Travel-Friendly Cameras

Most event organizers hire a professional to photograph their major meetings -- and there's no better way to capture and preserve an event's image. But even when a photographer isn't in the budget, planners can benefit from having documented their events with photos or video. For smaller or more impromptu gatherings, site inspections and other purposes, having a good camera at the ready could mean the difference between throwaway cell-phone snapshots and images crisp enough to be used in marketing collateral.

For that reason, M&C decided to take a closer look at a relatively new breed of travel-friendly cameras, known as compact system cameras (or the more descriptive "mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras," or the more provocative "EVIL" -- electronic viewfinder with interchangeable lens). Produced by a growing list of manufacturers, they are smaller and lighter than digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras but generally deliver image quality approaching that of their larger brethren. Read on for an explanation of the differences and how these cameras might be useful for meetings.

Format overview Until a few years ago, buying a digital camera -- and not just snapping photos with your cell phone -- meant an investment in either a compact point-and-shoot or a DSLR. The former category, which makes up the vast majority of the market, essentially means a camera with a nonremovable lens. A digital single-lens reflex camera, on the other hand, is what those of a certain age call "real cameras." The mechanics of these mimic the 35mm film SLR cameras of days gone by, with an image captured by a sensor rather than a film negative. The photographer can look through an optical viewfinder to compose the image and select different lenses for different purposes.

The compact system cameras we're looking at here bridge the gap between those two types. By eliminating the mirror that sits behind the shutters of SLR cameras, manufacturers can make the camera bodies much smaller. Lenses can be smaller and lighter as well. The lack of a mirror means these cameras can't offer an optical viewfinder, so on most models you compose the picture using the LCD display -- but nearly all offer viewfinder accessories you can attach, should you prefer to put your eye up to the camera.

Four manufacturers have been selling the bulk of these cameras -- Olympus, Panasonic, Samsung and Sony -- and more are on the way. According to one industry insider, Nikon will release a version by year's end, and Canon likely will have a model out by January 2012. Leica will join that list too, per recent reports.

Sensor science What makes these compact system cameras compelling in terms of image quality is the size of the sensor inside -- and size matters. Even entry-level DSLRs use sensors that are typically 15 times the size of the average sensor in most compact point-and-shoots (and at least 50 times what you might find in a cell-phone camera). Cameras with bigger sensors can theoretically provide cleaner photos, with more gradations of light and color and less "noise," or graininess. The sensors in compact system cameras from Sony and Samsung are the same size as those found in many beginner DSLRs; those in competing cameras from Panasonic and Olympus cameras are slightly smaller, but still nine times larger than the sensors in point-and-shoots.

Many other factors determine image quality, but the size of the sensor is a more telling figure than the commonly referenced megapixel count, which merely refers to the number of light-capturing pixels on the sensor.

What it means to you: It all depends on how you'll use the photos. If they'll be viewed at a relatively small size on a website, the image quality attributable to a larger sensor matters less. But if the photos will be displayed more prominently online, used in print collateral or shared with the media for publicity, the finer quality is important.

Sense of style A number of these compact system cameras sport slim camera bodies with a retro style, evocative of rangefinder cameras favored by street photographers 50 to 60 years ago. The most obvious example is the Olympus PEN series, named and styled after Olympus' light, portable film cameras that became popular in the 1960s. That's one reason this camera type has cultivated a following among photographers -- when used with smaller lenses, these cameras present a handy alternative to DSLRs. Most offer the manual adjustability found in DSLRs, in the portable convenience of a camera body around the same size as the larger compact point-and-shoot models.

What it means to you: These cameras are stylish, light, easy to carry and less likely to draw attention when you're trying to take candid photos. A DSLR will probably produce better-quality images. But if that extra bulk means you're more likely to leave the camera in your room when you're on-site, the better photo quality won't matter much.

Moving pictures While retro on the outside, the cameras still provide most perks of the present, notably high-definition video. Most digital cameras these days have added video to their feature lists; in the case of the compact system cameras, the relatively big sensors and the selection of different lenses can mean better quality output and more flexibility in different shooting situations than you'd get with a point-and-shoot. Several models can shoot full-size HD video (the newest Olympus PEN cameras, Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3), while others offer what's called 720p HD video (Sony NEX-C3, Samsung NX100, Olympus PEN E-PL2) -- still high-definition video, but with fewer lines of resolution. Some even have a separate shutter button for shooting video -- a nice convenience, because you can begin shooting immediately without first selecting a movie mode.

What it means to you: In this age of YouTube, using video to promote an event can be a great way to build buzz. Whether you're responsible for the final product or you're handing off your video clips to someone else to edit, good-looking footage makes a bigger impact.

Ones to Watch continued

Panasonic

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 was released last month and, like the Olympus E-P3 (and the Panasonic GF2 before it), it features a 3-inch touchscreen interface. It's quite small, and some of the external dials and controls have been removed from previous versions as a result. That, along with the touchscreen, gives it a style more modern than retro. The camera records full HD video and has a built-in flash, although it lacks the hot shoe port of its predecessors -- meaning it isn't compatible with external flash or electronic viewfinder units. The GF3 sells for about $699 with a 14mm (28mm equivalent) f/2.5 lens or $599 with a zoom lens (14-42mm/equivalent to 28-84mm).

Sony

The Sony NEX-C3, another very compact camera released last month, manages to pack in a larger sensor, equivalent to those found in many DSLRs. An external flash is supplied but not built-in, and the camera shoots 720p HD video. A new "Photo Creativity" interface removes photo jargon from the settings, replacing technical terms like "aperture," "exposure value" and "white balance" with the simplified "background defocus," "brightness" and "color." The camera retails for about $650 with a zoom lens (18-55mm/equivalent to 27-82mm) or $600 with a wide 16mm (equivalent to 24mm) f/2.8 lens.

In the raw Another feature common to these cameras, which is absolutely essential to photographers, is the ability to shoot in the RAW file format. For anyone who used to shoot on film, shooting RAW is like magic; the format preserves all of the raw data captured by the sensor, meaning you can actually change the camera settings after you've taken the picture. You shot with the wrong white balance setting? Change it after you've downloaded the image to your computer. The exposure was off by a stop? You can adjust that too, and without the degradation to picture quality that comes with manipulating a photo shot as a JPEG.

Of course, there's post-processing work associated with shooting in RAW (which requires either software that comes with the camera or programs such as Lightroom or Photoshop from Adobe, or Apple's Aperture or iPhoto), and not everyone wants to bother. For that reason you also can shoot JPEG files with any of these cameras.

What it means to you: Is there any chance you'll be passing your photos on to an art director or designer for use down the road? You can shoot RAW and JPEG files simultaneously. That way you can get the immediate gratification of the JPEG file, and still save the infinitely more editable RAW files for the art team.

Creative control Another benefit of compact system cameras is photographic control. Neophytes needn't fear -- each camera also has fully automatic shooting options -- but for those with some know-how or interest, these cameras offer a lot of possibilities. The ability to select lenses, add a flash, and adjust aperture and ISO settings, among many other options, can be helpful. Consider these real-world examples.

Dim lighting. We all know not every meeting room has sunlight pouring in through the windows, bathing all that we see before us flattering light. Because the built-in flashes on point-and-shoots (and some of these cameras, too) generally are too weak to shed light that's either sufficient or flattering, you need options. A "fast" lens can be incredibly useful -- that's a lens with a wide maximum aperture, meaning it lets in a lot of light, making the most of what's in the scene. Consider a lens of f/2.8 or wider (meaning smaller numbers) for low-light shooting without a flash. Having flexibility in lens selection is a huge help.

You also can bump up the camera's ISO setting, meaning its sensitivity to light. Some of the new compact system cameras can be set to very high settings. While a higher ISO setting typically means grainier photos, the larger sensors in these cameras offer an advantage in managing that unwanted graininess.

Speaker shots. If you're shooting a speaker with stage lighting, a fast lens without a flash can be sufficient (depending on the lighting, of course). The wide-aperture lens also provides the benefit of blurring out the background, drawing more attention to the speaker. (This is actually another advantage of the larger sensor size, too -- it's easier to obtain this out-of-focus-background effect, or bokeh, with a large sensor.)

For a speaker in a conference room, a flash usually is required. A number of compact system cameras allow for the use of external flash units (Olympus PEN family, Samsung NX100, Sony NEX-C3), which typically are more powerful than built-in flashes, and more adjustable in terms of that power and light direction.

Conveying the space. If you like to document what you see on a site inspection, a wide-angle lens often is ideal for providing the perspective needed to convey the size of a room or space.

Field Notes
While waiting for the new cameras to be released, I was able to put an Olympus PEN E-PL2 through its paces. Shooting with this camera was a fun, rewarding experience, and its size and weight, as well as the photographic control it provides, make it an excellent travel companion. Compared to DSLRs, such a camera is a lot easier to carry to hotel openings, site visits and events without being cumbersome.

I evaluated the Double Zoom Kit, which has two lenses: a 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom and a 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 zoom. In terms of traditional 35mm photography, those lenses are equivalent to a 28-84mm field of view and an 80-300mm field of view. The lenses are very light and are designed to collapse a bit when not in use, making the camera slimmer for travel.

The lens quality was good, but neither made me nearly as happy as shooting with the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 lens, which I also tried with the E-PL2. (Olympus and Panasonic adhere to the same Micro Four Thirds standard specs.) This lens doesn't have the range of a zoom (it's equivalent to a 40mm lens in 35mm photography terms); but it's a beautiful sharp lens, and its wide aperture is fantastically useful in dimly lit situations and for creating a shallow focus. Plus, attaching such a small, flat lens to one of these cameras makes them less conspicuous and that much easier to tote.

The E-PL2's autofocusing was slightly sluggish, and that seemed more pronounced with the kit zoom lenses. While not a deal-breaker, that was my biggest quibble with the E-PL2. It isn't a factor when shooting an event space or the beautiful landscape of a meeting destination. It's a bit more noticeable when photographing a toddler on vacation.

The E-PL2 will be sold alongside the new Olympus models this fall, although the retail price has yet to be decided. Depending on the price difference between this one and the new $699.99 E-PL3 kit, the E-PL2 might be a good value -- especially if you'll use its built-in flash, which the new model lacks. But I'd hesitate to lay out the money for the E-PL2 before putting the updated version's new autofocus system to the test.

For comparison, I tested a high-end point-and-shoot, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 ($499 retail). This camera has a feature set comparable with the interchangeable-lens models. It has an excellent built-in Leica zoom lens with a wide field of view (equivalent to 24mm) and aperture (f/2.0 when zoomed all the way out). It's a good low-light performer, although such images are a bit noisier than what I've seen from compact system cameras in similar conditions.

The LX5 shoots HD video (720p) and offers a dedicated button for shooting video. Image quality is a tad below what I've seen from CSCs, but the LX5 makes very pleasing photos and is more pocketable than the those larger-sensor cameras. That size differential is shrinking, though: Panasonic's new compact system camera, the GF3, is nearly the same size as this one. I prefer the flexibility and end results of the compact system cameras, but this LX5, at $200 less than the new GF3, is a very appealing alternative.

> For video reviews of these models, go to mcmag.com/webexclusives.