Littleted

So I bought the new Lumix FZ1000 bridge Camera, which at present is probably the best bridge out, but as im going away I decided I also wanted a small compact for the time a big Camera just wouldn't be right..


IE
Meals
Short trips walks etc


So after much review reading Video watching and speaking to


Wex Photographic
Jessops
Park Cameras


It came to the comclusion that the best Camera out at present for portability and pin sharp quality is the Sony RX100 MK3


http://www.jessops.com/online.store/...1080/show.html


The 3 has the Viewfinder and MK2 doesn't, but having a VF is kinda needed if I want to try take serious shots, so I had to plump for the more expansive one


the others I looked at were as follows


All Panasonics LX100 GFs and the others.
Nikon J5
Sony A6000
Fuji X1 Pro
Samsung NX500


Its kind of a minefield out there in the CSC camera scene, but took me a week of asking posting and all the answer were the same, must be a bloody good unit.. Ill post some when I get it Thursday

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

I had the RX100 Mk1 a couple of years ago - amazing camera for it's size, but I soon sold it and went back to a SLR and my trusty Lumix. Just couldn't get the quality and depth that I needed from it (as an SLR replacement), but as a compact it's pretty good. I'd imagine the Mk3 is much improved.

Littleted

yeah it is, I have the Lumix fz1000 as my Main and will be moving to either Nikon or Lumix GH5 when it gets released for the DSLR

Matteeboy

I recently bought a LUMIX TZ70; it's very good and has an EVF.

hux309

Samsung NX500, almost the same features as their NX1 but more than half the price, with a reasonable lens.

Littleted

Yeah looked at that Hux but not out yet in UK, due in next two or 3 weeks, along with the new LUMIX G7

Also with the lens on it, it's kinda in same area as Sony A6000 a tad bulky for my stretch lucky jeans

nardoblue

iTrader: (1)

Plumped for a second hand RX100 mk2 to compliment my Sony A65. The view finder wasn't a deal breaker, love the size, quality and angled screen. Shots are great with loads of detail. Most people use the screen rather than the view finder as you can get low/ high shots, the camera shuts off when you push the viewfinder back into the body which is a pain.

stevebt

iTrader: (8)

I have just bought my missus and my daughter a new camera and \I would put the quality right up there with my Nikon 3300 with a 200mm lense.

I bought my missus a Canon compact and my daughter a Nikon bridge and the quality of both 16mp cameras match my 24mp DSLR.

My daughter zoomed into a battery 10foot from her to show me how good the 38x zoom was. I was adamant that 24mp and more glass would make for a better image.

I took the shot then zoomed in on my pc and it was terrible, in comparison my battery was like looking at a 210 mp movie on a 60inch screen, very blocky.

I'm more disappointed as I was going to buy a bridge camera yet bought a dslr on people saying the are the best .


I'm afraid not as apart from very close up two cameras are better than my dslr and I could buy both twice by the time I add the 18-200mm lense

So in reality I can't really see your sony camera making that huge a difference as compared to say a lumixtz60

Matteeboy

Interestingly (ish) the new TZ70 has a lot LESS pixels than the TZ60 it replaced; the idea being that each pixel gets more light. I have to say it works brilliantly in low light; that's where phone cameras are particularly crap.

With 30x zoom and control over every element (if you want it), it's quite a camera.

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

It's all about the sensor with the RX100. It's over 4 times larger than the TZ60. That's a huge difference in quality.

Littleted

Well just a wee update I've been using both the fz1000 bridge and the Rx100 both are pin sharp and compared to my dads a7II with 1k Carl zeiss lens I can't actually tell....

Anyway as for ease of use, the sonys viewfinder is ok and does what I got it for but its small and not as good as the Fz1000s however the shots the Sony does are amazing very very sharp.

The Fz is good because of the fact the Leica lens goes from 25 to 400 native then 800 with digital or 1600 with intelligent digital. Ok at 1600 it's grainy but ok to see what's going on.

I'm still going full frame at some point and it will be a gossip between the Nikon D750 or 810 but let's see what els comes out

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Two VERY different cameras though.
The Sony alhtough good at what it does, is only 3.6x zoom

The TZ on the Lumix cameras stands for Travel Zoom. They are go anywhere cameras for travel, taking pics from wide angle to ultra zoom, the newer ones are almost a 500mm 35 mm equivalent.

Matteeboy

The quality does dip a fraction at full optical zoom (30x) then more at full digi zoom (60x) but it's still pretty good. Also a little easier than carrying a £2k lens about. Clearly not the same but there's no way I'd carry a bag around JUST for a camera. Ever.

Littleted

Yeah I was speaking to my dad about this

When I buy my Nikon can I get a lens same as the Fz1000 ie 25 to 400 in such a small package.

Be good if you could

The zoom on the RX is only 24 70 but a good 24 70 it's Zeiss glass and f1.8, my dads is also Zeiss 24 70 and is biggish but where talking diff ball parks here.

The smaller LUMIX are very good I know that I nearly got one, but I wanted the creativity element and features of a big boy and the lower LUMIX don't have these only the Lx100 G7 Gh etc, the Sony RX was as close as u can get to full blown Sony unit without having to go A6000 or A7 this is pocketsize

I'll shove some photos up later of them both taking the same shots see what u think

Matteeboy

Ted; you can have full manual control of shutter speed, ISO settings, etc (or control just one or two, whatever) if needed: I've done some quite good night shots using the 60 second exposure option.
It's a big reason I got it; allows far more control than just relying on auto.

The one thing is won't do is "recover" quickly after a shot; but you can do 3fps bursts if needed. SLRs are far better for taking multiple shots in your own time.

Littleted

Yeah Matte I did a star trail the other night with the Lumix, I used the IntervalOmeter
I set the shutter to 25 seconds 3 seconds to write to card and intervals of 30 seconds. so I missed 2 seconds of action. I took 66 and ill pop up what I got in a moment, just uploading the camera comparison stuff.

As for manual control yeah I do play with that, im normally in Aperture mode, most I can have my shutter open for in Bulb mode is 120 seconds, the fullframes do it forever I think..

Littleted

ok so I took kinda the same pictures with both Cameras, I messed up the Macro on the Sony but I tried again after my swim, and it was kinda too close anyway and wouldn't focus, if I pulled away it was fine, but you see the Lumix was far superior


RX100 Mk3


http://s1139.photobucket.com/user/li...%20RX100%20MK3


Panasonic FZ1000 Bridge


http://s1139.photobucket.com/user/li...ideshow/FZ1000


I also did no zoom and full lens zoom No digital ****, shows the differing range of each etc...

Matteeboy

They all look good to me; wherever that is, I want to be there NOW!

Mind you, it's pretty lush here today; amazing colour sea, flowers in full bloom, etc. Did my 5 mile coast run earlier and the colours were amazing; no camera though!

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Bloody rained all day here with some right downpours!

Bear in mind that the top end Lumix cameras use LEICA lenses........none better, although others may be equal.

I also have a Nikon D300 with, amongst others, a 17-55mm Nikon F2.8 lens that cost more than the camera body, and a decent F1.4 35mm lens that equates to a 50 mm in full frame.....it now gets barely any use.

Littleted

It's hot hear at the moment, my portable temp gauge hit 50 in the direct sunlight today, shades about 36 I'm only 70 miles south of Alicante in a place called cabo roig, so I'm told very rich live here, and by the look of the houses for sale there prob right, price range is 400k to 15 million, with most between 1 and 4 mill euros

Think this gaff I'm at is 1.2 mill

I'll pop some of my dads a7 up later

Matteeboy

My inlaws keep their yacht there; then pootle about the Med in season. All rather pleasant.

Took this (random boat) directly into the sun earlier; worked out okay.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Odd colours...was the sky really a flat grey and the sea solver?

Should say "silver".

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Was that star trails shot taken on a tripod? I might try one when I'm over in France, the garden is VERY dark, (and a bit spooky).

Littleted

Yes alka you need it on tripod s shutter stays open for 25 seconds at a time.
I use a Joby tripod

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-j...ripod/p1017697

Its great u can wrap it round anything.

im unsure what Camera you have but if you can leave the shutter open for ever then theres that way, the other way is to use as above the Interval meter and set the meter for a set number of shots.

My rule is

each shot is taken at 30 second intervals, so I set camera to do open shutter for 25, I then give it 3 seconds to write and then 2 seconds grace before it fires again. try do it for 30mins to an hr.

The above shot was 30 mins. you then need to layer them in Photoshop

http://petapixel.com/2013/03/18/how-...art-to-finish/

I use this guide, but forget the sums part your camera should be good enough.

One thing to be aware of if you use a higher ISO like 1600 800 you need it to be pitch black, anything local like lights street lights will white out the image.. but more trails will show....

Littleted

one thing I forgot to add, if you can find the north star you should get circles around it... make it your centre and go for it..

Good luck

P,S Sony Cameras have an APP that does all the hard work for you

Matteeboy

Not sure what solver is (!) but it was a funny colour directly around the sun; elsewhere it was bright blue and cloudless. I just pointed, zoomed a bit and snapped so zero care went into it!

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

My Nikon will do shutter open for ever, and yes, the North star is easy to find from where we are in France. I'll not have to bother layering then as they will all be on the one shot? I have PS on this 'puter, but my software discs have been nicked so I can't instal it on the laptop...which runs 8.1 anyway, so it may not have been compatible. Oh well, the software only cost around £50.

I might see if I can take the tripod and use the F1.4 lens, or open the other to 17mm.

I had been thinking of placing the camera on a beanbag, rather than a tripod.

Littleted

bean bags good as long as it doesn't move in the hr or so u have it open.

using PS is easier to layer takes about 2 mins.... highlight all in bridge, import in and tick all LAYERS and Lighten...

There are other free software's online that I think do it...Just check your cam will let u leave it open, I have Bulb mode or B which is what you say, but to protect the sensor it only stays open to a max of 120 seconds. hence the interval ometer , if you have a mega expensive full frame, Nikon or Canon it may do it then... but check. you don't wanna leave it on the beanbag for 1 hr to find it only stayed open for 1 min LOL