[SturmD]

Hey there.

I've had my Pentax K-r for a year now, and was going to get the 15mm F/4 lens, then eventually get the K-5 replacement as a second camera so my girlfriend and I could share the cameras and lenses. I'll be traveling a lot over the next 2-3 years, and want to take some good pictures.

Then I started thinking about what I really need. I mainly do street photography with my 35mm f/2.4. It's great, but the large camera and gunshot-like shutter sound can scare people, especially in my paranoid city. I'd have the same problem with a 15mm and K-5 v2.0. The K-5 replacement is completely out of the question now.

So I started looking at smaller, quieter cameras. I came upon the Fujifilm X100. This thing looks great. It seems to be tailor made to take the kind of shots I take most of the time, except with a bit wider angle, which is what I want anyways. It's small, light, quiet, and still takes awesome pictures. And I really like the optical viewfinder over an electronic one. The pro camcorder I use has an EVF, and it always annoys me.

But then I found the Olympus OM-D EM-5. It comes to the same price, even though it's weather sealed, which would be ideal for when I want to go backpacking in two years. It also has interchangeable lenses, so I could switch up the primes. And it sounds like it might take a bit better quality pictures than the X100.

Now, this is where I'm conflicted. It looks like the Olympus would be a better all around camera. But I already have my K-r for that. If I get the EM-5, I would see no point in staying with Pentax and DSLRs, and I might have to sell the K-r. I would rather not do this. I want a sidekick, not a complete change of what I have. But I also don't want to regret paying $1200 for something when I could have bought a better camera at that price...

Thus, I have come to the internet for help. What do you think? X100 or EM-5?

[boriscleto]

Keep in mind you would need an 11mm lens to match the FOV of the DA 15 on a Pentax with the Olympus.

[GDRoth]

Hey there.

I've had my Pentax K-r for a year now, and was going to get the 15mm F/4 lens, then eventually get the K-5 replacement as a second camera so my girlfriend and I could share the cameras and lenses. I'll be traveling a lot over the next 2-3 years, and want to take some good pictures.

Then I started thinking about what I really need. I mainly do street photography with my 35mm f/2.4. It's great, but the large camera and gunshot-like shutter sound can scare people, especially in my paranoid city. I'd have the same problem with a 15mm and K-5 v2.0. The K-5 replacement is completely out of the question now.

So I started looking at smaller, quieter cameras. I came upon the Fujifilm X100. This thing looks great. It seems to be tailor made to take the kind of shots I take most of the time, except with a bit wider angle, which is what I want anyways. It's small, light, quiet, and still takes awesome pictures. And I really like the optical viewfinder over an electronic one. The pro camcorder I use has an EVF, and it always annoys me.

But then I found the Olympus OM-D EM-5. It comes to the same price, even though it's weather sealed, which would be ideal for when I want to go backpacking in two years. It also has interchangeable lenses, so I could switch up the primes. And it sounds like it might take a bit better quality pictures than the X100.

Now, this is where I'm conflicted. It looks like the Olympus would be a better all around camera. But I already have my K-r for that. If I get the EM-5, I would see no point in staying with Pentax and DSLRs, and I might have to sell the K-r. I would rather not do this. I want a sidekick, not a complete change of what I have. But I also don't want to regret paying $1200 for something when I could have bought a better camera at that price...

Thus, I have come to the internet for help. What do you think? X100 or EM-5?

I have an X100 and enthusiastically endores it.................Have you read thru the thread below?
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/non-pentax-cameras-canon-nikon-etc/166455...-pictures.html

I also got it so that I would not be thinking of adding new lenses...........

[rfortson]

Can't speak for the X100, but I have the OM-D and the K5 (plus the E-P1 and the K-01, fire sale coming soon). The OM-D is an amazing little camera and I could see building a system around it. But I still think the K5 has a little better IQ and it handles larger lenses better. So I'll be using the OM-D and K5. I'll probably keep the E-P1 since it's not worth much on the open market and I like it. I've decided to sell the K-01 even though the IQ is probably slightly better than the OM-D and it handles my K-mount lenses directly.

I guess the downside of having two systems is that you can start "feeding" two systems. With the X100, that shouldn't be a problem since it's a fixed lens.

[elho_cid]

Consider that K-5 is a lot quieter than the K-r. How much quiet to you need it to be?

[Clicker]

Not sure what kind of travel you're going to be doing. It if you'll be in places without electricity for extend periods having a body being able to work off AA batteries is a plus for me also include a solar charger especially on extended bush adventures.

[SturmD]

Thanks for the replies! I'm going to go with the X100. I'll get a new DSLR sometime way down the road, possibly the second successor to the K-5, or if I ever find myself in the bushes .

[GDRoth]

Thanks for the replies! I'm going to go with the X100. I'll get a new DSLR sometime way down the road, possibly the second successor to the K-5, or if I ever find myself in the bushes .

You won't be sorry...............here's what mine looks like

[SturmD]

You won't be sorry...............here's what mine looks like

You added a cap to the shutter-release thread? What would be the name for one of those? Looks useful to push the button.

Edit: Found it. Soft release buttons.

Thanks anyways!

[GDRoth]

and added the "thumbs up" do-hickey on the back....................that's also discussed in the thread I provided earlier...

[SturmD]

and added the "thumbs up" do-hickey on the back....................that's also discussed in the thread I provided earlier...

Aha. I'll have to look at it more in depth.

[jct us101]

You would have been much happier with the E-M5...believe me, people on my forum were when they had both.

[JHD]

I've seen a lot of X-100s for sale lately.

[pinholecam]

Personally, I don't find shutter sound nor general camera size to be that important as to hinder street/candid photography.
Its more the self consciousness of the photographer about his/her gear.
There are lots of fabulous candids taken with all sorts of cameras and many with larger canikon DSLRs. (and their louder than K5 shutter/mirrors)

Between your 2 choices, certainly m4/3 is the better choice to me.
1. More modular
2. better AF speed for Panasonic m4/3 and EP3 onwards for Oly
3. less redundancy (eg. lenses can always be re-used on newer body)
4. Better EVF (for G3, GH2, OMD)
5. Chance to use adapted MF lenses (if necessary)
6. Better LCD screen and most have tilt/swivel options
7. Touch screen focusing/shutter release and AF point selection for more discreet shooting options