Shooting with the Canon PowerShot G3 X

If you're going to go big, a little bigger is no problem, the SL1 is narrower and shorter height wise when you add a viewfinder which I refuse to buy a camera without. To me, it's not $1,300 smaller.

That's fine, I have less than $800 into my SL1 with a 10-18 and 55-250USMll, it makes a great combo and I don't mind carrying it after lugging around a 5D3. SL1 feels like a bridge camera to me. I'm just tired of cameras without VFs and won't buy one. Maybe I'll go buy a Tamron super zoom lens and see what that's like.

I'm sure it and both lenses are super easy to carry around. You probably bring it with you'll the time, what with it being so small. Don't get me wrong, I think anything over 200mm is very hard to use without a viewfinder, but claiming that your SL1 combo is just as small and convenient to carry as this camera is patently wrong.

I think if you have to carry anything it's inconvenient, so why limit yourself with something not as good as long as you've got to carry something?

Why even have the SL1 if your 5D3 is just as light and convenient to carry?

5D3 isn't light, SL1 is, and it's close enough to G3X to where it doesn't matter since they're almost the same size and the focus and startup on the Sl1 is twice as fast AND it has a viewfinder, not some funky add on thing that also drains your battery twice as fast. I can get a tamron 16-300 and have a very small camera.

SL1 - 22.0 oz (623 g); includes batteries, kit lens - 4.6 x 3.6 x 2.7 inches
G3X - 25.9 oz (733 g); includes batteries - 4.8 x 3 x 4.1 inches

I thought you said that if you have to carry any camera they are all equally inconvenient. The SL1's kit lens goes to what 55 or so, hardly applicable when discussing a zoom. So how large is the SL1, kit lens, and the 55-200 (which you first mentioned) compared the G3X? How heavy is all that gear?

To a point they're inconvenient, my 70-300L alone weighs more than the Sl1 and two lenses. All together the body and two lenses are less than 2 1/4 lbs. I can go buy a Tamron 16-300 and it will be roughly the same size and weight of the G3X and still cost less, work better and have a viewfinder which won't drain my battery.

You can easily argue that if just want a zoom camera to toss in a regular bag, the SL1 and long zoom is inconvenient. My Fuji with the 35mm lens is basically the size of the G3X, and anything larger gets too big and inconvenient for my daily carry bag.

So that combo is a lot larger and ~500g heavier; but if you pony up for the EVF it is around the same price. Its not going to toss in a bag like the G3X so you are more likely to leave it at home.

I agree that the SL1 is a better camera, but it is not a convenient camera to bring with you like the G3X. And that... is the point of the G3X.

That's fine, I'd be more apt to take a camera that works, not because it's small, I usually take a camera with me every time I leave the house. All I'm saying is that I won't buy a camera anymore without a VF. You can get a Sl1 body with built in VF and better auto focus for as low as $329 and the Tamron 16-300 for under $600, still less than $1,300 and have it be in ballpark size wise.

The G3X is a new release, in two years (which is how long the SL1 has been out) you will be able to find one with the EVF for a lot less. But you are correct that it you can find good deals on a two year old camera model.

The SL1 + Tamaron is not in the same ballpark size-wise.... its in a different park...on the other side of the city.

Still won't be a good deal if I it doesn't do what I want. I'd have glady paid for it with a built in VF.

"There's a difference between mentioning that trade off, and suggesting that they'll be happier with a different camera with a shorter lens."

Not sure what statement in particular you're referring to, but all I see is that Barney wrote:

"On balance then, if you don't need the long zoom reach, the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 II might make more sense than the G3 X on paper. But how a camera feels is extremely important. I've enjoyed using the G3 X and I'm going to continue to do so."

Note the qualifier. We didn't suggest everyone would be happier with a different camera. We suggested that if you don't need the extra zoom, you might benefit from what some other competitors offer.

How is that us trying to 'talk them out of what they really want'?

Furthermore, Barney was quite explicit in stating what his opinion, vs. what's objective. If anything, Barney was quite positive about his feelings of and experience with the camera.

There is a massive cost differential between a shutter cable and having to buy or rent a smartphone to do it. There is no battery on shutter cables to go flat either or a link to drop or a password etc. etc.

For some examples of the quality that the combo of long lens and small sensor can produce, here are some examples:

These were taken with the FZ150: http://www.photographerslounge.org/threads/20418/

These were taken with the FZ200:
http://www.photographerslounge.org/threads/29478/

And these were a series of experimental shots to show the quality of the FZ200 at various stages of optical and digital zoom:
http://www.photographerslounge.org/threads/35032/

Cheers, Jock

But what's the retail price of the G3 X in Japan? I wouldn't be surprised if it's more expensive there than in the US.

Can US customers order from Amazon Japan? ;)

BTW, don't order this camera from Amazon. Instead, order from BHPhoto as they will not charge sales tax outside of NY. Also you can save $50 by asking them to price match 42t St Photo, who is offering it for $849.

Unfortunately no one outside of Japan can order anything from Amazon.jp. I've tried.
As for B&H, I agree. I have pretty much quit buying cameras on Amazon; B&H is more professional, often has better prices or better deals (gift cards, etc.) Also Amazon started sending me menacing emails when I returned a defective camera and--naturally--the lenses I had bought to go with it (even though they were not defective and I never said they were) since obviously without the camera the lenses were useless. Amazon suggested that I was returning a lot of items and maybe I would be happier without my Amazon account. I still have the account, but after that I am using it a lot less.

It is straightforward to buy from Amazon.jp by using an 'agent'' such as Tenso. See http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/55250262 for experiences of people buying the Canon M3 this way

Agreed; you also can get a nice MFT camera and zoom for this much money.

deep7,
You can get a nice MFT kit for the same amount of money. Yes, with the same focal length range. Clever.

GT500M:
Try MFT. Panny 45-175mm is very light and gives 350mm equiv. The 100-300mm is larger and heavier, but on a GX7 it's not too bad (I carry it around a lot in a small bag slung across my back) and you get great reach and great images. Also GX7 and some other Panny cameras have a sensor crop zoom that greatly extends the range; lower pixel count but no resampling and no image degradation.

rallyfan:
You are 100% correct. Oly finally saw the light (pun intended) and for the most part quit trying to peddle cameras with no VF. Point and pray is a waste of time. And with long zoom, you can steady and guide the camera much better with VF and the camera close to your head.

Tried the Nikon p900 super super zoom and returned it as the menu system/firmware was defective. I wasn't completely satisfied with image quality either. I'm sticking with E-M1 and 100-300 (200-600 equiv.) for birding and wildlife as it is a reasonable size and IQ is quite good. I am not willing to carry a 600 zoom on an A7 series body.

Don't forget the iZoom on the FZ1000 and the digital zoom. I can live with iZoom (2x 400mm = 800mm max.) DigitalZoom (4x = 1600mm max.) is a different story.

We are not talking about the same thing.
Please consider: the fact that you personally need an EVF doesn't mean that everybody needs one. My point is: this camera is not worthy for the hate it gets. You could hate the competition for other reasons.

The top dog always has the most going after him.

I end up looking through without my glasses...and that's a pain as well.

Yeah, anyone who wears glasses should not use a camera with an EVF :/
Even when trying to frame a picture at 600mm and trying to keep the camera steady or in bright sun light. Good luck holding that camera at arms length in the sun light and keeping is steady at 600mm.

1149€ for camera + EVF + Canon 4K camera = ???

Because i'm sure some of Canon fans in your country would also need 4K camera for their 4K TV/Monitor and their Youtube channel or anything like that.

"not everybody feels the need to hold the camera at arms lenght" is the whole point of people wanting an EVF...

You realize that they do more than make cameras right? For instance, in their earnings report, sales in their Imaging Systems division, which includes but is not limited to cameras and lenses were up 15% year over year in the US. DSLR sales are actually up for them in Japan, one of the top mirrorless camera markets in the world, on the strength of demand for the 5DS and 5DSR. So, yes, the overall camera market is ugly right now...not just for them but for all camera makers, but I don't think they're going anywhere anytime soon.

No, the reason for DSLR sales falling is everyone uses their camera phone now and they take really good photos. So, blame Apple and Samsung, really.

Also DSLR and point and shoot cameras are all overly complex, fidgety gadgets full of arcane settings most consumers don't want to mess with. The products are terribly marketed in the USA and anyone who bought a DSLR in the past 4-5 years likely does not feel any need to upgrade unless they're a super-hardcore enthusiast.

What is needed are new takes on the camera, RX100 proved that. But even there, Sony has been short on new ideas since then—what are we on now, Mk IV? And it has spawned legions of copycats. I always liked the Olympus premiums better, XZ-series. But they don't have Sony's marketing dollar or brand recognition.

Japanese companies are just bad at innovating. And all America has given us is Lytro in this sector, a bad joke of beta hardware and software being perpetrated on people.

Sigh

"the reason for DSLR sales falling is everyone uses their camera phone now and they take really good photos. So, blame Apple and Samsung, really."

No, blame camera makers for letting their guard down and allowing Apple to out-innovate them in photography. Companies like Canon should be aggressively recruiting top talent to help them compete against tech companies in software, not just hardware. Why do I need a clumsy desktop application to create panoramic photos when my iPhone can do it automatically with zero effort?

Incidentally, notice I said Apple. Samsung isn't exactly known for their innovation. They are by their own admission a "fast follower" that specializes in copying competitors' designs and selling copies at a discounted price.

Probably same in the Nikon J5 also

Nikon is using Aptina's 1" type sensor