Canon sx50 vs Olympus em5 (not mark I): I only really get to do much photography when traveling. I am now blessed with 2 great travel cameras. Each has its advantages. The Canon is...

drbilly

I only really get to do much photography when traveling. I am now blessed with 2 great travel cameras. Each has its advantages. The Canon is simpler and requires less equipment. The Olympus (with 20mm, 12-50mm and 40-150) is better quality but requires multiple lenses. Since I won't bring both, my dilemma is which one to bring on my next trip. Any thoughts?

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

Depends where you are travelling and what type of photography you do.
Personally I would go with the Olympus (I own two EM5MkII)

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

With the 12-50mm and the 40-150mm on a Micro4/3rds camera, you'd be covered for field of view equivalents of 24-300mm, that would seem to be a nice kit for travel purposes. I've owned a Canon SX50 (previously) and an Oly E-PL5 (currently), so I have some experience on both sides of your quandary. Travel safe.

georgeretired Loc: Manitoba Canada

I have the SX50 as my extra/bridge camera. So nice to just bring that when I don't want a lot of gear with me. Changing lens to get that specific picture can be a royal pain.

Gort55 Loc: Northern Colorado

drbilly wrote:

I only really get to do much photography when traveling. I am now blessed with 2 great travel cameras. Each has its advantages. The Canon is simpler and requires less equipment. The Olympus (with 20mm, 12-50mm and 40-150) is better quality but requires multiple lenses. Since I won't bring both, my dilemma is which one to bring on my next trip. Any thoughts?

Why not take both? Having a backup on a trip is a good idea. I carry two Olympus models with various lenses. Used to carry one Nikon, and it did ERR out one day on a trip.

Dlevon Loc: New Jersey

drbilly wrote:

I only really get to do much photography when traveling. I am now blessed with 2 great travel cameras. Each has its advantages. The Canon is simpler and requires less equipment. The Olympus (with 20mm, 12-50mm and 40-150) is better quality but requires multiple lenses. Since I won't bring both, my dilemma is which one to bring on my next trip. Any thoughts?

Take the SX50 and don't look back. I've had one for a couple years and it meets my travel needs. Needs no lens change to get the shot. I can't count the many times in my 70 plus years of photography that I missed the shot while trying to change a lens. And a light weight could mean something based on your age. I know the SX50 isn't as wide angle but maybe you could live with that. And of course a smaller bag, and less equipment to worry about. You could always take a trip with each camera and see How it works out. And of course what is your next trip about? That could make a difference.

minopat Loc: Montreal

I would for sure go with the SX50, no fumbling with lenses and pictures still very sharp. Some limitations but while traveling one needs to enjoy the trip and not get bogged down with equipment. As a good friend says, get it right the first shot.

sailfox1989 Loc: Alpena, MI

I have two Em5's, but I did buy a DMC-FZ200 for a compact travel companion, great camera, fast lens, but a tiny point-n-shoot sized sensor has it's limitations. I've been thinking about getting the M.Zuiko 14-150mm F4-5.6 II Lens to use with one of the EM5's, would only be a little larger to carry, but with better IQ.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

If you travel with a companion, take both cameras. One camera in your bag, the other in your companion's bag. The Canon SX50 is a Bridge camera with a fixed lens that can go out to 1200mm, however it has problems in sharpness out to very long focal lengths. Changing several Lenses can be a pain. I have never owned an Olympus camera, and really am not familiar with their lenses. But as a Nikon DSLR owner, I could travel with a Nikon 18-300mm or 28-300mm lens just about anywhere, and be satisfied with just one lens. I would opt for the SX50 in your case.