Reading mode: Light Dark

Owning a compact camera + DSLR - is it worth it?

Go to last post
PeteHolland89

PeteHolland89

Active member
Messages
84
Reaction score
125
Hi all,

I've started my photography hobby about a year ago and my current kit consists of the following gear:
  • Canon 750D
  • Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 Lens
  • Canon 10-18mm IS STM
As you can see, I'm well covered on the lower range, but I still haven't invested in a telezoom lens (some moments I wish I had).

I have a few options for my next investment:
  • Investing in a Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 - which is big, heavy and expensive and which I will definitely not bring on my holiday
  • Investing in a bridge camera (i.e. the Panasonic FZ300) that provides me with a lot of zoom; 24-600 with a constant f/2.8 (and weather sealed)
  • Investing in a compact camera (i.e. Canon G7 X) that is truly compact, has and suitable for those moments when it's too burdensome to carry my DSLR (24-100mm f/1.8-2.8).
If you have any feedback/tips to share regarding owning both a compact/bridge and a DSLR, or the FZ300/Canon G7X in general, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
A few things that camera of yours is a point and shoot, which is fine but does not give you the flexibility and the ability to control the photography process like a T6 would and the lenses that you have, you have only one side of the focal length covered, not the middle ground or the high end covered. You need to look into getting some zoom lenses and a wide angle lens.

I thinks its a fine idea to own a compact and a DSLR, but which DSLR? You can use the compact for you typical walking around and ad-hock photography and the DSLR for your more serious moments. The Power Shot that you have can go into a belt clip to carry around on your belt while the DSLR will need to go into a backpack as its much bulkier.

For you I would recommend the T6i or the T7i which is expected in the spring of next year. I don't recommend going any higher than that they get significantly harder as you go up, and you already have the lower one covered.
 
You might want to read the OP's post again.

He already has a Canon 750D/T6i. He doesn't have a compact/P&S.
 
I have a Canon DSLR and a Sony RX100 compact. I bought the Sony for the times I don't want to lug a SLR and lenses somewhere. The RX100 fits in a pocket and is great for when I don't want to take the SLR.

Sometimes a pocketable camera is very useful and if you have something like a RX100 or a G7X which has good image quality then all is good.
 
PeteHolland89 said:
Hi all,

I've started my photography hobby about a year ago and my current kit consists of the following gear:
  • Canon 750D
  • Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 Lens
  • Canon 10-18mm IS STM
As you can see, I'm well covered on the lower range, but I still haven't invested in a telezoom lens (some moments I wish I had).

I have a few options for my next investment:
  • Investing in a Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 - which is big, heavy and expensive and which I will definitely not bring on my holiday
  • Investing in a bridge camera (i.e. the Panasonic FZ300) that provides me with a lot of zoom; 24-600 with a constant f/2.8 (and weather sealed)
  • Investing in a compact camera (i.e. Canon G7 X) that is truly compact, has and suitable for those moments when it's too burdensome to carry my DSLR (24-100mm f/1.8-2.8).
If you have any feedback/tips to share regarding owning both a compact/bridge and a DSLR, or the FZ300/Canon G7X in general, I would greatly appreciate it.
Click to expand...
I don't see any investments here. Unless you're a professional, camera gear is a discretionary expense. Money down the toilet. Get comfortable with that concept.

Anyway, I find it good to have a small camera (a Sony RX100) in addition to my DSLR. The DSLR takes far better pictures but it's a noticeable burden to carry around. I never take my DSLR on holidays.

I don't own a superzoom but I can see that one can be useful. I'm considering getting an Olympus m4/3 as an intermediate-sized camera for travel.
 
PeteHolland89 said:
Hi all,

I've started my photography hobby about a year ago and my current kit consists of the following gear:
  • Canon 750D
  • Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 Lens
  • Canon 10-18mm IS STM
As you can see, I'm well covered on the lower range, but I still haven't invested in a telezoom lens (some moments I wish I had).

I have a few options for my next investment:
  • Investing in a Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 - which is big, heavy and expensive and which I will definitely not bring on my holiday
Click to expand...
Personally I wouldn't get a big, heavy lens like that unless you want to shoot low light sports. The Canon 55-250mm IS is a pretty good lens and much better value for money.
PeteHolland89 said:
  • Investing in a bridge camera (i.e. the Panasonic FZ300) that provides me with a lot of zoom; 24-600 with a constant f/2.8 (and weather sealed)
Click to expand...
That is certainly a way of covering longer focal lengths is you want to travel light and not take your DSLR. However, it is quite a big heavy camera and the 55-250mm (40omm FF equivalent) that I mentioned above is about half the weight if you are going to take the DSLR anyway. The benefit of the Panasonic's f/2.8 is negated by the tiny sensor.

An alternative that takes you to 250mm equivalent is new Panasonic ZS100/TZ100 travel zoom with a 1" sensor.
PeteHolland89 said:
  • Investing in a compact camera (i.e. Canon G7 X) that is truly compact, has and suitable for those moments when it's too burdensome to carry my DSLR (24-100mm f/1.8-2.8).
Click to expand...
That is certainly an option if you want to have a pocketable camera that you can have with the whole time. A lot of DSLR owners have a second camera like this but normally the Sony RX100 MkIII or MkIV which I think is superior to the G7X.
PeteHolland89 said:
If you have any feedback/tips to share regarding owning both a compact/bridge and a DSLR, or the FZ300/Canon G7X in general, I would greatly appreciate it.
Click to expand...
You probably need to think about what you want to photograph with a telephoto lens and how long a lens you need. The 55-250mm is a pretty good lens to start with, very light for travel and covers most things except wildlife like birds. For birds you could look at something like the Tamron or Sigma 150-600mm lenses but they are very big.
 
Revising my own post:

I thought that your camera was a point and shoot however, I see now that it is in fact a DSLR. Thus I will need to re-post.

I think that you have the lower end and the middle ground of the lenses covered already, what you will need to consider is the upper focal lengths, this will equate to the long range lenses. Personally I have the EF-S 55-250 lens for my T5i which is what you will need for your camera. This will let you really pull in subjects from far away and get them into one big picture.
 
A 70-200 f/2.8 is really a great addition to your setup! But heavy and not to say overly cheap. Another option is a 70-200 f/4 (like the Canon 70-200 f/4 IS USM). Not as heavy and big (and not that intrusive / notable too, for me an important thing to consider), yet very handy and of excellent quality.

A P&S or even a bridge has it's benefits but I imagine the image quality will be a bit less than you are used to. On the other hand the best camera is the one you have at hand and ... well back to the question you started with.

Good luck.
 
I have an ef-s 55-250 lens and its not particularly heavy, perhaps you know something I don't. I do not use it for sports photography I use it for things like shooting a valley off the side of a mountain. I guess you do know something I don't.
 
jbcohen said:
I have an ef-s 55-250 lens and its not particularly heavy, perhaps you know something I don't. I do not use it for sports photography I use it for things like shooting a valley off the side of a mountain. I guess you do know something I don't.
Click to expand...
You misread my post. My comment referred to the OP's suggestion of a Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 which is big and heavy but well suited to low light sports.
 
Chris R-UK said:
PeteHolland89 said:
Hi all,

I've started my photography hobby about a year ago and my current kit consists of the following gear:
  • Canon 750D
  • Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 Lens
  • Canon 10-18mm IS STM
As you can see, I'm well covered on the lower range, but I still haven't invested in a telezoom lens (some moments I wish I had).

I have a few options for my next investment:
  • Investing in a Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 - which is big, heavy and expensive and which I will definitely not bring on my holiday
Click to expand...
Personally I wouldn't get a big, heavy lens like that unless you want to shoot low light sports. The Canon 55-250mm IS is a pretty good lens and much better value for money.
Chris R-UK said:
  • Investing in a bridge camera (i.e. the Panasonic FZ300) that provides me with a lot of zoom; 24-600 with a constant f/2.8 (and weather sealed)
Click to expand...
That is certainly a way of covering longer focal lengths is you want to travel light and not take your DSLR. However, it is quite a big heavy camera and the 55-250mm (40omm FF equivalent) that I mentioned above is about half the weight if you are going to take the DSLR anyway. The benefit of the Panasonic's f/2.8 is negated by the tiny sensor.

An alternative that takes you to 250mm equivalent is new Panasonic ZS100/TZ100 travel zoom with a 1" sensor.
Chris R-UK said:
  • Investing in a compact camera (i.e. Canon G7 X) that is truly compact, has and suitable for those moments when it's too burdensome to carry my DSLR (24-100mm f/1.8-2.8).
Click to expand...
That is certainly an option if you want to have a pocketable camera that you can have with the whole time. A lot of DSLR owners have a second camera like this but normally the Sony RX100 MkIII or MkIV which I think is superior to the G7X.
Chris R-UK said:
If you have any feedback/tips to share regarding owning both a compact/bridge and a DSLR, or the FZ300/Canon G7X in general, I would greatly appreciate it.
Click to expand...
You probably need to think about what you want to photograph with a telephoto lens and how long a lens you need. The 55-250mm is a pretty good lens to start with, very light for travel and covers most things except wildlife like birds. For birds you could look at something like the Tamron or Sigma 150-600mm lenses but they are very big.
Click to expand...
 
Leonard Migliore said:
PeteHolland89 said:
Hi all,

I've started my photography hobby about a year ago and my current kit consists of the following gear:
  • Canon 750D
  • Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 Lens
  • Canon 10-18mm IS STM
As you can see, I'm well covered on the lower range, but I still haven't invested in a telezoom lens (some moments I wish I had).

I have a few options for my next investment:
  • Investing in a Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 - which is big, heavy and expensive and which I will definitely not bring on my holiday
  • Investing in a bridge camera (i.e. the Panasonic FZ300) that provides me with a lot of zoom; 24-600 with a constant f/2.8 (and weather sealed)
  • Investing in a compact camera (i.e. Canon G7 X) that is truly compact, has and suitable for those moments when it's too burdensome to carry my DSLR (24-100mm f/1.8-2.8).
If you have any feedback/tips to share regarding owning both a compact/bridge and a DSLR, or the FZ300/Canon G7X in general, I would greatly appreciate it.
Click to expand...
I don't see any investments here. Unless you're a professional, camera gear is a discretionary expense. Money down the toilet. Get comfortable with that concept.

Anyway, I find it good to have a small camera (a Sony RX100) in addition to my DSLR. The DSLR takes far better pictures but it's a noticeable burden to carry around. I never take my DSLR on holidays.

I don't own a superzoom but I can see that one can be useful. I'm considering getting an Olympus m4/3 as an intermediate-sized camera for travel.
Click to expand...
 
I'm in the same boat but opposite side. I shoot wildlife and carry around a Tamron 150-600mm and Sony A77ii but also wanted to occasionally take a wide angle landscape photo to capture a pretty scene. I do have wide angle lenses but I found swapping lenses in the field in the dirt and muck while crawling through some bushes to be a PITA.

I found an incredible deal on an open-box RX100iii (24-70mm equiv, f1.8-2.8) and now I carry it with me in the field for that occasional landscape shot. I use a small lens pouch hanging from my belt to carry the camera and other incidentals. Since both cameras are Sonys the menu system, terminology, and camera operation are pretty similar so I don't mess around too much finding settings. The IQ is plenty good enough for my purposes.

This arrangement works very well, I hardly know I'm carrying around a second camera with me. It's really easy to pull out the RX100iii, take the shot, and put it back.
 
the answer lies in "the best camera is the one you have with you".

myself I have a compact(ish) Fuji x30, bridge fz1000, replaced my Nikon dslrs with Fuji x and m4/3 as it suites my needs better.

a compact is good for capturing a moment when your dslr is left at home because your doing other things like shopping or commuting .

A bridge camera is good when carrying a bag full of glass is to much effort or lens switching could lead to bigger issues.

Its all about balance between weight/size convience to what level of image quality your prepared to live with .
 
For me, my smartphone is just fine for times when I don't have my DSLR. I don't think most compacts are a big enough upgrade to justify the purchase in 2016.
 
My kit has evolved in several directions and I don't think it's a bad thing. I have a Pentax DSLR kit, body and four largish/heavy lenses (20-40 zoom, 55mm fast prime, 100mm macro, 55-300 zoom), everything weather resistant, a midsized pair of prime lens Fujis for street and walkaround, much more fun to use than the DSLR with the normal range primes that I love best, and a classic (old) Fuji X-10 point and shoot.

There's nothing wrong with having more than one camera or even more than one system. If anyone has ever invented a real all purpose camera that would please even a majority of photographers, much less all of them, I've never heard of it.
 
PeteHolland89 said:
Chris R-UK said:
PeteHolland89 said:
Hi all,

I've started my photography hobby about a year ago and my current kit consists of the following gear:
  • Canon 750D
  • Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 Lens
  • Canon 10-18mm IS STM
As you can see, I'm well covered on the lower range, but I still haven't invested in a telezoom lens (some moments I wish I had).

I have a few options for my next investment:
  • Investing in a Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 - which is big, heavy and expensive and which I will definitely not bring on my holiday
Click to expand...
Personally I wouldn't get a big, heavy lens like that unless you want to shoot low light sports. The Canon 55-250mm IS is a pretty good lens and much better value for money.
PeteHolland89 said:
  • Investing in a bridge camera (i.e. the Panasonic FZ300) that provides me with a lot of zoom; 24-600 with a constant f/2.8 (and weather sealed)
Click to expand...
That is certainly a way of covering longer focal lengths is you want to travel light and not take your DSLR. However, it is quite a big heavy camera and the 55-250mm (40omm FF equivalent) that I mentioned above is about half the weight if you are going to take the DSLR anyway. The benefit of the Panasonic's f/2.8 is negated by the tiny sensor.

An alternative that takes you to 250mm equivalent is new Panasonic ZS100/TZ100 travel zoom with a 1" sensor.
PeteHolland89 said:
  • Investing in a compact camera (i.e. Canon G7 X) that is truly compact, has and suitable for those moments when it's too burdensome to carry my DSLR (24-100mm f/1.8-2.8).
Click to expand...
That is certainly an option if you want to have a pocketable camera that you can have with the whole time. A lot of DSLR owners have a second camera like this but normally the Sony RX100 MkIII or MkIV which I think is superior to the G7X.
PeteHolland89 said:
If you have any feedback/tips to share regarding owning both a compact/bridge and a DSLR, or the FZ300/Canon G7X in general, I would greatly appreciate it.
Click to expand...
You probably need to think about what you want to photograph with a telephoto lens and how long a lens you need. The 55-250mm is a pretty good lens to start with, very light for travel and covers most things except wildlife like birds. For birds you could look at something like the Tamron or Sigma 150-600mm lenses but they are very big.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Stick with what you've got and just get used to carrying it. I've owned all kinds of cameras since first owning a similar setup to you and after 8 years I am back pretty much where I started except I now have a better camera body. I just wanted wasn't as satisfied with the compact cameras as i was with the DSLR. I wished that I had just spent more time with the setup I had instead of thinking that there was a magic setup I just hadn't discovered yet.
 
I think your solution of a Canon G7X and a 55-250 zoom will suit you quite well.

i always carry a "belt" camera in addition to my Sony A77 kit (if going big) or my EM1 kit (if going smaller). Which of those depends upon what I intend to shoot. For the belt camera, I currently have a Panasonic ZS50 OR an Olympus ZX-2, again depending upon what I intend to shoot. finally, if going to the beach or the pool, I'll take the Olympus TG4, and leave all the rest behind.

I think your solution will work just fine. Get the STM version of the 55-250. You will have an excellent kit that won't break the bank or you back to carry.

If it's within your budget, add a Raynox 150 to use with the 55-250 STM, and you'll have macro covered as well. What's left? Maybe a fast fifty like Canon 50 f1.8.

Peace. ...and Best Wishes

John
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top