road, the good looks are in it's favour, as is the 4/3 lens options. Lots of control, built in flash for when it is needed... 8.5/10.
The least weak?
So amongst these, the least weak appeared to be
- Fuji X100 (650)
- Sony RX100 (500)
- Panasonic GX-1 (650)
Each have their strengths - I am drawn to the Fuji because it is just lovely to hold and use in a more deliberate manner. As a companion to my D300+ lenses, the Fuji would feel like it were a luxurious treat. Perhaps it would be better if it were my only camera, because it doesn't allow you to do the quick P&S thing very well. On a leisurely Sunday street shoot, however, it would be perfect. It is a much harder decision between the RX100 and GX-1. One is a very capable zoom compact that is good enough for parties, the other is a capable CSC that seems to strike a good balance all round. Both look and feel great in the hand - from an ownership proposition, this is always a plus in my book. I will be heading back to the store later to [hopefully] make a decision...
PPPPPP said:
Panasonic LX7?
Is the sensor size the same on all these cameras - I thought it was a large sensor on the Sony RX100
No, sensor size is quite different amongst all of them, although some seem to be able to extract more out a smaller sensor compared to some with a larger one. The Sony does have a big sensor, and a relatively fast lens.Is the sensor size the same on all these cameras - I thought it was a large sensor on the Sony RX100
LX7 was not available for test. Based on online previews, however, I am uncertain if it will be enough. I loved my old LX3.
Gemm said:
You were at a camera shop for 2 hours and didn't walk out of the shop with your purchase??? I bet they were pleased. 
Sorry I can't help with your queries but good luck!
Yes, that's why I go to a shop and not just read/buy online. Demoing and allowing me to demo the cameras are Sorry I can't help with your queries but good luck!
a) what the salesman is paid to do, and
b) what the demo cameras are there for
It's good to sleep on things overnight when the purchase is the better part of £1k or more and there was no obvious winner on first glance/demo.
I've just been through the same thing and came to the same conclusion... I found myself wanting bits of several of them all in the FUji x100 body!
Did you take a memory card with you and take shots with them? The reason for asking is I'm surprised by your comments on the G1-X... I found it has several shortcomings that it really shouldn't have (viewfinder, AF speed and minimum focusing distance) but IQ isn't one of them
Did you take a memory card with you and take shots with them? The reason for asking is I'm surprised by your comments on the G1-X... I found it has several shortcomings that it really shouldn't have (viewfinder, AF speed and minimum focusing distance) but IQ isn't one of them
binliner said:
I've just been through the same thing and came to the same conclusion... I found myself wanting bits of several of them all in the FUji x100 body!
Did you take a memory card with you and take shots with them? The reason for asking is I'm surprised by your comments on the G1-X... I found it has several shortcomings that it really shouldn't have (viewfinder, AF speed and minimum focusing distance) but IQ isn't one of them
No I didn't and should have. But my first objective was to see how each of them handled - if the handling was not good, the camera immediately gets eliminated from the list of candidates.Did you take a memory card with you and take shots with them? The reason for asking is I'm surprised by your comments on the G1-X... I found it has several shortcomings that it really shouldn't have (viewfinder, AF speed and minimum focusing distance) but IQ isn't one of them
Even if the IQ is good on the Canon G1X, it just seems a very unlikeable camera to me. It looks crude, it is big, and the viewfinder was inexcusable (I would rather it not be there at all tbh); and call me a tart, but I am not spending money on something that is not pleasing to the eye.
"Camera Objectives
My objective is to look for a small pocketable/semi-pocketable camera that is
- fast in operation
- has fast AF
- feels/looks good
- ergonomically good
- reputably with good optics and ability to work in low light without flash (many social photo opportunities are in the evening/indoors)"
I had a pretty similar set of desirables when I bought my X100. Funnily enough I don't find it too slow in terms of operation though I suppose it is a bit sluggish compared to a DSLR but seems lightning fast compared to anything else remotely compact that I've used. The AF is okay. It's not lightning fast but it is accurate even in quite low light though you do need to try and pick out some contrast. Manual focus is poor as the focus ring is not mechanical and is too clever for it's own good unfortunately.
It certainly feels and looks good. In fact if I'm being honest this is what drew me to it most. It's a lovely thing to hold and use.
Ergonomics are a bit of a mixed bag. Some stuff is very good but it has a couple of annoying quirks one in particular being that the exposure compensation is very easily knocked.
IQ is where is scores most highly. Firstly, I love the jpeg engine. I never shoot jpeg on DSLR's but love shooting jpeg on the Fuji. The colour rendition is lovely but I'm also a sucker for the black and white modes. I tend to shoot raw as well but you need very quick memory cards as the buffer speed isn't the fastest. Low light, it scores really highly. Equal in my opinion to the D5100 I used to have which puts it on a par with the D7000 and to be honest other than lacking native 6400 it's not an awful lot worse than my D700. Put it this way, I don't change my approach to low light at all when switching between them. The on board flash is surprisingly good too though I tend to just use it as a fill. The lens is a peach and is damn sharp wide open.
Think you can probably tell I'm pretty chuffed with it, which leads onto my one gripe. My wife loves it too which means I very rarely use it
Plenty of pics on my flickr if you want to have a butchers.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56722309@N04/
By the way, I bought mine from Fuji refurb store using a voucher code. Think I paid about £530 delivered and it looked brand new in every way.
By the way, did I hear mention of an imminent new Canon APS-C CSC system about to be launched?
My objective is to look for a small pocketable/semi-pocketable camera that is
- fast in operation
- has fast AF
- feels/looks good
- ergonomically good
- reputably with good optics and ability to work in low light without flash (many social photo opportunities are in the evening/indoors)"
I had a pretty similar set of desirables when I bought my X100. Funnily enough I don't find it too slow in terms of operation though I suppose it is a bit sluggish compared to a DSLR but seems lightning fast compared to anything else remotely compact that I've used. The AF is okay. It's not lightning fast but it is accurate even in quite low light though you do need to try and pick out some contrast. Manual focus is poor as the focus ring is not mechanical and is too clever for it's own good unfortunately.
It certainly feels and looks good. In fact if I'm being honest this is what drew me to it most. It's a lovely thing to hold and use.
Ergonomics are a bit of a mixed bag. Some stuff is very good but it has a couple of annoying quirks one in particular being that the exposure compensation is very easily knocked.
IQ is where is scores most highly. Firstly, I love the jpeg engine. I never shoot jpeg on DSLR's but love shooting jpeg on the Fuji. The colour rendition is lovely but I'm also a sucker for the black and white modes. I tend to shoot raw as well but you need very quick memory cards as the buffer speed isn't the fastest. Low light, it scores really highly. Equal in my opinion to the D5100 I used to have which puts it on a par with the D7000 and to be honest other than lacking native 6400 it's not an awful lot worse than my D700. Put it this way, I don't change my approach to low light at all when switching between them. The on board flash is surprisingly good too though I tend to just use it as a fill. The lens is a peach and is damn sharp wide open.
Think you can probably tell I'm pretty chuffed with it, which leads onto my one gripe. My wife loves it too which means I very rarely use it
Plenty of pics on my flickr if you want to have a butchers.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56722309@N04/
By the way, I bought mine from Fuji refurb store using a voucher code. Think I paid about £530 delivered and it looked brand new in every way.
By the way, did I hear mention of an imminent new Canon APS-C CSC system about to be launched?
Well I'm probably a bit biased, owning a Nex 5n, but the Nexs are probably the best image quality and low light performance of all the cameras listed as they have a full APS-C sized sensor.
Also not sure what you mean about proprietary lenses, and only a 18-55? E-mount has a fairly wide range of lenses now from Sony, Tamron and Sigma: 16mm f2.8 (+ wideangle + fisheye adaptors), 18-55, 55-210, 18-200 (3 to choose from!), 30mm macro, 24mm f1.8 zeiss, 50mm f1.8, 19 f2.8, 30 f2.8.
Coming soon are rumoured to be a 16-50 pancake, 11-18 zoom, and a 35 f1.8.
You can use any Sony DSLR lenses with an adaptor, plus virtually any legacy manual lenses thanks to cheap ebay adaptors and the handy focus peaking feature.
Also not sure what you mean about proprietary lenses, and only a 18-55? E-mount has a fairly wide range of lenses now from Sony, Tamron and Sigma: 16mm f2.8 (+ wideangle + fisheye adaptors), 18-55, 55-210, 18-200 (3 to choose from!), 30mm macro, 24mm f1.8 zeiss, 50mm f1.8, 19 f2.8, 30 f2.8.
Coming soon are rumoured to be a 16-50 pancake, 11-18 zoom, and a 35 f1.8.
You can use any Sony DSLR lenses with an adaptor, plus virtually any legacy manual lenses thanks to cheap ebay adaptors and the handy focus peaking feature.
I agree with the general thrust here which is that a small camera to partner a DSLR system is either the X100 or Sony RX thing. I came to the X100 from m4/3 and to be brutally honest for the things the Fuji does I have no desire to cross back over to m4/3. I only have telephoto lenses on m4/3 at the moment and am tempted by the new G5 and the 7-14 UWA. Interesting question is though one could probably buy a secondhand D90 + Tokina 11-16 for the same price then add whatever one wants from the huge range of available tele options (sensor in X100 is the same as D90 so in theory expertly processed RAWs should be as good!). If one already has such a system then it may seem a bit of a no brainer.
Its a bizarre sounding position to get to but I have come to the conclusion that the biggest threat to m4/3 (or nex for that matter) is traditional SLRs. In other words there appears to be better solutions for all the other things one can do with these systems outside of the trio of very fast primes, UWA and telephoto. To put things another way again the compactness of the camera form factor really is a red herring IMHO, my X100 for example is thinner than my E-P2 was with the 20mm pancake on. The question then is what is better at those 3 things the other cameras can't do for the individual, nex, m4/3 or Canikon SLRs. Not an easy question to answer unless one is just not bothered at all by weight and bulk.
Its a bizarre sounding position to get to but I have come to the conclusion that the biggest threat to m4/3 (or nex for that matter) is traditional SLRs. In other words there appears to be better solutions for all the other things one can do with these systems outside of the trio of very fast primes, UWA and telephoto. To put things another way again the compactness of the camera form factor really is a red herring IMHO, my X100 for example is thinner than my E-P2 was with the 20mm pancake on. The question then is what is better at those 3 things the other cameras can't do for the individual, nex, m4/3 or Canikon SLRs. Not an easy question to answer unless one is just not bothered at all by weight and bulk.
spareparts said:
Sony Nex3/5
Proprietary lenses. Felt outdated amongst this company. Doesn't make any shortlist.
You've missed out, I feel. My NEX-3 takes some incredible low light images. Particularly with the 1989 Minolta 50mm F1.7 I bought for it (£20 on eBay yay!)Proprietary lenses. Felt outdated amongst this company. Doesn't make any shortlist.
Edited by iphonedyou on Friday 10th August 16:12
iphonedyou said:
You've missed out, I feel. My NEX-3 takes some incredible low light images. Particularly with the 1989 Minolta 50mm F1.7 I bought for it (£20 on eBay yay!)
I agree that the NEX is a great system, but I think it is a lightweight DSLR replacement, and it is not compact with any of the lenses on it.Edited by iphonedyou on Friday 10th August 16:12
The OP is incorrect in saying that there is only an 18-55 for NEX. Sony haven't been very supportive of NEX, but there are a few good lenses including an 18-200 superzoom and a few good primes. One of the system's strengths is also using legacy lenses as you are.
However, the lenses are expensive and big, so that would rule it out for me as a 'take anywhere' type of camera.
I have got a couple of NEXs as my main cameras (moved from Canon DSLR a couple of years ago) and I use the Canon S100 as my every day camera. The S100 is great for what it is. The Sony RX100 is probably better in every way, but the extra 10mm thickness stops it from going in a jeans pocket which is what ruled it out for me.
I used to work in a camera shop. They certainly won't be pleased after 2 hours in there and no purchase :-) Still I always recommend people have a play before buying.
I moved away from my Canon dSLR because I wanted a smaller system, I got a NEX last year (5n) and although the 7 was great, the lens lineup is quite poor still, and they feel a bit silly being so big on the front (and heavy). Alright for telephoto stuff, but for a basic cheap zoom, its not really acceptable. I loved the grip and most of the camera, it's just the lenses, like you said, if they had micro 4/3 lenses, then an NEX-7 would be an easy purchase.
I pretty much agree with most of your reviews. I can't stand the Canon G1X too, stupid thing and way too heavy.
FYI I bought the Olympus OMD. I had no use for my SLR stuff so was happy to go over to it. It's much more impressive than Canikon stuff. Even the micro 4/3 optics have some highly desirable lenses now. Also don't feel you should go for the Nikon 1 because you can use your larger lenses, pretty much all of these smaller cameras have adapters out there to take Nikon lenses now.
The OMD was expensive, but I bought mine in Japan (15% cheaper), got the free adaptor in the early promotion (sold for £110) and sold the 12-50mm lens that came with it too (£170) which made it quite competitively priced in the end. I bought one of the more expensive lenses for it (Panasonic f1.4 25mm) and haven't felt the need to buy another since. The only other thing I have on the list is the battery grip which really does change the handling of it (feels SLR like rather than CSC like). Remember the OMD is weather sealed, magnesium alloy body, electronic viewfinder, tilting screen, side mounted SD card holder (not at the bottom which causes problems when on a tripod), 2 adjuster wheels for aperture and shutter speed and in body stabilisation which is industry leading (this makes stabilised lenses unnecessary saving money and opening up legacy lens options unlike the NEX range). It really is a high end product hence the price, nothing else compact compares to it.
Also making stuff smaller = more money, hence why a lot of these smaller cameras seem hard to justify against a dSLR. You are paying for the compactness.
One last camera you might want to look at (due to be replaced soon) is the Panasonic GH2. It's got a nicer grip than the OMD, although is a little bigger. It's known for its video capabilities which is outstanding but it's rare to see them in shops. Due to be replaced soon so prices may come down.
I moved away from my Canon dSLR because I wanted a smaller system, I got a NEX last year (5n) and although the 7 was great, the lens lineup is quite poor still, and they feel a bit silly being so big on the front (and heavy). Alright for telephoto stuff, but for a basic cheap zoom, its not really acceptable. I loved the grip and most of the camera, it's just the lenses, like you said, if they had micro 4/3 lenses, then an NEX-7 would be an easy purchase.
I pretty much agree with most of your reviews. I can't stand the Canon G1X too, stupid thing and way too heavy.
FYI I bought the Olympus OMD. I had no use for my SLR stuff so was happy to go over to it. It's much more impressive than Canikon stuff. Even the micro 4/3 optics have some highly desirable lenses now. Also don't feel you should go for the Nikon 1 because you can use your larger lenses, pretty much all of these smaller cameras have adapters out there to take Nikon lenses now.
The OMD was expensive, but I bought mine in Japan (15% cheaper), got the free adaptor in the early promotion (sold for £110) and sold the 12-50mm lens that came with it too (£170) which made it quite competitively priced in the end. I bought one of the more expensive lenses for it (Panasonic f1.4 25mm) and haven't felt the need to buy another since. The only other thing I have on the list is the battery grip which really does change the handling of it (feels SLR like rather than CSC like). Remember the OMD is weather sealed, magnesium alloy body, electronic viewfinder, tilting screen, side mounted SD card holder (not at the bottom which causes problems when on a tripod), 2 adjuster wheels for aperture and shutter speed and in body stabilisation which is industry leading (this makes stabilised lenses unnecessary saving money and opening up legacy lens options unlike the NEX range). It really is a high end product hence the price, nothing else compact compares to it.
Also making stuff smaller = more money, hence why a lot of these smaller cameras seem hard to justify against a dSLR. You are paying for the compactness.
One last camera you might want to look at (due to be replaced soon) is the Panasonic GH2. It's got a nicer grip than the OMD, although is a little bigger. It's known for its video capabilities which is outstanding but it's rare to see them in shops. Due to be replaced soon so prices may come down.
Edited by Xaero on Saturday 11th August 22:14
Xaero said:
I used to work in a camera shop. They certainly won't be pleased after 2 hours in there and no purchase :-) Still I always recommend people have a play before buying.
I moved away from my Canon dSLR because I wanted a smaller system, I got a NEX last year (5n) and although the 7 was great, the lens lineup is quite poor still, and they feel a bit silly being so big on the front (and heavy). Alright for telephoto stuff, but for a basic cheap zoom, its not really acceptable. I loved the grip and most of the camera, it's just the lenses, like you said, if they had micro 4/3 lenses, then an NEX-7 would be an easy purchase.
I pretty much agree with most of your reviews. I can't stand the Canon G1X too, stupid thing and way too heavy.
FYI I bought the Olympus OMD. I had no use for my SLR stuff so was happy to go over to it. It's much more impressive than Canikon stuff. Even the micro 4/3 optics have some highly desirable lenses now. Also don't feel you should go for the Nikon 1 because you can use your larger lenses, pretty much all of these smaller cameras have adapters out there to take Nikon lenses now.
The OMD was expensive, but I bought mine in Japan (15% cheaper), got the free adaptor in the early promotion (sold for £110) and sold the 12-50mm lens that came with it too (£170) which made it quite competitively priced in the end. I bought one of the more expensive lenses for it (Panasonic f1.4 25mm) and haven't felt the need to buy another since. The only other thing I have on the list is the battery grip which really does change the handling of it (feels SLR like rather than CSC like). Remember the OMD is weather sealed, magnesium alloy body, electronic viewfinder, tilting screen, side mounted SD card holder (not at the bottom which causes problems when on a tripod), 2 adjuster wheels for aperture and shutter speed and in body stabilisation which is industry leading (this makes stabilised lenses unnecessary saving money and opening up legacy lens options unlike the NEX range). It really is a high end product hence the price, nothing else compact compares to it.
Also making stuff smaller = more money, hence why a lot of these smaller cameras seem hard to justify against a dSLR. You are paying for the compactness.
One last camera you might want to look at (due to be replaced soon) is the Panasonic GH2. It's got a nicer grip than the OMD, although is a little bigger. It's known for its video capabilities which is outstanding but it's rare to see them in shops. Due to be replaced soon so prices may come down.
Appreciate your thoughts Xaero. I went back to the shop today with the intention to purchase the camera and a few lenses, and then when they checked their stock on the body - they were out of stock and only had the floor model in! Doh. So will be back again in a couple days.I moved away from my Canon dSLR because I wanted a smaller system, I got a NEX last year (5n) and although the 7 was great, the lens lineup is quite poor still, and they feel a bit silly being so big on the front (and heavy). Alright for telephoto stuff, but for a basic cheap zoom, its not really acceptable. I loved the grip and most of the camera, it's just the lenses, like you said, if they had micro 4/3 lenses, then an NEX-7 would be an easy purchase.
I pretty much agree with most of your reviews. I can't stand the Canon G1X too, stupid thing and way too heavy.
FYI I bought the Olympus OMD. I had no use for my SLR stuff so was happy to go over to it. It's much more impressive than Canikon stuff. Even the micro 4/3 optics have some highly desirable lenses now. Also don't feel you should go for the Nikon 1 because you can use your larger lenses, pretty much all of these smaller cameras have adapters out there to take Nikon lenses now.
The OMD was expensive, but I bought mine in Japan (15% cheaper), got the free adaptor in the early promotion (sold for £110) and sold the 12-50mm lens that came with it too (£170) which made it quite competitively priced in the end. I bought one of the more expensive lenses for it (Panasonic f1.4 25mm) and haven't felt the need to buy another since. The only other thing I have on the list is the battery grip which really does change the handling of it (feels SLR like rather than CSC like). Remember the OMD is weather sealed, magnesium alloy body, electronic viewfinder, tilting screen, side mounted SD card holder (not at the bottom which causes problems when on a tripod), 2 adjuster wheels for aperture and shutter speed and in body stabilisation which is industry leading (this makes stabilised lenses unnecessary saving money and opening up legacy lens options unlike the NEX range). It really is a high end product hence the price, nothing else compact compares to it.
Also making stuff smaller = more money, hence why a lot of these smaller cameras seem hard to justify against a dSLR. You are paying for the compactness.
One last camera you might want to look at (due to be replaced soon) is the Panasonic GH2. It's got a nicer grip than the OMD, although is a little bigger. It's known for its video capabilities which is outstanding but it's rare to see them in shops. Due to be replaced soon so prices may come down.
Edited by Xaero on Saturday 11th August 22:14
Whilst there, I had a play with the demos again - and the RX100 is really just a very high spec P&S at £500. And for that money, I really would like to have more flexibility as offered by a M4/3 system. So I my decision was going to be for the Panasonic GX-1 which I thought offered a good balance of features/handling/performance/looks/value with the benefit of access to the M4/3 lenses. I like the look of the 14mm f2.5 pancake which would be a good 'evening' lens, the 100-300 for sports events (which also seems to get good reviews), and my mind is not made up yet about the others. There is time to decide on these and I'm in no rush.
I may well have another look at the OM-D though as it remains a really top end CSC albeit the price. Tempting.
The GX1 is a good choice, I liked the feel of it. I was going to convert from NEX to that last year, but it didn't (apart from lens selection) seem to offer enough to warrant the expense. It was close to perfect for me though, just I prefer a viewfinder and IBIS so was happy to pay (almost double) for the OMD for those features.
NJH said:
If you go m4/3 you can pick up a 14mm off ebay for peanuts, typically a brand new lens split from a kit. I bought mine that way for £125 but then sold it on to help pay for the X100.
Good point - just did a check and you're right - peanuts! 
Mind you, a 12mm pancake would have been even better...
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