tom in mpls
Active member
A couple years ago I finally rebelled against the size and weight of my Canon 5D DSLR system. This camera was just toooo big. And my shoulder was getting too sore.
For some time after that, I tried to find the smallest camera possible, the holy grail being a pocket camera that I could love. Well, I quickly learned that the Canon S95 and Leica X1 were certainly pocket size, but I can't live with such small sensors. So then I decided to look for the "next smallest" camera. I've tried Oly and Panny m3/4 and Sony Nex. Well, the Oly and Panny option was not satisfactory, and they still would not fit in a pocket. OK, pancake lens and big baggy pocket, but not my pocket. Not satisfied with the user experience. I realized that I don't like the handling of the very small cameras, especially the NEX tiny body with big lenses sticking out. These cameras were just toooo small.
At last an epiphany. Or one could say that I was inexplicably slow to recognize the obvious:
If the camera can't fit in my pocket anyway, then why am I trying to find the smallest large-sensor camera possible? Stupid. Get a camera big enough to handle well in my hands, but still light years smaller than my Canon DSLR.
So I love the size of the X-Pro1. And I have no need to insist on anything smaller. It's juuuust right. And what a camera! I love love love hight ISO, small fast lenses, feel in my hands, and beautiful pictures.
Why was I fixated for so long on too-big-to-pocket-yet-too-small-to-handle?
For some time after that, I tried to find the smallest camera possible, the holy grail being a pocket camera that I could love. Well, I quickly learned that the Canon S95 and Leica X1 were certainly pocket size, but I can't live with such small sensors. So then I decided to look for the "next smallest" camera. I've tried Oly and Panny m3/4 and Sony Nex. Well, the Oly and Panny option was not satisfactory, and they still would not fit in a pocket. OK, pancake lens and big baggy pocket, but not my pocket. Not satisfied with the user experience. I realized that I don't like the handling of the very small cameras, especially the NEX tiny body with big lenses sticking out. These cameras were just toooo small.
At last an epiphany. Or one could say that I was inexplicably slow to recognize the obvious:
If the camera can't fit in my pocket anyway, then why am I trying to find the smallest large-sensor camera possible? Stupid. Get a camera big enough to handle well in my hands, but still light years smaller than my Canon DSLR.
So I love the size of the X-Pro1. And I have no need to insist on anything smaller. It's juuuust right. And what a camera! I love love love hight ISO, small fast lenses, feel in my hands, and beautiful pictures.
Why was I fixated for so long on too-big-to-pocket-yet-too-small-to-handle?
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