The "Micro" in Four-Thirds

This is what I feel like, most of the time when I shoot pictures. Although, I've long-since gotten over the desire to "look pro", when I have to images that I'm serious about, I pull out the big guns. In my case, that'd be the Nikon D300 (usually with battery grip attached) and the 18-200mm (35mm eq. 28-300mm) VR superzoom. Plus there's often a SB-800 flash attached! It's a big rig and weighs a lot. Can't argue with the quality of images though!

Although I've tried to create my own light-weight "street shooter" in the D50 married to a 28-80mm "G" version lens, in the end, it was still just too much mass and too much like the D300. I've got no complaints about this camera as it is, but I just wanted it to be something that it wasn't........a modern-day equivalent the legendary rangefinder. If you've never used a classic rangefinder, you really owe it to yourself to just go out and hold one if nothing else.

As you guys know; I gave in and bought a Panasonic GF-1. I didn't really have a good conception of how small and different it was until I pulled it out of the box! Holy Smoke!

That's it sitting next to my D300! I've got both similarly configured with the GF-1 mounting a 14-42mm (eg. 28-84mm) and a 18-70mm (eq. 28-105mm) mounted on the Nikon. Both have similar megapixels and pop-up flashes as well. 

However, what you see is the configuration that the Nikon is most often equipped in, which is the aforementioned superzoom and battery grip. The difference in mass is truly astounding! 

This side shot really gives an even more marked comparison. And I imagine that eventually, after I sell of a few things, I'll buy the 20mm/f1.7 "pancake" lens for the GF-1 which will make it truly pocketable! Today was just a quick-hitter to give you an idea what I've been playing with the last couple of weeks. More to come on this topic!