How have you found carrying a DSLR or Bridge camera around

Food for thought...

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympusem5/

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonynex7/

Cheers,
Terry

I'm with Terry on the camera recommendations

I think the size of a DSLR and bridge camera is a definite no for me they're too big for what i want. So i did even MORE research earlier and came across the micro four thirds camera - just like Terry suggested. I went into jessops and saw the Canon EOS M, the Nikon 1 and the Samsung NX100.

I like the Canon EOS M it's 18MP with a APS C sensor but the price is a bit too much, the Samsung NX1000 is 20.3MP also with a APC C sensor. HOWEVER, neither come with a built in flash, although they do come with a flash in the box. This is extremely off-putting but then again, for what i'm after this really is the only camera. I really don't understand why they have built a camera without a flash built in, as this is yet another thing to carry around. I'm not sure if the flash is left on whilst in use and then packed away when not or what. Finally the Nikon doesn't seem to be of as a high a stanard of the other two.

Would there be much difference in image quality from the Canon and Samsung. As i am still a novice, my ignorance thinks because it's Canon it's better.

I have under a week to decide whether to buy a camera!!!!!

Canon:
http://www.jessops.com/online.store/categories/products/canon/eos-m-compact-system-camera-in-black-with-18-55mm-lens-86320/show.html

Samsung:
http://www.jessops.com/online.store/categories/products/samsung/nx1000-in-black-20-50mm-lens-free-samsung-galaxy-tab-2-84948/show.html

Thanks for your replies.

PS, didn't see page 2 of replies i will have a look now. Thankyou very much for your efforts.

[ Edit: Edited on 14-Nov-2012, at 10:48 by xyz. ]

I have also looked at the Sony NEX range, i think the NEX 7 is a bit too expensive for me. I have looked at the Sony NEX 5R but still too expensive i think which is a shame. After looking for so long and finding camera which would suit me best i just feel like not even bothering, which i would probably regret.

If i can find the NEX 5R a bit cheaper i think i may go with it. Would the 18-55mm lens be able to capture any type of image or would i need another lens for other scenes?

18-55 is reasonably wide-angle at 18mm, to 3x "zoom" at 55mm. Good for landscapes (as long as you're not in the fjords, grand canyon, or anywhere else where you're right in the middle of something truly huge), portraits and general city scenes, but useless for wildlife, details on buildings, and anything else you'd want to zoom in for.

Hmm don't know what to do.

The camera i'm looking at buying is the NEX F3 which comes with a 18-55mm lens and cost £369 with £50 cashback from Sony. I fly to Singapore first i wonder if i could get a telephoto lens from there.......?

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/85710/show.html

Haha. This, thread made me join the forum just so I could through my hat in to NEX experience.

They're all amazing. If you want DSLR quality of a Nikon D7000, which I was prepared to buy, the low ends all use the same APS-C sensor. Literally, Sony produces the sensor for the Nikon camera, and puts it in their own camera that costs half as much, weighs half as much, and satisfies that hip individual kinda feel from using a bridge camera.

The reason I'd say NEX is the best line is because of the APC-C sized sensor and it's use with any lens designed for a film or DSLR camera. They made the E-Mount specifactions public when it released, so there has already been an adapter made to fit any currently existing lens on this camera. With most other interchangeable lens compacts the smaller sensor size of micro 3/4 and nikon's CX cause the lenses to appear more zoomed in, which can be great for long distances but destroy your wide angle entirely.

I own several old Nikon film lenses from my parents and other relatives who have been shooting with the brand since the 80s, it was the reason I was looking at Nikon in the first place and I loved the D90 whenever I used one. Old manual lenses with no autofocus are rather inexpensive compared to their modern equivalents, and vintage lenses or often built to better quality than their mass produced, plastic versions.

But I digress, any of the NEX line are a perfect choice:

The F3 has every much amount of features as the top of the their line in terms of software and effects, and it has a pop-up flash and fully tilt-able screen.

The new 5R comes with WiFi so you can upload your pictures via device that gets internet or phone signal, a seeming must for travelers, and a touch screen.

The 5N is just as strong a competitor to its replacement, the 5R, but just took a price cut for not being WiFi capable, still gives you touchscreen for pinpoint focusing and easy reviewing. In my opinion, its the best camera of its class, and DSLRs of the same class at only a portion of the cost, even its old price.

The new 6 is the 16mp sensor of the lower tiers installed in the body of the much acclaimed 7, with some modification. It comes with a pop-up flash, a view finder for that real film camera feel, but actually has a standard hot-shoe to mount your flashes from film cameras, too.

I would stop at the 6 though, the only thing the NEX-7 offers any further beyond it is a 24mp sensor from the A65 and A77. A year older than the 6, it doesn't offer WiFi or have a standard flash hot-shoe.

The NEX-5R and 6 are available as of last Friday, and I've already played with both at my local Sony store. I plan on upgrading from my NEX-5N to the 6 in a few months

kyleostreet, thanks for the post and i appreciate your time to sign up and write it. After a few weeks of researching and last minute buying the camera i bought the NEX F3 today. For the sake of the price difference between the other models with wi-fi, i would normally spend that bit extra. As i am traveling and the more money i can get the better. Like you said the image quality will be exactly the same.

I can't believe i only stumbled across the CSC range last week but i'm so glad i did. My next task im faced with is uploading the pictures and keeping them safe. So i suppose a nice SD extreme pro memory card and keeping it somehow backed up is something i'll just have to make the effort to do.

I fly very soon so i can't wait to start using it. I just need a nice safe case to put it in

any tips on using the camera and different scene modes, tips on shooting with the NEX send it my way and thanks again to all that posted!

It's been interesting following this thread as I'm also thinking of buying a CSC. Let us know how it goes!

Well i really have left it to the last minute and after debating whether to buy it, i'm sure i would have only looked back regretting it if i didn't. Go on the flickr website and type in NEX F3 and look at the images.