tonyturley
Legend
- Location
- Scott Depot, WV, USA
- Name
- Tony
Like Jock and Sue, I have joined the bridge camera brigade. I found a store demo Panasonic FZ2500 from Adorama (with a warranty) at a significant discount from the new price, and it is arriving tomorrow. I think many of you have heard me mention off and on about the yearning for a single “do it all” camera. I know there is no free lunch – physics is physics. An APS-C fixed lens camera going from 24-480mm and f/2.8-4.5 would be enormous, heavy, and expensive. Even such a camera with a micro 4/3 sensor would be unwieldy. Heck, even the 1” sensor RX10 i-iv are massive, expensive beasts.
This idea has been floating around in my head for a while, but what really helped solidify the idea was buying Stephen Ingraham’s “Point and Shoot Nature Photography” book, and finding Prof. Bryan Pfeiffer’s Field Naturalist site. Those are guys who are prolific naturalists, photographers, and writers, and their tool of choice is the RX10iv. While there was no way I was going to pay that kind of coin, I began researching suitable alternatives. I knew I didn’t want to go smaller than a 1” sensor, so the FZ300, Nikon P900 and similar cameras were out. Many people like the FZ1000, and I knew there was an FZ2500, although I don’t recall anyone on these forums using one. I dug for all the information I could find on the FZ2500, and uncovered a fair number of sample images. If I can produce the same quality images, I will be pleased.
I’ve typically been carrying two MFT cameras when I go bike riding or hiking: one with a telephoto zoom, and one with a prime or shorter zoom. The arrangement has worked and I’ve gotten a lot of great images, but it is not optimal. I also didn’t want to go back to carrying a single camera and swapping lenses back and forth, like I did when I was carrying Fuji gear. The writings of Messrs. Ingraham and Pfieffer showed me that a fixed lens bridge camera can be used to produce quality work. Like them, I’m trying to establish myself as a free lance writer/photographer, at least as an avocation. A bridge camera has worked very well for them.
Some of my MFT gear has already been listed for sale on Amazon, and the rest will follow shortly. Several years ago I got the idea that I needed to have a backup body. Other people manage to get through life with a single camera; I should be able to do the same. In closing, here’s the FZ2500 next to my current E-M10 II and 75-300 II. The Lumix has a shorter lens, but is heavier at 966g vs 813, with a taller and thicker body. It will take some adjustment, but it is my hope this will be the best camera for me at this stage of my journey.
This idea has been floating around in my head for a while, but what really helped solidify the idea was buying Stephen Ingraham’s “Point and Shoot Nature Photography” book, and finding Prof. Bryan Pfeiffer’s Field Naturalist site. Those are guys who are prolific naturalists, photographers, and writers, and their tool of choice is the RX10iv. While there was no way I was going to pay that kind of coin, I began researching suitable alternatives. I knew I didn’t want to go smaller than a 1” sensor, so the FZ300, Nikon P900 and similar cameras were out. Many people like the FZ1000, and I knew there was an FZ2500, although I don’t recall anyone on these forums using one. I dug for all the information I could find on the FZ2500, and uncovered a fair number of sample images. If I can produce the same quality images, I will be pleased.
I’ve typically been carrying two MFT cameras when I go bike riding or hiking: one with a telephoto zoom, and one with a prime or shorter zoom. The arrangement has worked and I’ve gotten a lot of great images, but it is not optimal. I also didn’t want to go back to carrying a single camera and swapping lenses back and forth, like I did when I was carrying Fuji gear. The writings of Messrs. Ingraham and Pfieffer showed me that a fixed lens bridge camera can be used to produce quality work. Like them, I’m trying to establish myself as a free lance writer/photographer, at least as an avocation. A bridge camera has worked very well for them.
Some of my MFT gear has already been listed for sale on Amazon, and the rest will follow shortly. Several years ago I got the idea that I needed to have a backup body. Other people manage to get through life with a single camera; I should be able to do the same. In closing, here’s the FZ2500 next to my current E-M10 II and 75-300 II. The Lumix has a shorter lens, but is heavier at 966g vs 813, with a taller and thicker body. It will take some adjustment, but it is my hope this will be the best camera for me at this stage of my journey.