GF1 or Pentax KX + Canon S90

[nostatic]

I'm not a professional photographer and I have a very solid perspective of cost/benefit when it comes to buying "hoby toys"...I will never pay that kind of money for a lens.
I shoot most of my stuff with wide angles, so the 20mm f1.7 that comes with the GF1 really scores BIG points there.

The Pentax 31/1.8 is a sublime lens. But actually my favorite was the 77/1.8. That this was magic. I gladly paid for it. I'd rather have a few really good lenses than a bunch of stuff just to have...a bunch of stuff.

Plus I bought those lenses before the prices jumped. And sold them afterwards...so that worked out ok.

My theory is to buy what I really want the first time and be done with it. Invariably if I try to cheap out on something that I really like, will use, and am serious about (even if it is a hobby), I will end up being dissatisfied, selling at a loss and buying what I wanted down the road anyway.

 

[Rawfa]

The 20mm f1.7 may not be a wide angle but it's wider than anything out there with a f1.7 aperture that is either too bulky or too expensive (or both).

So if you guys want to know what I've chosen here it is....The E-P1 with the 20mm Hahaha. No one saw that one coming! I know, I know I'm probably the guy who complained the most about this camera in the forum, but after having tried the rest I've found it to be the "best" compromise between both worlds (compact and DSLR)...even though it has lost of flaws IMO.

So here are the actual results.

- GF1: I've found the results at iso 1600 to be visibly inferior to the E-P1's, and I had no idea the in-camera image stabilization would have such an impact on my shooting. I used to shoot 1/6 with the E-P1...you can only do that with the GF1 with a tripod.

- Pentax KX- this camera is just amazing, I mean REALLY amazing. Hear my words that next year it will be taking MANY "camera of the year awards". The dynamic range, the high iso, the speed, I can just keep going...BUT...no matter how much I try I just cannot get used to a larger camera...and I keep trying, because I've never managed to get the same results with smaller sensor cameras. But whenever I buy a larger camera I just don't take it everywhere like I would take a smaller camera (it also makes people very self conscious and I love taking candid photos). Also, Pentax KX + Canon S90 would be more expensive. specially because I know I would buy lots of addons and more pentax glass. I've kept the E-P1's collapsible kit lens and the pentax to m4/3 adapter so there will be no more expenses other than the camera it self (which I've bough second hand for a fair price with an additional battery, the leatherette cover, the flash, the viewfinder and the 17mm). All I will need is the 20mm now.

So, until something like a Sigma DP3 with swappable lenses, or a Fujifilm m4/3 with an EXR sensor, or the Samsung NX, or something small with a larger sensor comes along it's the E-P1 for me.

 

[Abbazz]

So if you guys want to know what I've chosen here it is....The E-P1 with the 20mm

Can't blame you. To me the E-P1 is also the best compromise, although not perfect. I use it more than my Pentaxes.

Cheers!

Abbazz

 

[toobacat]

So here are the actual results.

- GF1: I've found the results at iso 1600 to be visibly inferior to the E-P1's, and I had no idea the in-camera image stabilization would have such an impact on my shooting. I used to shoot 1/6 with the E-P1...you can only do that with the GF1 with a tripod.

I just read on dpreview that the actual iso values for the GF1 are higher than the indicated values. It said that iso 1600 was actually 2100. Could this explain the inferior results at iso 1600 for the GF1? I'm really struggling with which camera to get my wife for Christmas and I've pretty much narrowed it down to the GF1 or the S90.