A Man called Murph (and a search for a camera...your help needed)

Irish Murph

Regular
Location
Rovaniemi, Finland
Name
Murph
Hi,
I'm Murph. Currently a full size dslr photographer but am looking for a pocketable compact, hence my joining here.
I'm a full time Round the World sidecar photographer/writer and traveler from the US. I've been on the road 4 years now.
website: Where the Hell is Murph ?...
500px : 2013, MY WINTER IN FINLAND
Flickr : Flickr: WhereTheHellisMurph's Photostream

I bumped into an admin Luke on here while on FM.com so he directed my compact question to this site.
So, my question. I'm looking for a compact, a pocketable like the nex, but am not too familiar with all the different ones out there. I would rather use one that has pancake lenses available for it, or one 35 fixed would work too. If any admin could direct me to where I should start here, that'd be great.

Cheers,

murph.
 
Thanks kyteflyer. FUnny, but the Nikon was the one compact I didn't want to go with :( but I'll keep an open mind.
The Nex7 got a great boost from Trey Radcliff, so that started my interest in the compact scene. he ditched ALL of his full size pro Nikon gear for the Nex.
And this is not for motojournalism, more for a compact pocketable street shooter. I also know that the Nikon video is pretty bad, so I was hoping to kill 2 birds with one stone there which the Nex seems to do.
 
Thanks kyteflyer. FUnny, but the Nikon was the one compact I didn't want to go with :( but I'll keep an open mind.
The Nex7 got a great boost from Trey Radcliff, so that started my interest in the compact scene. he ditched ALL of his full size pro Nikon gear for the Nex.
And this is not for motojournalism, more for a compact pocketable street shooter. I also know that the Nikon video is pretty bad, so I was hoping to kill 2 birds with one stone there which the Nex seems to do.

HRMMMMMM. Nikon video bad? Who told you that? Might be worth looking at the cameralabs.com reviews, they do extensive video testing. I guess I am saying all this because I was one of the Nikon 1 naysayers also... for the longest time... until I was looking to buy an RX100, and the J1 with a 10mm lens (equiv 27mm) and 10-30 was on sale for a whole lot less than a) retail and b) the RX100 and then I remembered some of John's work. Gave it a run and have been *really* happy with the results. I don't do video usually but the V1 encourages me to have a go (havent actually done anything worth looking at, but the continuous AF is amazing). Yes, after using the J1 for a week, I was sold, but wanted the viewfinder so now I have both :)

Its all very compact, but sure, NEX will give better IQ because of its larger sensor. Depends on what you want, I guess.
 
Wow, Murph - that is some trip you're on and I can see I'm going to have to spend some time perusing your blog and your photos.

So you want small and you want good video. I'm sure you'll get lots of helpful suggestions. I'm afraid I'm clueless about which of our serious compacts take good video. I'd think you'd love the image quality of the Fuji Xs but they're not pocketable, alas.

Glad you found your way here thanks to our man Luke.:drinks:
 
Well, John Flores, on the thread you sent me to mentioned that the video is just ok, web quality only he said. But then I read again and he was talking about the high speed video, which I don't know what that is.
There are so may compacts, doesn't make choosing easy. but I will defo give Nikon a good look. The one advantage for me being a Nikon FF shooter is that the menu system will be very familiar to me.
 
Wow, Murph - that is some trip you're on and I can see I'm going to have to spend some time perusing your blog and your photos.

So you want small and you want good video. I'm sure you'll get lots of helpful suggestions. I'm afraid I'm clueless about which of our serious compacts take good video. I'd think you'd love the image quality of the Fuji Xs but they're not pocketable, alas.

Glad you found your way here thanks to our man Luke.:drinks:

Hello BB and thank you.
Luke was on the FM forum so I cornered him with a question, he pointed me here with a very rational reply saying that it would be better to get the input of many forum users rather than just one(his) and also that others could benefit from the resulting discussion. I have to give him much credit for that, very good response to me for sure.

Yes, my trip is an ongoing morphing, a collection of plans that go awry. It didn't start out to be a RTW, it........just.................happened.
The blog is a little messy, hard to navigate, which is why I am looking for a web person to help me get the wthim.com up and running.

I mainly want a good street style, with a bit of the Leica look thrown in, but not the Leica price, that, if possible, has good vid. I also am a bit of an old schooler in terms of gear. I love the old Voightlander/ Cosina lenses, and came across a forum that has them all. And people use them on some of the newer compacts today, and they look delicious.
 
It's going to be fun to read what suggestions you get, Rob. I might suggest that you start a brand new thread in the Open Gear Talk forum with a good title as to what you're after to catch a lot of eyes. Although we're a very friendly group, not everyone manages to find their way into the Welcome threads.;)

P.S. Please consider adding your various websites into your "signature line" so we can easily access your stuff. I was just on your Flickrstream, oohing and ahhing such gorgeous light up in that north country!
 
P.S. Please consider adding your various websites into your "signature line" so we can easily access your stuff. I was just on your Flickrstream, oohing and ahhing such gorgeous light up in that north country![/QUOTE]

10-4 BB, will do. I was on my profile page and was filing out a bit, couldn't see a way to upload an avatar pic tho?.

Thanks for the ooohs and ahhhs, the Northern Lights are the reason I'm staying up here for one more winter season, to shoot them one more time.
That and a transmission rebuild :-( Then in March the plan is to head east across Russia to Siberia and spend a winter in Oymyakon.
But, as has been the norm on this journey, plans are subject to change, and what sort of energy the universe is throwing back at me.
 
OK, go into "My Settings" and you'll see Edit Profile, Edit Profile Picture, Edit Avatar - if you want a photo to appear by your name screen name "Irish Murphy" that's where you can add it.

I would love to know more about your trip and who you're traveling with...so I guess that would be on your website. Feel free to expound a bit here, if you'd like while I wait for that signature line update.:D
 
BB, done and kinda done. When I go to "edit Av" I cant uncheck the "dont use av" dot for some reason.

Trip, well, there is some on the site, but more than willing to elaborate here for you.
I started it by accident in 2009 when I crashed and burned from alcoholism. I was a millionaire in FL, had a LOT of property and lost it all in the crash of 2007-2009. Came out of rehab and had lost most of everything I had amassed and after thinking about what to do, decided to get on my BMW and get out of FL(which I hated anyway) and head to another state that had seasons. That was 4 years ago, I'm still looking for that state :)
I always travel solo. Always did, always will. Many reasons for this. I'm a photographer for one, and unless you're another photographer, you wouldn't understand the constant stopping for shots. I'm selfish, I march to the beat of my own drum, and am finally ok with myself and the demons in my head. We're pals now.
And traveling alone pushes me more than if I had the security blanket of another person with me. I like, in a weird way, feeling that nervousness of not knowing, of wondering if I can make it camping in -20.
 
Thank you so much, Rob. You're very candid, and I'm sure your straightforwardness will be appreciated by many.

Meanwhile about that avatar issue... I can see your profile photo but I think the avatar issue may have to do with the size of the image you're trying to upload? I used to be an Admin/Moderator here and could get my hands virtually dirty but can't now. I know the image size for avatars used to be
The maximum size of your custom image is 100 by 100 pixels or 48.8 KB (whichever is smaller).
and it probably still is. Try uploading a photo that meets those criteria as your avatar. If you still run into problems, I suggest a post over here: Help and Feedback forum where someone with a more up-to-date knowledge or memory can give you a better hand.
 
They are two different things. Let me see if I can get Luke to give you a hand. He'll get back to you that I know, though I don't know if he's online right now. He may well send you a PM/private message.
 
Hi Murph,
I broke off your posts from the general forum welcome thread since you seem to diving in headfirrst. You ought to get a proper introduction and help with your camera search so I gave it it's own thread. I'll assist you with some helpful bits here or in a pm shortly...I've got some stuff to take care of locally right now, but I'll be back in a flash.
 
Hey Murph,

You mentioned NEX a couple of times. Why not a NEX? Though the current lens choices are still weak.

If you have something against NEX, then how about a Fuji X100s, a Sony RX1 or a (soon-to-be-released) Panasonic GX 7 w/Olympus 17mm 1.8 lens.

Wider than 35mm, you have a Ricoh GR, or it's why-is-that-more-expensive-? Nikon Coolpix A (both 28mm equivalent).

If you want super-compact, but don't care about DOF control, there's the Sony RX100 mk i or mk ii (amazing small sensor, but pretty much deep DOF).

Those would be the one's I'd look to. I am exploring the Fuji X system myself, but I don't think they've nailed the pancake lens yet, unless you want ultra-wide.
 
Hi wt,

Thanks for your input.
•I have nothing at all against the NEX. The reason I mention it so much is it's more familiar to me than the others, and Trey Radcliff traded in ALL his Nikon gear for it and raves about it.

•I'm a FF shooter, Nikon D3s and D700 backup, so going into the compact arena for me is all new territory. Doesn't need to be "super-compact", anything that's smaller than the D700 and is a bit more discreet is fine with me.

•DOF is very important to me, I love it.

•From what I've read about the RX1 I get the feeling that it's a great camera, but like Leica, seems to have snob appeal and is overpriced. I could be wrong, but that's why I joined SC, to communicate with people like you who are more familiar with them.

•I would like to get a compact that could use some of the older Voightlander/Cosina glass on, they have so much character.
I was nearly buying the Epson RD1, but at only 6mp, it's a little small for me, but the camera is just lovely, not plastiky like a lot of the new units today.
 
I think if you want to use some classic old glass there are a few options that are better suited towards that goal (although what I'd really love to see is an updated Epson!). I would consider the Ricoh GXR, the Fuji X-E1 or X-Pro, or one of the NEXs. There are other systems or formats that allow you to use older glass, but I think these are your best choices.
 
I think if you want to use some classic old glass there are a few options that are better suited towards that goal (although what I'd really love to see is an updated Epson!). I would consider the Ricoh GXR, the Fuji X-E1 or X-Pro, or one of the NEXs. There are other systems or formats that allow you to use older glass, but I think these are your best choices.

Yea, a 12 or 16 MP Epson and I'd be foaming at the mouth and ready to fork over $2000 at the drop of a hat for a body only.
Thanks for the alt choices Luke, that gives me something to research and go on now.
 
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