Decision- Fuji XT-1/ Olympus OMD EM1/ Sony A7/ Pana DMC GX8

Mapkos13 · Feb 5, 2016

Evening everyone. I'm stuck on this one. I'm looking for a second, (technically a 3rd) street camera.

Currently I am in photography school and I am leaning towards Commercial/Ad, with minors in Creative and Fashion.

Right now I shoot with a D810 w/ 35, 50, 85 Nikon primes and 24-120, 70-300, and Micro 105 zooms. I also have a D7000 with the 18-105 kit lens. So I have a full frame and a cropped sensor. The D7000 with lens is still a camera that you can't forget you're carrying around due to it's size. Sure, it's not the D810 but it's also not the size of an iPhone!

Here's where I'm at in a general sense.

Olympus OM D E-M1

I feel I have the high end covered but it does not shoot in 4k. The EM1 would provide that for me and a much smaller form factor in the micro 4/3. Good for the street and every day type of stuff.

Fuji XT-1

Provides great color out of the box shooting jpeg and I personally love the way it looks and feels in my hands. While it is a much smaller and lighter cropped camera, is there really any point in going with this considering I have something loosely similar with the D7000.

Sony A7

Enough has been written about this camera to know what it brings to the table. Granted, it isn't the older sibling versions, but for my purposes it could be a good fit. Pros- I'd have another full frame in the stable in case of a breakdown. It feels like it disappears in my hands. Cons- Kit lens I heard wasn't anything to write home about. I'd have to purchase some new glass which doesn't help the smaller form factor argument. Lastly, I'm not sure I like it when looking through the viewfinder. It felt a little off to me unlike the Fuji which felt natural.

Panasonic DMC GX8

Last horse in the race. Another micro 4/3 that is pleasing to my eye. Light and the smaller form factor would fit the bill nicely. Another 4k shooter fills a gap I have now and also has image stabilization in both the body and lens.

Wild card- Late entry on the Olympus Pen-F since I just saw it to the right. May not have enough feedback on this one yet but it could be a dark horse.

I really appreciate your feedback. It helps immensely to get some relevant input into this decisions. Look forward to where this one ends up going!

KCook · Feb 5, 2016

I have not been able to shoot with any of these cameras, so what I have to offer is off the top of my head :-D

Mapkos13 said:
Olympus OM D E-M1

I actually prefer the design of the E-M5ii body. Which could save a few $$, unless you were considering a used E-M1? Except for extreme low light, these could replace the D7000.

Mapkos13 said:
Fuji XT-1

And you were carping about the Oly video??? Anyways, this could easily replace the D7000.

Mapkos13 said:
Sony A7

Surely you don't mean the A7 (original)? Later versions are real improvements. The cool thing is, there must be an adapter for those lenses from your D810?

Mapkos13 said:
Panasonic DMC GX8

Impressive M4/3 technology. But the body is a bit chunkier than most other M4/3 models. If you just want to take a M4/3 fling, a used GX7 could save $$ for sure.

Mapkos13 said:
Olympus Pen-F

Oh yeah! This could be the ultimate non-Leica street cam??? For stuff other than street, I prefer the conventional viewfinder configuration of the OM-D series.

Hey, if you are in the USA, all of these are easy to rent. (Well, dunno if anybody has the PEN-F yet) Both Barrowlenses and Lensrentals offer mirrorless cameras (I have gotten M4/3 gear from Lensrentals). It's nice to have so many choices!

Kelly Cook

Chris R-UK · Feb 6, 2016

I may be misinterpreting your post but you seem to think that the E-M1 has 4K video. It doesn't.

Mapkos13 · Feb 6, 2016

Chris, thanks for the correction. I had the cameras mixed up.

Mapkos13 · Feb 6, 2016

KCook said:
I have not been able to shoot with any of these cameras, so what I have to offer is off the top of my head :-D

KCook said:

Olympus OM D E-M1

Click to expand...

I actually prefer the design of the E-M5ii body. Which could save a few $$, unless you were considering a used E-M1? Except for extreme low light, these could replace the D7000.

At the price range of new, I would actually look to get it used if I see a good deal

KCook said:
KCook said:

Fuji XT-1

Click to expand...

And you were carping about the Oly video??? Anyways, this could easily replace the D7000.

Thats one vote of confidence for the Fuji, albeit anecdotal, since you haven't had the chance to shoot with it yet

KCook said:
KCook said:

Sony A7

Click to expand...

Surely you don't mean the A7 (original)? Later versions are real improvements. The cool thing is, there must be an adapter for those lenses from your D810?

I was actually just due to my needs. I feel like if I get any other model, I'll end up with two cameras that will compete for time. Not that it's a bad thing!

KCook said:
KCook said:

Panasonic DMC GX8

Click to expand...

Impressive M4/3 technology. But the body is a bit chunkier than most other M4/3 models. If you just want to take a M4/3 fling, a used GX7 could save $$ for sure.

Agreed. I think it's all relative as it will never feel like the 810 does!

KCook said:
KCook said:

Olympus Pen-F

Click to expand...

Oh yeah! This could be the ultimate non-Leica street cam??? For stuff other than street, I prefer the conventional viewfinder configuration of the OM-D series.

This makes me want to wait to see it but I believe some of the other options provide a little more in an overall package. I do love the looks of the F though!

KCook said:
Hey, if you are in the USA, all of these are easy to rent. (Well, dunno if anybody has the PEN-F yet) Both Barrowlenses and Lensrentals offer mirrorless cameras (I have gotten M4/3 gear from Lensrentals). It's nice to have so many choices!

ill check them out. Thanks for the feedback!

KCook said:
Kelly Cook

KCook · Feb 6, 2016

Mapkos13 said:
Mapkos13 said:

Mapkos13 said:

Panasonic DMC GX8

Click to expand...

Impressive M4/3 technology. But the body is a bit chunkier than most other M4/3 models. If you just want to take a M4/3 fling, a used GX7 could save $$ for sure.

Click to expand...

Agreed. I think it's all relative as it will never feel like the 810 does!

Only too true! My "big" Canon 50D still handles much nicer than my mirrorless. This handling issue is something we just have to adapt to. Some old DSLR shooters can, a few cannot.

For handling, what really gets my goat is a lot of the mirrorless lens designs. For example, my M4/3 Panny 12-32 has no provision at all for manual focus!!! But the price is right and the images are really good. Wide angle lenses are a problem area for mirrorless compared to DSLR.

Kelly

AlbertTheLazy · Feb 6, 2016

Mapkos13 said:
Evening everyone. I'm stuck on this one. I'm looking for a second, (technically a 3rd) street camera.

I'll just talk Fuji, because I don't have personal shooting experience with the others,

Mapkos13 said:
Fuji XT-1

Provides great color out of the box shooting jpeg and I personally love the way it looks and feels in my hands. While it is a much smaller and lighter cropped camera, is there really any point in going with this considering I have something loosely similar with the D7000.

As far as I can see the only similarity is the sensor size. Apart from that you could say that the D7000 is remarkably similar to the D810.

I've just highlighted the bit in your summary that seems to match your main requirement.

Have a look at this:

http://camerasize.com/compact/#520.388,566,7.353,650.422,ha,t

Unfortunately I couldn't find any Nikon mount lens in the site list that came anywhere near being compact. lightweight and non-intimidating. the way the Fuji 27mm pancake or the Canon 40mm pancake are. Even the 50mm f:1.8 is a bit of a lump by comparison and 50mm is often considered a bit long for street.

Your other obvious option in Fujiland would be the X100T. I know several people in my club who use one when they don't want a bigger camera around and many street shooters swear by its hybrid V/F.

The remaining possibility from Fuji is the X-Pro2 (unless you buy the X-Pro1 really cheaply). You get the hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder like the X100T plus the interchangeable lens option. Even with the 23mm f:1.4 it's smaller that any of the D7000 combos that I could find and with the 27mm pancake it would go in a jacket pocket.

Admittedly video is not a Fuji thang, but you started by looking for a street camera.

--
Albert
(The one in France)
Every photograph is an abstraction from reality.

Limburger · Feb 6, 2016

The A7 + 35 2.8 as a benchmark.

golfhov · Feb 8, 2016

Mapkos13 said:
Evening everyone. I'm stuck on this one. I'm looking for a second, (technically a 3rd) street camera.

Currently I am in photography school and I am leaning towards Commercial/Ad, with minors in Creative and Fashion.

Right now I shoot with a D810 w/ 35, 50, 85 Nikon primes and 24-120, 70-300, and Micro 105 zooms. I also have a D7000 with the 18-105 kit lens. So I have a full frame and a cropped sensor. The D7000 with lens is still a camera that you can't forget you're carrying around due to it's size. Sure, it's not the D810 but it's also not the size of an iPhone!

Here's where I'm at in a general sense.

Olympus OM D E-M1

I feel I have the high end covered but it does not shoot in 4k. The EM1 would provide that for me and a much smaller form factor in the micro 4/3. Good for the street and every day type of stuff.

Fuji XT-1

Provides great color out of the box shooting jpeg and I personally love the way it looks and feels in my hands. While it is a much smaller and lighter cropped camera, is there really any point in going with this considering I have something loosely similar with the D7000.

Sony A7

Enough has been written about this camera to know what it brings to the table. Granted, it isn't the older sibling versions, but for my purposes it could be a good fit. Pros- I'd have another full frame in the stable in case of a breakdown. It feels like it disappears in my hands. Cons- Kit lens I heard wasn't anything to write home about. I'd have to purchase some new glass which doesn't help the smaller form factor argument. Lastly, I'm not sure I like it when looking through the viewfinder. It felt a little off to me unlike the Fuji which felt natural.

Panasonic DMC GX8

Last horse in the race. Another micro 4/3 that is pleasing to my eye. Light and the smaller form factor would fit the bill nicely. Another 4k shooter fills a gap I have now and also has image stabilization in both the body and lens.

Wild card- Late entry on the Olympus Pen-F since I just saw it to the right. May not have enough feedback on this one yet but it could be a dark horse.

I really appreciate your feedback. It helps immensely to get some relevant input into this decisions. Look forward to where this one ends up going!

You seem to have most things covered. If this is a third portable camera with 4k how about the lx100 or rx100iv???? True wild card

Or rx1 if you want a challenge.....oops no 4k

PSCL1 · Feb 12, 2016

To the OP: YOU are the only person who can rank order his needs. The variables are:

IQ: correlated with sensor size, therefore Fuji A7. However, I see no reason for two FX systems.

Size/weight: micro 4/3, PEN-F, GM1, GM5 or EP/L/M-x body w/pancake primes

Rangefinder APS-C type: Size: Sony is smaller, MUCH smaller lenses. Fujiphiles seem more

enthusiastic about their gear.

Mapkos13 · Apr 3, 2016

And the winner is the Fuji X-Pro2!

I actually bought the X-T1 and I really loved it. I love the retro feel and the ease of the controls all being right at your fingertips.

Also, the jpeg's out of camera were pretty amazing in my opinion.

So how did the Pro2 land in my lap? Well, I saw it, tried it, and asked the shop to give me full value for the T1 and they did.

Now I am very, very happy!

The Pro 2 is no joke and a whole lot easier carrying around then my D810.

I may have fallen in love a bit with this one and could see holding onto it for a long time.

Thanks again for the advice everyone!

pkcpga · Apr 3, 2016

Great choice I love my xpro 2. I find its a lot of fun to use and bring it everywhere. For my daily photo and family pics it's amazing, I no longer use my Nikon d810 or d4s for anything but work or the kids sporting events. I also find the jpegs very nice and love being able to pull them directly from the camera to my phone and posting or sending them without having to convert raws. Enjoy the camera and good luck in school. If you get a chance learn how to use medium format cameras, the technology their is very different. For fashion and landscape medium format has some great advantages with having leaf shutters, high sync speeds, 16 bit color and 15 stops. It's worth learning to use properly.

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Decision- Fuji XT-1/ Olympus OMD EM1/ Sony A7/ Pana DMC GX8

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