ART S95 vs. Micro 4/3's

[Hipster Mike]

Getting my wife a camera soon since I sold the G10(she would use the G10 while I shoot with my 50D.)

Are micro 4/3's worth the extra cost? I was going to get the S95 because it's smaller than the G10.

What do you guys think? She knows photography(took a course in college) and would probably use it for her work once in a while(graphic designer).

 

[Girth]

if your wife isn't a photographer, a 4/3rds is worthless IMO.

 

[Marix]

I also wouldn't bother with 4/3 You can get "proper" dSLRs which are tiny.

Or she could look at the Sony NEX series as something in between. They're small to hold but have interchangeable lenses and a sensor which is actually LARGER (and therefore better image quality) than a micro 4/3 camera.

 

[Hipster Mike]

I also wouldn't bother with 4/3 You can get "proper" dSLRs which are tiny.

Or she could look at the Sony NEX series as something in between. They're small to hold but have interchangeable lenses and a sensor which is actually LARGER (and therefore better image quality) than a micro 4/3 camera.

I was looking at the NEX-3. But with the 18-55 kit it wouldn't be as portable as an S95.

 

[legendr34]

i have a panasonic gf1 with the pancake lens, its great

 

[huntz0r]

4/3s is a very niche kind of thing. The only 4/3s setup I could imagine really loving is a PEN/NEX/etc. with a pancake lens. Once you stick a zoom lens on it, it won't fit in a jacket pocket and you can get a proper DSLR that isn't much bigger but has a full sensor and handles much better. The 4/3s SLRs seem kind of pointless since they are the same size as a Sony Alpha or D3000.

 

[Marix]

^^ I agree, although NEX is an APS-C size sensor

But I agree getting a small dSLR will give you the best image quality

It really depends what she wants to take photos of and why

 

[S P]

4/3s is a very niche kind of thing. The only 4/3s setup I could imagine really loving is a PEN/NEX/etc. with a pancake lens. Once you stick a zoom lens on it, it won't fit in a jacket pocket and you can get a proper DSLR that isn't much bigger but has a full sensor and handles much better. The 4/3s SLRs seem kind of pointless since they are the same size as a Sony Alpha or D3000.

That's my main hangup with the 4/3s cameras. They're nice and really compact, but only if you're using the little pancake lenses on them. Put a normal zoom on it and you might as well be using a small DSLR. And there isn't a huge selection of m4/3 format lenses yet either. The platform has a ton of potential though.

 

[Hipster Mike]

^^ I agree, although NEX is an APS-C size sensor

But I agree getting a small dSLR will give you the best image quality

It really depends what she wants to take photos of and why

most likely use it when she has to help update their site, like last week she had to take a shot of their new office location but she commutes by train so taking a DSLR is kind of too much to carry

so a smaller camera like the s95 or a 4/3's would be perfect

 

[Marix]

Well, as others have said, a 4/3 isn't really that small once you have a "normal" lens on it

So you might as well get an excellent P&S, and the s95 would be a good choice

 

[huntz0r]

most likely use it when she has to help update their site, like last week she had to take a shot of their new office location but she commutes by train so taking a DSLR is kind of too much to carry

so a smaller camera like the s95 or a 4/3's would be perfect

An S95 (or G12) is going to do just fine for that use, unless it involves low light interior shots... even then it will probably be just fine for images to go on a website. In daylight you won't be able to see any difference between the two in a web-sized photo.