Be prepared!

Walking around heathland with binoculars last week I saw two birds I couldn't identify, so went back that afternoon and next morning with camera and long lens but needless to say they didn't show. You would have thought I had learned my lesson a couple of days later in Padstow, having (I thought) exhausted all possible harbour views on numerous trips and "we're going for a cream tea and shopping so what do you want that for?" I left the camera in the car. There, sheltering from the gales out at sea was a lovely male shag resting on the harbour steps. From just ten feet away you could see every detail of his lovely plumage and crest but by the time I returned with the camera he had of course gone. There have been times like these when I have not wanted to lug a DSLR around with two or three lenses on every casual stroll, prompting the thought that maybe I should consider a really good compact to supplement the main kit.

Yes, but that has to be balanced also by the question ... Would you actually be able to get the sort of close, frame filling, sharp, detailed image with a beautiful OOF background .... (that's the lovely cracker you had in mind, isn't it...?) with said compact camera ... ?

Or will you end up with loads of grabbed shots (because you always had a camera with you) that are distinctly humdrum and nothing special ... ?

---

My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver

Generally, nothing jumps out at us and says, "I'm a once in a lifetime photo opportunity!" Even if the OP had a camera ready, the bird spotted might have still flown away.

We make our successes, so watching behaviour patterns and waiting....is the way things work. If we know a bird has a tendency to land in a certain spot, do a certain dance, etc., then we position ourselves and wait, hopefully with the right kit at the ready.

That isn't to say that compacts are not useful, they are, and I always carry my MX-1.

---

Best regards, John

The Lumix TZ70 has an extraordinary zoom range for such a small compact camera, and a pretty reasonable EVF to help catch that shot...great walk about find.

---

Cheers,

Bruce

Hear hear, I have one, and sitting at Greenage's in Padstow (where the crazy golf course is) is that where you were Robl? I'm going to test it out on the Starlings that fly in for the crumbs.

By the way, what colour is a Shag?

---

Always be kind to people

link

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Photographs-by-an-angel/262352847143059

link

I'm afraid the words ' extraordinary zoom range' does not raise an ounce of interest for me ....

Something like that is nothing but a compromise gone too far. There are very limited uses and purposes where a superzoom type lens would be the right choice, regardless of camera type ...(although combining one with a compact is adding even more to the compromise)

... That's not to say someone might not find such a use, but very limited in my opinion.

---

My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver

The problem is that some quality compacts are not very compact. A few years ago I bought a Canon G12. Loads of features and decent build but it is too large to fit comfortably in a pocket and still has the limitations of a small sensor. I still have it but it gets little use nowadays. I have a Pentax WG3 waterproof jobbie which is great for swimming and beach but the image quality is only average. The compact which does get used a lot is the Ricoh GR. Truly pocketable and the same IQ as a K5IIs. Great camera. If you can live with the fixed focal length that would be my recommendation.

---

Regards, Philip

K-S1 - disco lights and all - with a couple of Ltds.

Now that does sound like it would pack a real IQ 'punch', and suitable for discos as well!

---

My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver

agree 100% with esteemed gentleman ^^^

I guess my favourite really small camera would be my Fuji X10. The Mx-1 hasn't seen light of day in Months and the Sony RX 100 ... should never have bought it.

---

- -
Mike

Pentax K5 / Pentax K5 11/ Pentax K200D / Canon Rebel T1 i / Canon 650D / Pentax MX-1 / Fuji XF1 /Fuji X 10 / Canon EOS-M / Canon G10/ Pentax Mz-7 x 2

Alongside my Pentax kit I have a Fuji X20 which sees occasional use when I don't want to lug lots of stuff around and I don't mind the limited telephoto end of the zoom range...I bought it second hand for a trip to Prague a couple of years ago. I have also recently bought a Panasonic FZ1000 - 1" sensor, 28-400mm FoV f2.8-f4 (actually mostly F4!) I actually got this new from SRS as there is cashback deal at the moment and SRS bought a Pentax lens of me to lessen the price. An FZ 1000 I hear you say, are you MAD! Well my logic is that I am going to WOMAD in July and I ant a camera with decent IQ that is not totally useless in low light, but I don't want the faff of carrying a full kit of camera and lenses (I don't want to be leaving photo gear in the tent for any long period of time) Of course the FZ1000 is not weather sealed, the feel of the thing is nowhere near that of Pentax for solidity and it is not exactly small, but first indications are that it does the job. Shoots RAW has a nice EVF, decent focussing as far as I can tell and, most importantly, if it got stolen next month I wouldn't fret as much as if I lost a great chunk of my Pentax kit, some of which wouuld be very hard to replace (e.g Sigma 50-150 f2. and most of which I have got second hand over a long period of time. I think this is worth the drop in IQ, as I am not looking to sell pictures that I take at WOMAD, just want some half-decent shots for personal use.

---

Everything Changes
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arleimages/

I think it depends on how prepared we feel we need to be. A camera in the pocket at all times needs something very small, and for this I use an MX-1 or WG-3. I might also use the Q-S1 with its small standard prime lens.

But for DSLR quality then the Ricoh GR or a DSLR. The K-S1 and K-S2 are small and light and will knock the compacts for six in terms of image quality. If a camera in a small bag is acceptable, then these could be the ones.

Going into a photographic situation, visiting a National Trust property perhaps, then I don't see much alternative to a bag with camera body and at least a couple of extra lenses. Going to Martin mere to photograph birds, on the other hand, only needs one lens.

---

Best regards, John

Lets face it Rob - if you want to be fully prepared you have to tolerate NSS

Definition: NSS is the acronym for Numb Shoulder Syndrome , a condition common amongst the DSLR community where the photographers brain is conditioned so that everytime they leave the house they must have a camera bag filled with enough equipment to cover every eventual photographic opportunity. Chronic sufferers are recognisable by the sideways lean and commonly one shoulder will be 3 inches lower than the other

---

LennyBloke

I lugged my K3 and lenses in my camera bag to Crete last September and even took it to the beach. it seemed a daft idea for a beach holiday. If i hadn't, I doubt i would have pics of Kingfishers.

Off back to another part this late June (Historic old Venetian town of Rethymon) Same decision making required.

A compact for the evening with 1 inch sensor anyway. it wouldn't have taken this...

I'll second Lennys comment .

But I think we've all been there at some time or other, "I wish I had my camera" has probably been uttered by every photographer on the planet at some time or other.

I think how much gear you want to carry and to what extremes you want to go to with regards to "carry one everywhere" is a personal choice, but surely if we take things too seriously we run the risk of our hobby becoming an obsession.

---

My Names Alan, and I'm a lensaholic.
My PPG link
My Flckr link