suggestions for mirrorless system

[jaomul]

I know your pretty much set on aps-c size camera. I am not sure how prices compare where you live. I am currently on hols and decided as much as I like my gear i am not dragging it around again. The Olympus Pen Lite ep5 is a camera I have been reading up about the last while. It seems to have most what I would like in a camera from using a dslr and the same image quality as the OMD. It may be worth a look. I certainly will be doing something similar to yourself for a lighter system in the near future

Olympus PEN Lite E-PL5 Review

 

[Derrel]

The Canon EOS M ( of course I have not use it before ) seems to meet your requirements.

$399 with 22mm f/2 lens and 90EX flash
Canon EOS M Mirrorless Digital Camera Kit with 22mm f/2 Lens B&H


Lens by itself cost $179 from Amazon
Speedlite 90EX by itself cost $99 from Amazon

So that make the package from BH quite attractive I think.

The thing that's bad about the new EOS M is that, according to most of the reviews from actual buyers, the AF performance just kills the camera. The price on the thing has fallen quite seriously. The word is out on the EOS M...it's a disappointment to most of its owners, from what I've read. Some of the big-name shooters like Kirk Tuck have savaged the camera for being, I'll put it politely,
"unacceptable".

Kirl's new web site has some very good hands-on reviews from a professional who REALLY LIKES the mirrorless concept, and has a lot of experience with the Oly system for his own work, but who has obtained and tested a lot of different mirrorless models and their lenses. I love his writing style. Good reviews, with real-world angles.

The Visual Science Lab / Kirk Tuck

He dissed the EOS M last summer in his article titled "Canon missed the whole point. Really." As he wrote last summer, "I want to ask the people who have already rushed to pre-order one of these from Amazon, "What were you thinking? Have you never seen a Panasonic G3 or G5 or GX1? or Olympus EPL-2? Or even a Canon rebel T3i?" There are so many great bargains out there that this camera seems unbelievably cynical."

He got one, used it, and he was NOT impressed. This is the same camera that was $799 last summer at introduction, and has seen the price fall to less than HALF of that...they can hardly unload these things this year... hence the price cut, and the flash to sweeten the deal...and still...

 

[Dao]

I read about the AF issue. After the 70D announcement, I read some where that a newer firmware should fix the AF issue of the EOS M.

Edit: After I did some searching, it seems the AF did improve with firmware update. But for someone who do not already have Canon lenses, that could be a deal breaker since we do not know if Canon or other 3rd party manufacturers will make more lenses for this system.

 

[Gavjenks]

Yeah, w/r to Derrel's comments above + not having any Canon lenses, that's clearly a no-go.

I'd say just go off of stats alone for whatever other random brand, find one you like, double check its ratings somewhere like Amazon to make sure people aren't repeatedly reporting any fatal flaws, and then pull the trigger.

 

[usayit]

Just like any other camera purchase, start with looking at the lenses... which system has the optics you like.

My choice is micro 4/3rds system:

Size, Weight, Selection of lenses where the primary driving factors.

Many will point out the 2x crop sensor... but in this case I already have a FF system so I needed something that is a blend of compromises placing a priority on size/weight. Micro 4/3rds was the ideal "blend". It's priced pretty competitively too.... and a selection of lenses that can satisfy anyone.