[dhazeghi]

Hi all,



I'm looking for a small walkaround DSLR/lens combo. This is mainly for landscapes and travel stuff. I've been alternating between an Olympus E-P2/14-45 and a Nikon D700/24-120. The Olympus kit is the right size and weight but DR is painfully limited, the lens is mediocre and I miss having 24mm equivalent at the wide end. The Nikon kit delivers the goods on image quality, but is too large and heavy to enjoy carrying.



In order of important, I'm looking for a body/lens combination that is:

• 1200g or less (and smaller than the D700)
  
  
• 24-100mm+ zoom range (wide-end important).
  
  
• Sharp
  
  
• Good DR at low ISOs (100-400)
  
  
• Decent viewfinder
  
  

I've been considering the Nikon D3100/16-85 or the Sony A55/16-80. The Nikon has a pretty small VF, but looks decent otherwise. I've never had any experience with Sony. The best lens in the 24-100 range that is for small format looks like the Olympus 12-60, but there doesn't seem to be a reasonably-sized body that does it justice. Also, after the D700, I'm used to having a lot of PP latitude, so DR is pretty important.



Any thoughts?



Thanks,



DH

[blende8]

Pentax Kx, Kr or K5 with DA 16-50?

There's also a new 18-135.

[thxbb12]

I think your your best bet would be a Pentax K5 with a Pentax 17-70 f/4.

The only criterion this combo doesn't fill is the 24mm. It's more like 25.5mm.

However, the DA 17-70 is sharper at the wide end than the long end and it's very descent optically overall.

The K5 is one of the best performing camera, at any price, in terms of DR.

At ISO 80, it beats pretty much *everything* out there in DR, all APS-C based cameras, plus all full frames.

Check DX0mark for the graphs.

I just acquired a K5 myself a month ago and I'm very impressed by its IQ.



Here are some samples from a safari in Tanzania during Christmas.

Keep in mind most landscapes here were taken at ISO 80 (all single shots - no HDR):



[url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thxbb12/sets/72157625713307193/show/"]Lake Manyara National Park[/url]

[url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thxbb12/sets/72157625838894674/show/"]Tarangire National Park[/url]

[url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thxbb12/sets/72157625838893318/show/"]Serengeti National Park[/url]

[url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thxbb12/sets/72157625838897684/show/"]Ngorongoro Cratere[/url]

[url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thxbb12/sets/72157625713300823/show/"]Zanzibar[/url]

[url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thxbb12/sets/72157625838899758/show/"]Others[/url]



The DR of the K5 is just amazing.



Hope this helps.

[dhazeghi]

[quote name='thxbb12' timestamp='1295813539' post='5714']

I think your your best bet would be a Pentax K5 with a Pentax 17-70 f/4.

The only criterion this combo doesn't fill is the 24mm. It's more like 25.5mm.

However, the DA 17-70 is sharper at the wide end than the long end and it's very descent optically overall.

The K5 is one of the best performing camera, at any price, in terms of DR.

At ISO 80, it beats pretty much *everything* out there in DR, all APS-C based cameras, plus all full frames.

Check DX0mark for the graphs.

I just acquired a K5 myself a month ago and I'm very impressed by its IQ.



Here are some samples from a safari in Tanzania during Christmas.[/quote]



Hi Florent,



first, thanks for the samples. Looks like you had an amazing trip!



Regarding the K5, it looks like a great camera, but I think it's probably beyond my price-range for what is in essence a second camera for hiking/travel (will keep the D700 for other things). I was hoping to keep the whole kit under $1500 (lens + body)!



That said, I'm curious - there were some earlier reports that the K5 had a strong AA filter. On the other hand, it sounds like sharpness has not been an issue for you? How about the 17-70/4 at the long end at f/4? The reviews seemed a bit mixed.



Another poster mentioned the K-X. Any thoughts on that camera (sharpness, AF accuracy etc.)?



Happy shooting!



DH

[Guest]

[quote name='dhazeghi' timestamp='1295801331' post='5711']



I've been considering the Nikon D3100/16-85 or the Sony A55/16-80. The Nikon has a pretty small VF, but looks decent otherwise. I've never had any experience with Sony. The best lens in the 24-100 range that is for small format looks like the Olympus 12-60, but there doesn't seem to be a reasonably-sized body that does it justice. Also, after the D700, I'm used to having a lot of PP latitude, so DR is pretty important.

[/quote]



D7000 + 16-85 DX VR?

[Steinar1]

I would look at the D90 plus the Nikon 18-105VR. Pretty unbeatable combination for what you want I think and you can use your lenses, less than 1kg total weight and 789€ at www.cameratools.nl ! I am not a shareholder <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> but I use it for all my lenses and cameras. Perfect service and min 2 years warranty. If you want a smaller body, then take the D3100 or the P7000 with the firmware update. Good luck Vieux Loup

[backcountryskier]

Canon T2i + 15-85 IS

[PuxaVida]

D7000 + 18-200mm VR

[Guest]

As you already seem to be into Nikon (D700), I don't see anything wrong with Nikon D3100 / 16-85mm combo <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[wojtt]

Right, D3100 or D90 while it's out there at a great price - together with the 16-85 VR or 18-105 if you need a more budget oriented lens. I'd add a N 55-200 for a travel setup - light, cheap, and not bad at all <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />