Compact camera choices for motorbike touring

Canon G 1X lens motor died on a recent trip, they are quoting 14,300 bht to replace the lens assembly, so time for a new "motorcycle" camera.


You want the camera to be usable quickly, with helmet on (so good digital viewfinder) and picture control knobs usable with gloves on. Flip out and rotating viewfinder is nice but not a camera essential. Don Duavall/ Midnite Mapper takes some of the best quality motorcycle photo's you'll see on the internet, he's using a Sony NEX 7 with some expensive lenses. A lot of riders have waterproof cameras. i havnt found one that takes good photo's, so i dont think that its a good trade off, just be a little careful.


images




The Sony NEX range has some fiddly touch screen menu options, not ideal for motorcycle use, so its not for me.



A quick look around the internet and for around USD$ 30,000 Bht in Thailand, there's several good choices.


1. Panasonic Lumix LX 100

Review below:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 review - CNET


This is the one I chose in the end, price in Bangkok is around 29,000 Bht


20150211_145727.jpg by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr



It gets great reviews for its sensor size and picture quality, the only slight negative is that it doesnt have a flip out/ swivel LCD screen. from a motorcycle camera point of view, it has big control knobs that all can be adjusted with gloves on. A really nice feature is that the aperture adjustment is a huge ring around the outside of the lens, with auto, then clicks from 1.7 through to 16.


Here's mine just out of the box


lx 100 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr




Lens cap is a bit of a pain, same as the Canon G 1X






20150213_101058.jpg by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr





First photo with the Panasonic LX 100



lx 100 photo by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr
 
If you're looking at a top end, compact-ish, motorcycle camera another top choice is the Olympus OMD E-M5 Mk II which has just been announced


Sealed, dustproof and splashproof. 40 Megapixels, interchangable lenses, this would make a great travelling camera



Review of the Mk 1 version in the link below:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympusem5





omd by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr






Speak to people that know a lot about camera's & they say that the Sony AX7 R is about to revolutionize the photography industry. Amazing picture quality and with accept any lens with an adapter, this is apparently the reason older high quality lenses are going up in value



a7r-front.jpg
 
KTMphil said:
Speak to people that know a lot about camera's & they say that the Sony AX7 R is about to revolutionize the photography industry. Amazing picture quality and with accept any lens with an adapter, this is apparently the reason older high quality lenses are going up in value
Click to expand...

From the A7s the high ISO stuff is just crazy..


How that translates into after dark low light street photography, a very difficult task, is pretty nuts..

Nightscapes by Gavin Evans: Indian cities after dark ? in pictures | Cities | The Guardian
 
My Lumix TZ30 is still performing well in most conditions although dust does clog up the lense shutters from time to time.

See post #74
 
I am seriously considering the Sony Alpha a7R, it is mirror-less, full frame and 36mp.
It is a very compact camera, body is waterproof and the beauty is that I can use my Leica lenses on it!
It is expensive at almost 70.000 baht so I am still thinking.......
 
brake034 said:
I am seriously considering the Sony Alpha a7R, it is mirror-less, full frame and 36mp.
It is a very compact camera, body is waterproof and the beauty is that I can use my Leica lenses on it!
It is expensive at almost 70.000 baht so I am still thinking.......
Click to expand...


The lens compatibility is a real game changer Marcel
 
Yes and I do have some old glass glass available; 24mm, 50 mm and 135mm Leica R lenses.
My 30mm Arsat and Carl Zeiss Jena's (zebra's) in 50mm and 80mm for the Pentacon 6.
And not to mention my Pentax-A prime lenses and macro convertors.

All of this requires just some adapters and they can all be used on the Sony, full frame......
It is a game changer indeed! I could invest in the newest Pentax DSLR but the Sony just makes more sense!
 
I can order the Sony a7R body for 56.000 baht in China, with the FE28-70mm F3.5-5.6 it's 65.000 baht.....
I guess the FE28-70mm F3.5-5.6 is a no brainer? Arrive in Shanghai on the 9th and back to CR on the 16th.

Pic shows the a7 which is 24mp versus the a7R which has 36mp, there are some other minor technical differences between the two, plus a price difference!
sony_a7_28_70_lens_image.jpg
 
So, I did buy the A7 model, with the kit lens, in the end and bought it here in Thailand.
It has taken me several days to get through the Sony manual (not very good) and the Unofficial Quintessential A7/A7R Guide from Rockynook (very good).
Hope the smog lifts soon so I can make some landscapes, the lens adapters are on their way too!
 
brake034 said:
So, I did buy the A7 model, with the kit lens, in the end and bought it here in Thailand.
It has taken me several days to get through the manual (not very good) and the Unofficial Quintessential A7/A7R Guide from Rockynook (very good).
Hope the smog lifts soon so I can make some landscapes, the lens adapters are on their way too!
Click to expand...





Very interested to see what this camera can do Marcel
 
Phil, I think my capabilities are more of a limiting factor than what the camera can do. But will do my best!
 
Phil, how is your Ricoh camera holding up? I am interested as I consider the Ricoh WG-M1 action camera which is based on your version......
 
brake034 said:
Phil, how is your Ricoh camera holding up? I am interested as I consider the Ricoh WG-M1 action camera which is based on your version......
Click to expand...


Marcel, there's only a few waterproof camera's that have decent lens/ picture taking qualities that fit the bill for what we do. Overall quite impressed with this camera. Battery life is barely a days ride if used a lot, carry spare batteries and not an issue. Start up time from off is excellent, the rounded top lets you know which way up the camera is when hung around your neck. One thing is its easy to get your glove finger tips in the photo with the camera being so narrow. Overall very impressed.
 
Thanks Phil, I will get the Ricoh WG-M1 in a few weeks.
 
With the Sony A7 range being able to use nearly any manual focus or automatic photo lens with an adapter, great article link below explaining what adapters will work with what lense:


http://briansmith.com/sony-a7-a7r-lens-mount-adapters/




Sony A7 R Mk II just came out.. Body only - USD$ 3,200


a7 r mk II by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr






LivinLOS said:
From the A7s the high ISO stuff is just crazy..


How that translates into after dark low light street photography, a very difficult task, is pretty nuts..

Nightscapes by Gavin Evans: Indian cities after dark ? in pictures | Cities | The Guardian
Click to expand...
 
The Sony A7 is by far the best digital camera I have ever worked with, but the A7R II pans out more expensive than I thought.
Happy I did not hold my breath for it!
 
brake034 said:
The Sony A7 is by far the best digital camera I have ever worked with, but the A7R II pans out more expensive than I thought.
Happy I did not hold my breath for it!
Click to expand...

Hi Marcel

Don't have to hold your breath much longer for your new Ricoh WG-M1 i leave China tomorrow the 5th had a quick look at the Ricoh looks a nice bit of kit mate
 
brake034 said:
The Sony A7 is by far the best digital camera I have ever worked with, but the A7R II pans out more expensive than I thought.
Happy I did not hold my breath for it!
Click to expand...


The price of the A7R Mkt II is crazy ... even if better have they priced themselves out of the market????

http://reviews.gizmodo.com/sony-a7r-mark-ii-review-a-beautiful-dream-that-ends-in-1729531089


Should You Buy It?

This is an expensive camera. $3300 is too much. Two of the most popular pro DSLRs, the Nikon D810, and the Canon 5D Mark III, are both under $3000. If you're a photographer who doesn't care too much about video, they'll give you superior focusing and battery life.
If, instead, you're a serious video shooter wanting a compact body, this would be hands-down the one to get—if not for the crappy battery life and overheating issues. What a shame! For 4K in a super portable package, the only real competition is the $1400 Panasonic GH4. The A7r II is better in low light, but the GH4 will last hours on a charge and doesn't overheat.
Overall, the A7r II is insanely fun to use and so impressive from a technical standpoint that it could well have been poised to take over the photography world. Luckily, Sony releases new models every year, so there's ample opportunity for the A7r series to improve. Just bide your time until the battery life and overheating issues have been solved.



[h=3]The Tragic Flaw[/h]This camera's battery life fucking sucks. Like garbage. How has Sony not updated this battery in over five years? The camera does come with two of them in the box, which is nice, but still doesn't excuse things. It's what keeps cameras like this from truly being suitable for pros. Try telling wedding photographers that they have to swap out a battery every couple of hours, and probably carry 10 spares with them. It's a no-go.
 
The good news is that the price of the A7R will drop now the mark II is out!!
Keep your eye on the price development of the A7R as shops will sell out their stock.

This is a good opportunity as the A7R mark I is the camera to get at a decent price, in my opinion.
You will get a very good full frame, 36 Mp platform at the same size as the Olympus OM-D E-M1!

Sony also has introduced a nice super zoom, the Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS Lens which would be my choice of standard lens.

Combine the A7R with legacy (prime) lenses like the Leica-R, Minolta MD or the SMC Pentax-A which can be found for very reasonable prices.
No need to buy the Sony prime lenses unless you want the autofocus and manual focussing on the Sony is very easy compared to most DSLR's!
 
I'm watching


a7r price by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr



brake034 said:
The good news is that the price of the A7R will drop now the mark II is out!!
Keep your eye on the price development of the A7R as shops will sell out their stock.

This is a good opportunity as the A7R mark I is the camera to get at a decent price, in my opinion.
You will get a very good full frame, 36 Mp platform at the same size as the Olympus OM-D E-M1!

Sony also has introduced a nice super zoom, the Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS Lens which would be my choice of standard lens.

Combine the A7R with legacy (prime) lenses like the Leica-R, Minolta MD or the SMC Pentax-A which can be found for very reasonable prices.
No need to buy the Sony prime lenses unless you want the autofocus and manual focussing on the Sony is very easy compared to most DSLR's!
Click to expand...
 
If you want I have a Pentax K to NEX adapter and a nice clean SMC Pentax-A 50mm f1.7?
As this is the only Pentax-A legacy glass I have I will not use it on my A7, I will use the Leica-R's instead.
 
Been investigating the possibilities for two manual zoom lenses made by Minolta for the A7.
First option would be the 35-70 F3.5 (version II and III with macro, not the older Rokkor version I!)
Second choice would be the 70-210 F4, both were also sold branded Leica Vario-Elmar for the Leica R series.
Novoflex adapter NEX-MIN-MD is 120 Euro, the lenses each sell around 150 Euro on ebay......

http://phillipreeve.net/blog/minolta-md-zoom-35-70mm-3-5-review/
 
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Bought both the Minolta lenses (from Japan) plus the Novoflex (from Germany) for less than 300 Euro.
I could have bought only one Leica Vario Elmar for that kind of money :cool:
 
Minolta's arrived today, they look like brand new. Had to cough up 1000 baht on duties and tax before the mail-man handed them to me.....
 
Looking for an awesome DLSR?

Nikon is bringing out its first new flagship DSLR in years, the D5. It costs $6,500, has a 20 megapixel sensor and 153-point autofocus, shoots 12 frames a second (14 with mirror locked), has standard ISO up to 102,000 and expanded up to 3.28 million that Nikon calls "near night vision," and will capture 4K UHD video at 30 frames per second.


nikon-d5-dual-handgrip.jpg
 
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I have recently started travelling with a full frame DSLR with a zoom and prime lens. Its a PITA but the photo results make up for it. Still like to have the Olympus TG4 in the jacket pocket for those candid moments. Good general photos and there is an option for Aperture priority down to F2.0.
 
cuban8 said:
Still like to have the Olympus TG4 in the jacket pocket for those candid moments. Good general photos and there is an option for Aperture priority down to F2.0.
Click to expand...

Looking to pick up one of these when I'm next back home. The RAW photo capability, AP mode and waterproof/rugged body makes it appear a good choice for a P&S compact on the trail.
 
Now the Sony A7 full frame is around USD$ 1,000 i've surrendered and ordered one with a Zeiss 35mm / F 2.8 lens. You want the best possible image quality in a small package, so that you can carry it in a quick accessible place. Reviews say that the Sony A7, with a good lens can produce the same image quality as a Canon 5D Mk III.

The Zeiss 35mm / F 2.8 lens that fits straight on the Sony A7 with no adapters is only 3.6 cm (1 1/2 inches) long. This lens attached to the Sony A7 will fit into one of the large pockets of my Klim riding jacket or in a waist pack. If you carry the big DSLR with a big lens, it has to go in the backpack. Any offroad and even in a tank bag its easy to destroy an expensive lens. So if its in the backpack pain in the ass to take one shot and move on.

The Zeiss 35mm / F 2.8 lens isnt 100% ideal its not a zoom lens but being such a quality bit of glass, zoom/crop should be possible without ruining image sizes to say 1600 x 1061



Some reviews say battery life is an issue, turn the wifi off by putting the camera in "Airplane Mode" & that will significantly increase battery life.



sony a7 order by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr
 
Got the Sony A7 (Mk 1) this week. You can buy this on promotion in Chiang Mai now (body only) for 35,000 Bht/ Under USD$ 1,000.

The Zeiss 35mm f2.8 lens is about the same price as the camera body, but to zoom crop (it has no zoom) you need a good lens to keep definition.

It will fit in a big riding jacket pocket easy, slight longer than the width of a Garmin Montana.


P_20160121_161315.jpg by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr



P_20160121_161441.jpg by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr



Below is an untouched photo using the Sony A7 with the 35mm lens in low light


_DSC0009 by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr
 
Hope you like this camera platform as much as I do, try some legacy glass if you can!
 
Used the Sony A7 body quite a bit now and still convinced its an excellent 1 camera choice for motorcycle touring. Many people have either got Nikon or Canon equipment with expensive lenses, the Sony A7 with adapter can use any of them. You will lose functionality with expensive adapters, but the Sony A7, with 24 mega pixels gives you plenty of data to play with on the computer to adjust afterwards.

Below, the Sony A7 can use all of my Nikon Nikkor lenses. Manual focus through the Sony A7 digital viewfinder, easy to see the focus peaking with the outlines of objects become highlighted through the digital viewfinder image.

P_20160529_115021.jpg by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr


Take one small lens and the whole camera fits in a motorcycle jacket pocket. Take a quality zoom 80-200mm too and you have most shots covered.

Below has a Metabones adapter to accept the Nikkor lens

P_20160529_122134.jpg by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr



Commlite now make an autofocus adapter the Sony A7 for Nikon lenses, link below:


http://briansmith.com/worlds-first-nikon-f-auto-focus-adapter-for-sony-e-mount/
 
If you have a Sony A7, a BARGAIN lens is the Rokinon 85M-E 85mm F1.4 Fixed Lens for Sony. You can get it as cheap as USD$ 260 and has been proven to deliver the same if not better quality to the Nikkor 85mm lens that costs USD$ 1,400 (ie a 5th of the cost). f1.4 !!


Not normally a fan of OEM lenses, but this being a f 1.4 lens and proven it seems good


31sCwfkvxuL._SX300_.jpg




https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HAF1WZA/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



It is manual focus but really easy to see the focus flare.


Some reviews:



















 
A very good alternative at a similar price is the Samyang 85mm 1.4 with E mount, selling around 12.000 baht on Lazada.
 
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