Originally Posted by
Mike Jacoubowsky
Are we comparing camera systems or HO vs N gauge trains?
It's without question that bigger sensors and bigger (heavier) glass = better overall performance. But where do you draw the line? How much is good enough? How much is more than you want to carry?
I love my S120. It's an awesome point & shoot, and I really like how quickly it sets up and shuts down. Very important when pulling it out of a jersey pocket when you're riding 33 mph downhill on a bicycle (why 33? Because I have to draw the line somewhere at what a safe speed is to operate a camera while riding the bike one-handed). But it doesn't come close to what I can get from my T3i, which is just the smallest step up from entry-level. Far less noise, far less pixel-smudging.
If I could only have one camera, it would have to be the S120. I'd give up a fair amount of image quality in favor of something I could have with me, anytime, anywhere, always ready. But I'd miss the capabilities of an APS-C DSLR. Would I ever want to consider going full-frame for ultimate image quality? No. I know my limitations, and an APS-C camera has the ability to exceed them.
I draw the line at needing interchangeable lenses, but wanting a MUCH smaller system than any DSLR gives me. To me, the image quality of Micro 4/3 is so close to APS-C DSLRs, and the size of the whole system is so dramatically smaller and lighter, that that is the sweet spot for me personally. If Nikon 1 system's sensors were better - say, as good as the Sony 1" sensors, that might be the sweet spot, but the Nikon 1 system sensors have not kept pace. Larger mirrorless systems such as those from Sony and Fujifilm, may be slightly better for image quality, but the lenses are significantly larger and heavier than those from Micro 4/3.
I traded away from an APS-C DSLR system when I found myself not taking it on trips involving air travel due to the bulk. I'd much rather take an Olympus E-PL5 with several small lenses, than either an S120 class smaller fixed lens camera, or a much larger Nikon DSLR system along the lines of a D5300. My Micro 4/3 travel kit is half the size and weight that my Nikon APS-C DSLR kit was, and easily packs inside my personal item carry-on, while leaving plenty of space for my other travel necessities. My APS-C DSLR kit never could come close to packing that small.
BTW, this is not a new issue for me: 30-35 years ago, I started shooting with a Leica CL (with three tiny prime lenses) for the exact same reason - I hated the bulk of my Nikon film SLR + lenses for travel purposes.