best choices

[david distefano]

my wife and i just returned from the 4 corners area looking for cliff dwellings. many were hundreds of feet from the canyon floor. taking a dslr with long telephotos got very heavy. i see that nikon has the 1" sensor camera with a long dslr equivalent lens. i want an interchangeable lens camera. what other camera manufactures have the same equivalent lens for their cameras. unless i missed something other manufacturers don't have the same reach i would like. the nikon 100-300 seems like the answer. what are your experiences with these small sensor cameras.

[sdwilsonsct]

There are quite a few telephotos for this format. The experience seems to be good.

[PeterAit]

I have grown very fond of the micro 4/3 cameras and lenses. I have used the Panasonic G2 and now the G3 a lot, and the Panasonic lenses (Leica-made, I believe) are very good. With the 2x focal length factor, their 100-300mm zoom gives you 200-600 mm equiv in a compact and light lens with image stabilization. If you are interested, look at my web page (link below) where the Alaska and Nicaragua portfolios were taken exclusively with the G2 and G3, respectively. I have more recently been using the Olympus EM1, another M4/3 camera, and the truly outstanding Olympus 4/3 lenses that can be used with an adapter. This body and lenses are larger, heavier, and more expensive than the Panny offerings, but the body is more sophisticated and the lenses may offer an edge in quality (I particularly like the 50-200 zoom). Michael has articles about the Oly camera and lenses on this site.

[Paul2660]

The Nikon 1 is a very small format, smaller than 4/3's or APS-C.  However it is a nice package and with a Nikon adapter, can take the G lenses. 

I choose the Fuji system for this type of camera, and so far have no real regrets.  Light weight, great lenses and selection.  Fuji offers many different bodies, all APS-C all with the X-Trans sensor.  Peter mentioned another great contender the Olympus.  There are a lot of good reviews for both platforms.  If you want video the lead definitely would go to Oly, as Fuji is not the best platform for video.  The XT-1 offers both an excellent viewfinder/EVF and LCD.

Sony also has the A6000, and the A7/r, both light weight and with adapters can take most of your Nikon glass or other.  Sony has the best focus peaking I have used, and they also have an excellent EVF/LCD solution.

Lots of great solutions out there for sure.

Paul

[donbga]

and the Panasonic lenses (Leica-made, I believe) are very good.

Panasonic makes the Leica branded m43s lenses. Supposedly Leica designs the lens in conjunction with Panasonic.

[scooby70]

I don't know if we'll ever get the truth but I've read that Leica don't design the lenses but approve the designs. One popular blog carried an article that seemed to show that one Leica badged Panasonic lens appeared to be identical to a Sigma design. Like I said, I don't know if we'll get any definitive truth.

Once you get away from the kit type lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses do seem to be rather good and even some of the kit type lenses seem rather good too. One nice trait with some of the lenses is that they're good wide open and that's something you can't always say about the mass market DSLR competition.

[donbga]

I don't know if we'll ever get the truth but I've read that Leica don't design the lenses but approve the designs.

Leica has more involvement than approval is my understanding, optically at least.

One popular blog carried an article that seemed to show that one Leica badged Panasonic lens appeared to be identical to a Sigma design. Like I said, I don't know if we'll get any definitive truth.

Once you get away from the kit type lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses do seem to be rather good and even some of the kit type lenses seem rather good too. One nice trait with some of the lenses is that they're good wide open and that's something you can't always say about the mass market DSLR competition.

I have my doubts about the Sigma reference. I'd like to see that link.

[scooby70]

We have different understandings then or maybe it differs from product to product. However, I would doubt that Leica know a great deal more about designing MFT lenses than Panasonic do.

The Sigma design I read of was quite some time ago on one of the mirrorless rumor blogs so please let Google be your friend. As far as I recall they published a diagram and patent of an identical Sigma design and reasoned that if Sigma own the design then the Panny/Leica was a bought in job.

[donbga]

We have different understandings then or maybe it differs from product to product. However, I would doubt that Leica know a great deal more about designing MFT lenses than Panasonic do.

The Sigma design I read of was quite some time ago on one of the mirrorless rumor blogs so please let Google be your friend. As far as I recall they published a diagram and patent of an identical Sigma design and reasoned that if Sigma own the design then the Panny/Leica was a bought in job.

Well I don't think Panasonic needs to buy from Sigma. The fact that Leica is on the lens seems to indicate they have a strong technical involvement with those lenses.

Obviously Leica and Panasonic share each others tech. seeing the latest release of Leica branded cameras that have a strong resemblance to Panasonic bodies announced at Photokina this year.

[Ken Bennett]

my wife and i just returned from the 4 corners area looking for cliff dwellings. many were hundreds of feet from the canyon floor. taking a dslr with long telephotos got very heavy. i see that nikon has the 1" sensor camera with a long dslr equivalent lens. i want an interchangeable lens camera. what other camera manufactures have the same equivalent lens for their cameras. unless i missed something other manufacturers don't have the same reach i would like. the nikon 100-300 seems like the answer. what are your experiences with these small sensor cameras.

What's the longest lens you use (in full frame 35mm terms)?

Micro 4/3 offers the Panasonic 100-300, which is equivalent to a 200-600/5.6 lens in FF terms. It's a good quality lens, though not at the same level as, say, a Nikom or Canon 600/4. But it's a good bit smaller and lighter.

Fuji offers a 55-200 and a 50-230 for their APS sensor X system cameras. I have the 55-200 and it's pretty decent -- well built and sharp at 200mm, but that's only a 300mm equivalent. Fuji has a longer lens on their road map, I think a 120-400, which would be 600mm equivalent.

[david distefano]

What's the longest lens you use (in full frame 35mm terms)?

Micro 4/3 offers the Panasonic 100-300, which is equivalent to a 200-600/5.6 lens in FF terms. It's a good quality lens, though not at the same level as, say, a Nikom or Canon 600/4. But it's a good bit smaller and lighter.

Fuji offers a 55-200 and a 50-230 for their APS sensor X system cameras. I have the 55-200 and it's pretty decent -- well built and sharp at 200mm, but that's only a 300mm equivalent. Fuji has a longer lens on their road map, I think a 120-400, which would be 600mm equivalent.

i use the nikon 600mm 5.6 and even in some of the canyons it wasn't enough. this is on the d800e or my wife's d800. i just thought that the 810mm equivalent on the nikon 1 would fill the bill since i wasn't going to print these large. in fact i was going to convert with nik black and white software and make digital negs for platinum printing no larger than 5x7.   

[Telecaster]

For lotsa reach combined with relatively compact & lightweight gear I like the Olympus E-M1 and Panasonic 100–300mm lens. (I don't own a 100–300 but I've borrowed a friend's a few times.) For better optical quality, at wider apertures at the long end anyway, but with extra size & weight too I use a 4/3 Oly 50–200mm + 1.4x TC via adapter. For most travel, though, I'd rather give up some reach in favor of less bulk & heft. So I take a Panasonic 45–200mm instead. I'm not a long lens guy so this isn't really a sacrifice. Both Panasonic lenses benefit at the long end from stopping down a bit. The 4/3 Oly is excellent wide open, with or without the TC.

As for Leica and its involvement in m43 lenses…the 25/1.4 does appear to be a Sigma design. It's a very good lens regardless, which is what matters. No idea what the stories are with the other Leica-branded m43 lenses. There is a history among the Japanese lens makers of sharing manufacture at least. And Zeiss and Pentax had a technology- & design-sharing arrangement for awhile. Sigma is part of the m43 consortium…

-Dave-

[Chrisso26]

Only a few of the Panasonic lenses are branded Leica. I just bought one actually, and neither the build quality or image quality are what I'm used to from leica.

[donbga]

Only a few of the Panasonic lenses are branded Leica. I just bought one actually, and neither the build quality or image quality are what I'm used to from leica.

Nor are the prices of the lenses.

[allegretto]

I second that

Had the use of an Oly M-5 and the Panny 24 F1.4 which is Leica labelled as well. No comparison to an M240 with just about any lens. The Leica body/lens leaves  the Oly/Panny gasping for sharpness and noise at similar ISO's. As far as color balance, my eye likes Leica's themes. Fit finish and build components also far different.

I decided it ain't no Leica

Only a few of the Panasonic lenses are branded Leica. I just bought one actually, and neither the build quality or image quality are what I'm used to from leica.

[Telecaster]

I've been using Leica RF gear with varying degrees of seriousness for over 40 years now. Never have seen that special look that seems to endear folks to the lenses. Not that they aren't good, but I mostly prefer Zeiss RF lenses. I am a fan, though, of the "rigid" version of the 50/2 Summicron. It has a look if not the look.    I even stopped using Leica Ms for some years after getting my hands on a Contax IIa outfit. The Contax RF cameras are crude compared to the Ms but the lenses make me happy. Once I discovered that some of those lenses could be had in LTM (Leica Thread Mount) versions I was thrilled. I still use mostly a 35/50/85mm LTM Zeiss set with my M6. The longer Contax mount lenses are a blast to use via adapter on a Sony A7r. The LTM Zeiss 50/1.5 with Proxar closeup lenses makes a nice macro setup with m43 cameras as well as the A7r.

I like the PanaLeica 25mm myself. It's a fairly typical modern lens that does the job. But my m43 setup has become more zoom oriented since Olympus released their stellar 12–40/2.8.

-Dave-

[Guillermo Luijk]

Don't miss the just released Olympus 40-150 f/2.8. Weights as a 24-70 f/2.8 on FF and is having great reviews:

http://robinwong.blogspot.com.es/2014/10/olympus-mzuiko-40-150mm-f28-pro-lens.html?m=1