Help me decide - Good quality compact and sell DLSR gear or not

booyaka

booyaka

booyaka

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19 Jan 2006
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Finding myself having less and less time to spend with my DSLR and needing a smaller camera for famliy holidays/cycling etc.

Kit at the moment:

D90
Sigma 24-70 f.28
Nikon 50mm f.1.8
Nikon 70-300VR
SB400 flash
remote
various SD cards.


A few years back I would happily take my Nikon D90 and various lens in my bag to parties/days away etc and snap away. Pictures in the house with the kids/back garden etc.

However recently I'm finding myself wanting/thinking of a decent compact camera more and more. Also with lack of time to spend with camera, comes the loss of appetite for it.

Going away to Spain in the summer with wife and kids - NOT going to take DLSR as will have more than enough stuff to take.

For instance the 70-300VR which is a cracking lens has probably not been on the camera for 9 months!

So considerations - buy a cheap £100/£150 compact and keep DLSR stuff.

OR

Sell all the gear and spend £300/£400 or something on a good compact camera and put the rest towards something else (replacement laptop/tablet)

Any thoughts?
 
No compact can match your DSLR. This is a question only you can answer and I feel you already know the answer.

(the second one on your list)
 
Raymond Lin said:
No compact can match your DSLR. This is a question only you can answer and I feel you already know the answer.

(the second one on your list)
Click to expand...

I know that no compact can "match" my Nikon but I just feel that I am using my DLSR so little these days that it's not worth having that much "gear" and barely using it.

Some shots of the kids growing up and stuff is about all it's used for just now and with upcoming holidays and days away on the bike etc, I can't justify lugging it all around for that.

BUT - will I regret selling it in the future? I'm guessing not as tech will have moved on again in a few years time if I ever got the urge to go back to a DLSR.
 
What strap do you use for the DSLR? I really disliked the neck strap, uncomfortable and kept getting in the way. Now I use a Black Rapid type strap it's easy to forget you're carrying the camera with you. I like the Fuji X100 I just bought, but that is a fixed 35mm equivalent lens. The X10 seems popular, but I haven't really looked into that much.

The different systems all have their pros\cons, you have to decide which ones are the most important to you. Ultimately the best camera is the one that you have with you...
 
Rojin said:
What strap do you use for the DSLR? I really disliked the neck strap, uncomfortable and kept getting in the way. Now I use a Black Rapid type strap it's easy to forget you're carrying the camera with you. I like the Fuji X100 I just bought, but that is a fixed 35mm equivalent lens. The X10 seems popular, but I haven't really looked into that much.

The different systems all have their pros\cons, you have to decide which ones are the most important to you. Ultimately the best camera is the one that you have with you...
Click to expand...

cheers for that - I use a nice "smugmug" strap - it's very comfy in fairness.

Haven't really looked around too much at other options but will take a wander to Jessops/Jacobs for a play IF i decide to go down the route of selling my gear
 
Sell up and buy a good quality compact would be my choice.

Okay they won't quite match the DSLR in some areas (AF been the most frequently mentioned) but there are ones that are capable of producing excellent images, more than good enough for most. You can spend a hell of a lot on compacts, for example the Fujifilm FinePix X100 at £600!, and as mentioned that's a fixed focal length equiv. of 35mm, or a canon s100 which gives you manual control when you want plus RAW for around £300.

Loads to choose from and I must admit it doesn't look like an easy choice given the pro's and cons of each camera.
 
I'd buy a really good compact like the Olympux xz-1 or Canon s100 on an interest free credit card and use it for a few weeks/months then you'll know if you need the SLR gear or not and can sell it to pay off the credit card or sell the compact for close to the purchase price and pay off the small difference on the credit card.

This approach will really let you compare the differences and if after having the compact for a month or two you haven't got the SLR out you will know you don't need it.
 
stuartw_b said:
Sell up and buy a good quality compact would be my choice.

Okay they won't quite match the DSLR in some areas (AF been the most frequently mentioned) but there are ones that are capable of producing excellent images, more than good enough for most. You can spend a hell of a lot on compacts, for example the Fujifilm FinePix X100 at £600!, and as mentioned that's a fixed focal length equiv. of 35mm, or a canon s100 which gives you manual control when you want plus RAW for around £300.

Loads to choose from and I must admit it doesn't look like an easy choice given the pro's and cons of each camera.
Click to expand...

The X100 is still an APS-C sized sensor though, just thought I'd mention that.
 
How about a middle of the ground Panasonic GF3,pretty compact for what it is, and panasonic are doing cashback deals for them at the moment. Its not really much bigger than my old Panasonic TZ5, and the quality is much much better, and you still have full control for when you want to get creative.
 
a1ex2001 said:
I'd buy a really good compact like the Olympux xz-1 or Canon s100 on an interest free credit card and use it for a few weeks/months then you'll know if you need the SLR gear or not and can sell it to pay off the credit card or sell the compact for close to the purchase price and pay off the small difference on the credit card.

This approach will really let you compare the differences and if after having the compact for a month or two you haven't got the SLR out you will know you don't need it.
Click to expand...

interesting idea. was having a look at the fuji x10 as well.
 
stuartw_b said:
Yes I know :) and its still a compact alternative, and been a fixed lens gets away from carrying anything else just a shame about the price.
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Well it would be lovely if it was cheaper :D It has come down from the £999 it was at some places for the launch though!
 
I would sell your DSLR gear and buy the Olympus XZ-1 and the VF2 viewfinder.

The XZ-1 and iPad is a great picture taking, viewing combo!
 
Bump for an old thread but recently sold all my gear (bar Sigma 24-70 f2.8 which is getting a new front element fitted for a minute chip on it and then will get sold) and decide to go for a RX100.

Basically with 2 kids and cycling etc I wanted something that I could use more as a pocket size camera. I tried keeping the DLSR and buying a compact TZ-20 but the picture quality was awful and in low light was a non-starter so flog that pretty quickly.

Having looked around the RX100 should cover most of the bases for now and looking forward to getting it shortly. Ordered from ******* for £397 with official case included before the recent price rises. Should be with me next week hopefully.

Props to ******* - superb service so far with updates etc as it went out of stock as I ordered it and they have been great at keeping me updated.
 
You could look for a 2nd hand nex 5n from the bay to supplement it for low light use. A new model is out which has pushed the prices right down. The 5n has a very similar sensor to the nikon d7000 so does pretty well with high iso. There's 2 cheap sigma primes that could go with it as well for a cheap light kit, sigma 19 2.8 & sigma 30 2.8. The 30 is really good for the money.
 
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