p.1 #1 · What do you use when your beloved fullframe camera is not an option?
You are planning a multi-day hike in the mountains, or going outside at night to a fancy restaurant and don't want to bring a backpack but still want a high quality camera (or other situations like that), what do you bring, and why?
I'm still looking for solutions for example for long thru hikes, but still can't manage to decide what to buy/bring.
I would be happy to read your solutions (type of event, choice, and why). You can also explain what you've tried before and why it was not a good solution in your opinion.
p.1 #4 · What do you use when your beloved fullframe camera is not an option?
What I've tried:
hikes:
- smartphone (Samsung S20+): not good enough to my taste
- 1" compact (Canon G7X) (raw) : lack of dynamic range, low quality zoom, especially at 24mm (distortion+not sharp). Not a huge fan of the lack of EVF when in bright sun. No in camera charging (first gen G7X)
events:
- smartphone (same): unable to freeze motion, too much denoising when in low light
- 1" compact (same): to slow to focus, 1 second between each raw image, so not suitable for fast pace shooting
What I'd like to try:
- Ricoh GRIV (when out), I'ts a bit late to buy a GRIII
- APS-C Sony with 10-20 f/40 for hiking. But... ZV-E10-> no IBIS, no EVF. A6400-> no usb-c charging. A6700-> big/heavy in comparison of an A7CII/A7CR which is 21 grams heavier.
- Leica Q3: toooo expensive.
What I would really like:
- a modern APS-C compact camera with a high quality 16-35 equivalent integrated lens. Even something with a 20-50 equivalent, or a 24-70 (Canon G1X 2025 version). Of course with an EVF, a good enough battery, weather sealing and usb-c charging.
p.1 #5 · What do you use when your beloved fullframe camera is not an option?
I second the wish for an APS-C compact camera with a high quality wide angle, something like 15-35mm FF equivalent or less range to keep the size down.
The (relatively) most interesting camera I see with these specifications is the Nikon Z30, paired with the 12-28mm lens. The camera has no IBIS, but the lens is stabilised. I think I could live without an EVF for the applications I intend to use the camera for.
Sonys 10-20 f4 is also attractive, but like moby59 I don't see a fitting camera. The ones with EVF and IBIS are too bulky for my needs.
Until the "perfect" alternative is being made, I continue to use the Ricoh III + IIIx pair. Two more Ricohs with 15mm and 75mm equivalent lenses would also be nice and even preferable for me compared to the aforementioned APS-C cameras. A better low-light AF and a tilting screen would also be nice upgrades for the next GR-generation.
p.1 #7 · What do you use when your beloved fullframe camera is not an option?
Multi day hiking tours have never been on my agenda.
Eating out at a restaurant, sometimes even at a fancy one, happens. Then I take the A1, the 40/2.5 G or the Sigma 50/2 DG DN, whatever is closest or already mounted, and my usual satchel bag.
It used to be an A7Cx but then I swapped it for an A1 as I want a faster sensor. As soon we get a compact FF with an A1 or similar sensor I'll switch again. APS-C or smaller doesn't interest me.
Getting another camera to save a few cubic cm or a couple of hundred grams for this kind of use isn't necessary (for me). I use the A1 for everything. The satchel bag without any extra lens holds anything else needed for the happening.
p.1 #9 · What do you use when your beloved fullframe camera is not an option?
I've been through the mill on this adventure of finding the perfect hiking camera. I've tried smartphones, RX100X's, RX1RII's, Leica, etc.
The 1" sensor cameras and phones have too limited dynamic range and too much noise for my taste. For this kind of shooting, I find I need to have all the dynamic range I can muster without having to resort to shot bracketing. While many are happy with APS-C cameras like the A6000 series, I found that I much preferred the added dynamic range and better noise profiles of full-frame cameras, so my APS-C cameras never lasted very long in my kit.
I finally settled on the A7CR with relatively light lenses and I'm much happier with the files than I was with those other cameras. The added benefit is having detailed 61mp files that can be printed large and/or easily cropped, which I see as 'future proofing'.
p.1 #15 · What do you use when your beloved fullframe camera is not an option?
I just got back from Maui where hiking was done with an A7cR & 16-35pz. If I wanted smaller I would have gone with the 24G lens, or the 28-60 if I wanted more zoom flexibility.
Besides that, I actually picked up a little RX0 used for a snorkeling trip. Really nice results for what it is. Just need good light but the AF was quick and accurate.
p.1 #19 · What do you use when your beloved fullframe camera is not an option?
moby59 wrote:
You are planning a multi-day hike in the mountains, or going outside at night to a fancy restaurant and don't want to bring a backpack but still want a high quality camera (or other situations like that), what do you bring, and why?
I'm still looking for solutions for example for long thru hikes, but still can't manage to decide what to buy/bring.
I would be happy to read your solutions (type of event, choice, and why). You can also explain what you've tried before and why it was not a good solution in your opinion.
You need to be more specific:
What focal lengths do you need when hiking? Are you looking for wildlife (telephoto) or are you admiring the views, or maybe you are taking pictures of your partner and friends you are hiking with? It would be nearly impossible to do all of the above using a quality light camera system. State your priorities.
Low-light photography is yet another case. In this case, it is less the camera body and more the lens that is important. The larger is the physical aperture = focal length/F-number, the more light should reach the sensor (the size of the sensor is irrelevant). The downside is the increasingly shallow DoF for increasingly large physical apertures. This becomes a problem if you want to take a picture of a group of people around the table in a restaurant. Another consideration for low light is the camera IBIS, you may want the best IBIS for those subjects that are relatively still. For example, my OM-1 II allows me to take hand-held photos with 2-3s long SS, but the longest hand-held SS I can use on my A1 is about 1/5 of a second in the wide to normal focal length range.
p.1 #20 · What do you use when your beloved fullframe camera is not an option?
I haven't done any multi-day hiking for some years now (work and family commitments have temporarily put a stop to it) but when I did, I took the full-frame camera. In my case I usually took a Canon 6D or 6D mk II and a 24-70 f/4L IS lens. I found the trick was to have a good strap (I used a Blackrapid Sport), which is what the camera was on most of the time when I was hiking, and a good camera cube/insert for my backpack to carry the camera when I didn't want it hanging off my shoulder. So, not exactly an answer to the OP's question, but for me if I was going to hike somewhere, I generally wanted to have my full-frame camera with me.
As for going out to a restaurant, again I have always just used the full-frame camera unless I was happy with a phone photo. Sometimes I just put a 35 f/1.4 lens on despite the size, and other times I went with the Canon 40mm f/2.8 pancake lens or a 35 f/2 lens. The 40mm f/2.8, in particular, made the camera feel fairly compact. While an APS-C sensor camera would have been a bit smaller and lighter, I still would have been carrying something too large and heavy to put in a pocket so I don't think it would have made a genuine difference to me in terms of carrying the camera.
