[lesmore49]

Have you considered the Ricoh GR III?

It's a fixed-lens APS-C camera, highly rated for excellent image quality. It's compact, lightweight, and easy to use. I do not own one, but have seen many superb images, including landscape, cityscape, architecture, street, and small subjects. On the negative side, I don't believe that it is weather-sealed and the battery life may be limited compared to your K-1.

If you are working out of a backpack for a week, a highly-portable and stowable camera such as the GR III would seem to have advantages compared to a multi-lens kit.

- Craig

I have a Ricoh GR ll, model just before the GR lll and I would second that recommendation. I bought my GR ll, new, two years ago, the GR lll had just come out and my GR ll was I suppose new old stock. Not sure if any are available as new old stock anymore, but it was quite a bit cheaper.

Been a great little camera and it has a ASP-C size sensor, which I believe is bigger than the Olympus. The fixed 28mm F 2.8 lens is very sharp and the body is rugged.

[timb64]

I get pleasing (to me) results from a mk1 Sony RX100, as a pocketable backup camera when I don’t want to carry an SLR.

[G&R]

.. small, light,etc..

Humn.. Has anyone tried using LiFePO4 batteries in a camera designed for AA batteries? Apparently LiFePO4 are lighter to start with, and because the voltage is roughly double a standard AA they can be combined with dummy battery for even lower total weight.

[MiguelATF]

Hey guys,
I need your help in identifying a secondary camera, mostly for longer hiking trips (so, like twice a year, small, light,etc).

At the moment, I have a K 1, which I use extensively, and am actually very happy with for well planned out photography but, it takes too much joy away after a week of hiking, also, space.

So far, I looked at Olympus, to change the whole system to the plenty able mft, but I feel that I do not save too much on bulk, after all.

My second idea is to repurchase a sony rx 100, they are lovely for what they are, but, maybe one of you has a better suggestion?

I shoot mainly landscape, night cityscapes, a little creative shapes and architecture. Used to do animals, but Pentax really has different strengths imo, so it kinda died down (also a reason, why I started looking at Olympus, they do this great).

Any ideas welcome, and no, Leica Q is too expensive

Hey, Alexander, not sure if my response is coming too late for you, but I do have one small camera to recommend which is both surprisingly lightweight, surprisingly well-built, and surprisingly versatile as an almost semi-pocketable travel camera. It is the small Canon G1x Mark iii. It's a small APS-C weatherized camera with a built-in zoom lens and it has become one of my favorite travel cameras over the past few years. The camera's form is that of a miniature DSLR and it has a surprisingly useful small EVF. It also has an intelligent and simple menu system, a touchscreen with useful functions, and it feels great in the hand. The biggest complaint is that its fixed zoom isn't the fastest low-light shooter in the world (it varies between f2.8 and f5.6) - but I have found the lens shockingly sharp and, with its fine APS-C sensor, surprisingly useful in many lighting conditions. The zoom range is roughly between 24mm and 72mm I believe - a useful collection of focal lengths which I have found handy traveling.

In fact, honestly, the camera is so good - and so unique for what it is (a weatherized, beautifully built, semi-pocketable APS-C compact with a fine viewfinder and very good lens - that for me, it almost seems like a much more affordable version of certain Leica APS-C compacts.

I'm attaching a handful of photos, taken with my G1x Mark III, which should give you some indication of the image quality.
But, all in all, I have found it an addictively fun and surprisingly high quality little camera for trips and traveling.
(I would also echo someone else's suggestion of the GRII - much more affordable than the GRiii - and insanely small. Another great tiny travel camera. IQwise it beats the G1x Mkiii - but versatility-wise, I find the little Canon a better travel camera.)

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[pinholecam]

I am in some ways in the same shoes, but I want a back up camera rather than a total replacement.
My needs are solo bike tours with a photographic focus.
I want the high IQ of the K1 and the great DR, however I also need a camera that I can easily sling on myself and take snap shots (ie. no setup time) as well as become backup IF the K1 breaks down (or suffers a mishap)

I've used the Q7 on a few trips, but I know that I will be kicking myself for loosing the IQ and DR if I was forced to use it as the backup camera (it does well for the not as important snaps, record shots )

Logically, the camera is my A7, which is still somewhat "smallish", and I don't need to carry another compliment of lenses since my K1 lenses will go on with an adapter.
Still FF, so no juggling FL equivalents with the lenses I am carrying as opposed to an apsc or m4/3 back-up camera;
certainly good IQ still, not too big, just bring the battery, adapter, charger.
Probably the least expensive too having no real need to buy native lenses.


However, the heavily discounted prices for the Olympus OM-D EM10 III does seem tempting (as well as new gear itch)
EM10 III + Panasonic 12-32 + Olympus 40-150 do seem to be a complete kit that will do well.

Then there are also the older RX100III or IV, G7, LX100 I / II which are all at really good prices for what they are.

[G&R]

Looking at options *ist may be good: cheap, very small, has AF, and works w/ most contemporary lenses (apparently not w/ aperture ring).

There is an option in the menus to turn on the "F step other than A". 4x AA batteries is not light though, and it might be heavier than the main camera if there is a need to carry spare batteries.

[dms]

if it is happy with energizer lithiums AA (my K-x is) they are quite light and essentially remove the need replace for quite some time.

But the grip makes it a larger camera and seems not needed, in the scenario.

---

Last edited by dms; 02-25-2021 at 08:12 PM.

[surfar]

a secondary camera, mostly for longer hiking trips (so, like twice a year, small, light,etc).

An in expensive start off will be some used Olympus gear.

Mid range Olympus Em5 mk2 with a 14-150(28to300Fov).WR like a Pentax,Body stabilised like a Pentax.If you need wider there are options with lightweight zooms and some primes.

For a bit more, the Fuji XS-10 is the best mid range crop sensored body right now.999 just add some excellent to superb glass.Lightweight,compact,with Ibis but no WR.Big range of primes and zooms.

[AlexanderS]

I am in some ways in the same shoes, but I want a back up camera rather than a total replacement.
My needs are solo bike tours with a photographic focus.
I want the high IQ of the K1 and the great DR, however I also need a camera that I can easily sling on myself and take snap shots (ie. no setup time) as well as become backup IF the K1 breaks down (or suffers a mishap)

I've used the Q7 on a few trips, but I know that I will be kicking myself for loosing the IQ and DR if I was forced to use it as the backup camera (it does well for the not as important snaps, record shots )

Logically, the camera is my A7, which is still somewhat "smallish", and I don't need to carry another compliment of lenses since my K1 lenses will go on with an adapter.
Still FF, so no juggling FL equivalents with the lenses I am carrying as opposed to an apsc or m4/3 back-up camera;
certainly good IQ still, not too big, just bring the battery, adapter, charger.
Probably the least expensive too having no real need to buy native lenses.


However, the heavily discounted prices for the Olympus OM-D EM10 III does seem tempting (as well as new gear itch)
EM10 III + Panasonic 12-32 + Olympus 40-150 do seem to be a complete kit that will do well.

Then there are also the older RX100III or IV, G7, LX100 I / II which are all at really good prices for what they are.

Actually have been testing the em10 mk3 for 2 weeks now (thank you, 30 day return policy). It is really pocketable, but I also figured that it doesnt make sense to keep the K1 then, because, really, pictures are good enough,too, and that little plus of dynamic range and low light capability really isnt a game changer in comparison, I guess. So, I still dont know, what to do, but leaning more towards an rx100/1 inch variant. Going to a store tomorrow, just to try out the em1 mk3, too, and how it fits into my pocket (might then reconsider my whole situation), but yeah, the Pentax is still really a great deal.....so many variants.....

[ncallender]

It really depends on your goals with hiking. I personally think that a KP with a 20-40 and 100 macro make a pretty awesome hiking setup. For me. I have actually done the fixed wide lens thing and I don't love it. IE Fuji X100 series. At that point I would just rather being my phone and save all the additional weight and hassle. So I think only you can decide what you want to get out of the experience and then just bring the tools that let you do that. Good luck!

[Gary H Perth]

My recently purchased second camera is a used K-01, which has IBIS, takes all my Pentax lenses and any vintage M42s, and shoots up to ISO12800. It even makes the pics from the DAL55-200mm look good, and is way smaller/lighter than the K1. Less of a difference from the K-70 though - and K-70 is my main camera.