Chris S. Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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My trail running/mountaineering camera is a Panasonic Lumix LX-5. It's a tiny imaging marvel with a 24-90mm equivalent Leica lens. I've been very happy with it. I paid about $500 when it was new. At current second-hand prices, circa $150, it seems like a steal. It has a P&S-sized sensor, which cramps its style in low light, but it works very well in good light. This camera has been with me many times when it wasn't appropriate to bring my full-frame or APS-C equipment, and has reminded me that the camera you have with you makes way better images than the fuller-featured system you left at home.
I do think of replacing it with the Panasonic Lumix GM-1, an interchangeable-lens m4/3 body designed for a purpose-built 24-64mm equivalent lens. This camera's much-larger sensor, amazingly contained in a camera and lens system just about the same size and weight of the much-smaller-sensored LX-5, is tempting. I'd appreciate the greater dynamic range/low-light capability that the larger sensor would deliver. That said, this body/lens combo (and paucity of used items at fire-sale prices) comes with a higher cost: roughly $650 for the body/lens combo.
The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III, one model among the Sony RX-series cameras mentioned by others, is intriguing to me for its 24-70mm equivalent lens; 24mm is my most-used focal length for trail running, mountaineering, and travel photography, and I have no interest in a small camera that does not go this wide. (Though 20mm equivalent would be even better.) To be sure, this is a personal viewpoint, and other photographers may differ. What keeps me from being interested in the Sony RX100 III is its one-inch sensor. With the Lumix GM-1 to compete with the Sony--but offering a larger sensor and interchangeable lenses in a similar form factor, it's hard for me to get enthusiastic about the Sony.
Cheers,
--Chris
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