Touring - Touring and DSLRs

I'd love to take my Nikon D50 out on tour with me but I'm afraid of ruining it/breaking it. Anyone here take nice cameras out on tour? What do you do to shield them from shock extreme heat and cold? Should I just stick with a point and shoot?

I haven't toured with a Nikon D50, but have taken day rides with it in a handlebar bag. I added some padding to the inside of the bag and never had a problem. If I were going to take it on tour, I'd keep it in a waterproof plastic bag on rainy days.

FWIW, I wouldn't take a DSLR on tour, unless fast focus is an absolute necessity. Too bulky, too heavy (and I'm not a weight weenie), too inconvenient.

I'd stick to a high-end P&S like the Olympus XZ-1, Canon S95, or Panasonic LX5. They'll fit in a handlebar bag very easily -- possibly even a Bento bag. For images smaller than 8x10 you will barely notice the difference.

If you absolutely must have a higher quality image, I'd consider a Micro 4/3 camera.

I carried one on the TA. I buy cameras to use them. If you are so protective of them that you don't take them then why have them at all?

I don't think I would ever carry a big DSLR again but for weight reasons only.

I have since decided that it makes more sense, for me at least, to carry something lighter. I used a Nikon CoolPix S550 P&S and that worked out well, but have since gone to a 4:3 camera (Olympus PEN E-PL1) and am very happy with it.

I also recommend the Nikon Coolpix P7000. It is a great compromise between the DSLR and the P&S models feature and size wise. I had a chance to play with the one I bought for my daughter and it is a really nice camera in a moderate sized package. It has no interchangeable lens capability, but the zoom range is excellent as is the image quality. I have been quite impressed by the pictures she has taken with it.

I take my DSLR. I bought a nice, small camera bag with a weather cover. I ride a recumbent trike and it hangs from my seat panniers perfectly. I can even pull it out fast enough to get shots of deer running for cover. I love the greater focus and zoom range of even the standard lens though I take a larger one as well. This was after using a good digital point-n-clilck for 5 years on my rides. I've had the DSLR for about 3 years and never got the motivation to learn to use it. Now, since it goes with me on every ride into new territory, I've got opportunity and interest to figure it out.

I took my Nikon D60 on a ~500 km tour last summer. I just put it in a lunchbox with two big sponges (1 1/2" thick approx.) and strapped that to my homemade rear rack. I wouldn't recommend doing it, but it worked fine. No damage to the camera. I think DSLRs are more durable than most think. When it rained a bit I put it in a plastic bag inside said lunch box. I was worried that condensation might form inside the bag but it didn't seem to be a problem.

I saved up for a decent amount of time to buy this camera used with a standard kit lens (student here), so even though it's used equipment, I can't just go and replace it. Nor can I go and buy a point and shoot just for touring.

Really, as long as you don't get in a big crash, and there's a bit of padding beneath the camera, it'll be fine. The problem for me was that with my setup I couldn't easily access my camera, so it resulted in me not using it as much as I wanted to.

I'd love to take my Nikon D50 out on tour with me but I'm afraid of ruining it/breaking it. Anyone here take nice cameras out on tour? What do you do to shield them from shock extreme heat and cold? Should I just stick with a point and shoot?

I use a Pentax 100D with a zoom lens on tour. I carry it in an Ortlieb bag with a camera insert. The Ortlieb is waterproof and has a very solid mount. I'd much rather use the Pentax over a point and shoot because I was raised on SLR film cameras. I find trying to use a view screen to be somewhat difficult when trying to frame a shot.

If I am going to do a mountain bike tour, however, I carry a point and shoot since the SLR is much more bulky and mounting a handlebar bag to a mountain bike handlebar is more challenging.

Putting your camera in the handlebar bag is a safe bet as long as you provide water protection. The bag is well protected by drop handlebars in the event of a crash/tip-over.

I tried using a point n shoot for one trip. The weight and size are great, but without a viewfinder, I had trouble composing shots in daylight. The tiny lens and sensor also reduced the picture quality and depth-of-field flexibility you get with a bigger device. I'm back to hauling a D90 and 18-200 in my handlebar bag and loving it.

Ortlieb bag on the HB and their camera padded insert should do the job.

I packed my Film camera so well it resulted in less pictures taken,
due to all the waterproof packing and padding..
and extra time needed to deploy the camera, as a result.

I use a Pentax 100D with a zoom lens on tour. I carry it in an Ortlieb bag with a camera insert. The Ortlieb is waterproof and has a very solid mount.
+1 I had a couple falls on tour, but the camera and lenses came out fine. On top of the bag's protection from rain and a bit of cushioning for vibration, the handlebars also create a nice crash frame around it.

Get the large bag, though. I've got the medium and it's a very tight fit with the camera and an extra zoom lens.

I carried a SLR in a handlebar bar, a photo bag on the rear rack and currently in a photo bag on the front rack with platform. I never had a problem with any camera or lens. I broke one lens when I dropped it on pavement, got it fixed and dropped it again and the VR is acting up but still works. I use a 100 weight fleece or thick socks as padding, any clothing that I would only use in camp in case of unexpected cold spell. Like others said, I bought a camera to use it. I only buy used equipment so I won't lose so much if it breaks. I do carry a waterproof P&S too.

http://www.borealphoto.com/Cycling

MKIV97, I just pack the camera into a padded aftermarket camera bag and that into the padded top rack bag. Sadly big lenses are left at home.

Brad

http://www.zimbalenorthamerica.com/Zimbale_7_11_liter_Camera_Protection_Case_p/cpc-7-fslash-11.htm
http://www.zimbalenorthamerica.com/Zimbale_Camera_Protection_Case_p/cpc-18.htm

I find trying to use a view screen to be somewhat difficult when trying to frame a shot.

FWIW: The Nikon Coolpix P7000 that I mentioned has a viewfinder. Additionally it has an especially nice screen that works well in most lighting conditions (much nicer in this regard than my Olympus PEN E-PL1).

As has been mentioned previously, DSLR's are actually pretty durable. Although just a personal anecdote, I've had multiple issues with my Canon S90 compact, whereas my DSLR has held up much better. I could imagine that the small form factor of the compact cameras leaves less room for sturdy construction. Plus, DSLR's don't need to move their motors as much just to extend and retract the lens.

All that said, to me, the weight and bulk are too much for bike touring. I much prefer the controls of my DSLR, but the S90 is so much lighter, and easier to pack and hide, that it's the one I take.

In terms of photo quality, my DSLR clearly wins if I'm 1) shooting in low light; 2) trying to control depth of field; or 3) wanting fast focus (e.g., for a moving object). That said, almost all of my shooting on tour is in good light and for landscapes for which I want everything to be in focus -- the S90 does quite well. The one exception regarding depth of field is for macro shots, but for such up-close objects, even a compact camera can give nice background blur.

I carry my Canon 400d in my handlebar bag, which has a bit of padding and is water resistant. No problems so far. That bag also holds my passport, wallet and glasses, so it absolutely never leaves my side.

I wouldn't want to carry a whole bunch of camera accessories, but on my upcoming trip I will take a DSLR gorilla pod to try it out because it's pretty small.

I always carry my Nikon D300 and a Sigam 24-70mm on my ortlieb handlebar bag and the rest (macbook,bodys ,hd,flash lens) on a rear ortlieb bag
Never have any problem

I'd love to take my Nikon D50 out on tour with me but I'm afraid of ruining it/breaking it. Anyone here take nice cameras out on tour? What do you do to shield them from shock extreme heat and cold? Should I just stick with a point and shoot?

If you are really serious about your photograhy, then take the SLR. There is no comparison between an SLR and a point and shoot. I toured cross-country with 2 SLR bodies(film), 3 lenses(including an 80-200 f2.8 zoom), and a tripod. I used a Pelican hard case(waterproof and bomb-proof), and a small camera backpack. It was a lot of extra weight, but it was worth it to me.

It's usually a simple equation for me. If photography is a core element of the tour then I take the DSLR with me along with a gorilla tripod, multiple lenses, flash unit, etc. It's heavy, bulky and stays in a drybag when rain threatens. It also means that I'll spend a lot of time off the bike composing shots, waiting for the right light, talking to potential subjects, etc.

If, however, I know that I don't have the time or desire on a given trip to do all the above I'll just drop a small point and shoot in the handlebar bag since the quality of shot will be just fine in most instances. More difficult to compose a scene, yes. Lower quality lens, of course. Less control, sometimes, depends on the camera. But I know I won't be spending the time necessary to get high quality shots anyway so why weigh myself down.

My DSLRs stay home. Heavy and I would be too nervous about damage.

196590

I have a vintage 3 megapixel point and shoot in a water proof housing for camping and bike touring trips that I have dropped a few too many times (focus a bit off on one side of photo) so I recently bought a superzoom to also bring on camping and bike touring trips. The old water proof one will go along for rain and dusty conditions and the new superzoom for when I trust the conditions more.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/q110superzoomgroup/
I got the Pentax X90. Some of the others that were reviewed at this link scored higher but I wanted one cheap enough that if I damaged it I would not get too upset. I have been surprised at how good the image quality is at the long end but at the wide angle end of the range it is no more than average. But, for the money I am quite happy with it.

This photo from the old 3 megapixel this past fall on a canoe trip. Good photo, but I want better resolution, thus the new one.

196591

I take my Sony NEX-3 with me on long rides and tours. It doesn't have the lens selection or ergonomics of a DSLR but it has DSLR image quality in a smaller, lighter package. I think a good camera is worth the extra bulk on a tour, but I can see why others are perfectly happy with P&S cameras for their convenience and size.

You can see pics I took with it on my first tour in my CGOAB journal:

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=RrzKj&doc_id=7850&v=CV

Extreme heat is probably more damaging than any cold you will experience on a bike.
Cameras work OK in hot conditions but in very extreme direct sunlight they may overheat. It seems that the electronics (eg exposure level) start to misbehave before the lens cement melts. Cooling the camera restores normal activity.

I had a "photo op" yesterday that afterwards caused me to think about this thread. All I had was my cell's camera available for this pic:
196644

My one year old grand daughter was watching her reflection in the muffler distort as she moved her head back and forth. The cell's camera was good enough to capture the moment. My SLRs go with me when I anticipate an opportunity to compose a photograph. Point and shoot cameras, while less expensive if damaged and less controlable are probably fine for most cycling photo ops.

Brad

I only take waterproof Olympus cameras when touring. Though they are just P&S, and I am no photographer but still manage to get plenty of excellent shots with them.

I tour with a micro 4/3 (Olympus PEN EP1) - almost the quality and versatility of a DSLR with much less bulk. I just wrap it in a clean dry t-shirt and the legs of my Gorillapod then stick it in a giant zip-lock bag. In the past, I kept that in a pannier (did about 800 km that way with no problems at all) but this summer I am planning to keep it in a bag on top of my front rack.

I agree that DSLR's are durable, there is a wide range of durability. For purposes here the D40/50/60/70 with their plastic bodies, and mounts, as well as being unsealed don't qualify as durable. This is not a slam on these excellent cameras. It's just that they are what they are, and F5s they are not. Drop one and they are, most likely, done.

Protecting the camera in foam padding in a waterproof container/bag should give plenty of protection. Give it the same protection you would give a laptop or netbook while traveling by bike and it should be fine.

I'm pretty happy with my Nikon D70. Certainly durable enough. I think on every trip I ponder if I just take my wife's P&S but end up carrying the DSLR. The trips are my best photo opportunities and so if I don't use it then why have it at all. Besides the camera is so much nicer to use than a P&S.

I find hiking a bit easier than biking. Just recently I did a three day hike with tent, sleeping bag, etc on my back. The D70 stayed around my neck ready for photo opportunities.

On a bike it unfortunately has to go into a bag. Handle bar bag is the preferable. BTW, make sure to zip it up. One day I took a video camera along to tape my kid riding his bike to school. I lazily threw the camera in the handle bar bag without zipping it. It jumped out and fell into a storm sewer hole as I went over a curb. Luckily the camera still worked after I called a utility guy to retrieve it through a man hole.

Great thread. I have been debating this for my open ended tour coming up. My biggest concern with the DSLRs, since I plan to go bare boned budget, is the battery charging. Have yet to find a solar battery charger for my DSLRs, so i have a small collection of P&S that run on rechargeable AA batteries. I have looked at the trunk idea for a camera bag, and the handle bar idea. I want to take one or two, because of the places I plan to visit and the shots that I don't want to miss.

For me, the bigger isssue is security. I love my cameras, and the opportunites they bring me. But, with no way to secure them on the bike the big stuff stays home. For biking, hiking, boating etc I picked up a good point and shoot compact. Like they say, it isn't the camera, it's the person behind it. And, the results from this camera are excellent. Best part, no worries!!!!! If it's lost, stolen or broken, so be it!

My biggest concern with the DSLRs, since I plan to go bare boned budget, is the battery charging.

I bring the charger plus an extra battery, and charge whenever I can. Campground, restaurant, laundromat, ferry, rest area, etc.

http://www.borealphoto.com/Cycling/Newfoundland-Labrador/Photos/DSC6893-1/928502973_fFd46-S.jpg (http://www.borealphoto.com/Cycling/Newfoundland-Labrador/Photos/DSC6893-1/928502973_fFd46-XL.jpg)

Great thread. I have been debating this for my open ended tour coming up. My biggest concern with the DSLRs, since I plan to go bare boned budget, is the battery charging. Have yet to find a solar battery charger for my DSLRs, so i have a small collection of P&S that run on rechargeable AA batteries. I have looked at the trunk idea for a camera bag, and the handle bar idea. I want to take one or two, because of the places I plan to visit and the shots that I don't want to miss.
One hint is to look into aftermarket spare batteries for your camera and carry two three or however many you need. Batteries from the camera manufacturer tend to be prohibitively expensive, but usually you can find similar ones that don't say Canon or Nikon on them for a fraction of the cost. I know that for one camera the oem battery was $30 and I was able to get batteries that worked fine for $7 each. I have actually left the charger home and just taken enough batteries for the whole trip on a month long tour, depending on the camera i might even do that for a TA length tour.

Also there are often very light (as little as an ounce in some cases) aftermarket chargers for a lot of camera batteries. Unless you will be in the wilderness the entire time it isn't too hard to find chances to charge batteries. Any time you are shopping, eating in a restaurant, visiting a library, or maybe even stopping at a town park pavilion you can usually charge a battery.

I'm carrying a Nikon FE-2, Holga, and Panasonic LX-3, all in an Arkel Big Bar Bag. The key I've found is being able to easily reach your camera, whatever kind it is. I've had to rearrange the contents of the bag to make all 3 cameras accessible, as I found I wasn't using the Nikon at all with it buried at the bottom.

If you think a handlebar bag will protect your gear in a crash, remember that the bag has to be closed for this to work. And a closed bag means you'll take far fewer pictures.

Take what you're comfortable having destroyed.

I hadn't given this much thought, I will be washing clothing, so this would be a place to set up and charge the extra batteries I will/can carry. Hmm, wonder if this would allow me to bring along the iPad.

Just wrap it in some clothing and jackets, and be on your way. Charge a few spare batteries before you leave.

How else are you going to get a horizon-to-horizon 24 mm shot?

But how do you folks carry a tripod on the bike? How about a carbon tripod made for tall people?

But how do you folks carry a tripod on the bike? How about a carbon tripod made for tall people?

The old Arkel T-42 I use have two straps on top of the left panniers. That's where it goes. I've also carried it on top of a trunk bag when day riding.

I use a Feisol tripod and ballhead. The screws on the ballhead aren't captive and lost the tension adjustment screw (don't care, never use it) and later the locking screw, which rendered the head useless. I walked back on the gravel road I was riding and was extremely lucky to find it. Now I keep the locking screw tight when not in used.

http://www.borealphoto.com/Cycling/Mon-v%C3%A9lo-My-bike/DSC4038/606740465_rthok-S.jpg (http://www.borealphoto.com/Cycling/Mon-v%C3%A9lo-My-bike/DSC4038/606740465_rthok-XL.jpg)

But how do you folks carry a tripod on the bike? How about a carbon tripod made for tall people?

I don't. The world is full of flat surfaces if I need to steady the shot. If I absolutely have to have a tripod, I carry this (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=89924&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation) or something like this (http://www.highsierramfg.com/), although mine has a wood screw that I can screw into stuff to hold it.

I don't. The world is full of flat surfaces if I need to steady the shot. If I absolutely have to have a tripod, I carry ... something like this (http://www.highsierramfg.com/)
Thanks for the reference. I haven't seen the 'Clampette' around anywhere for many years. I got mine about 35 years ago (I think it cost $5 then) and am still using it. It can be made into a usable tripod by clamping it to the bike frame or by clamping a couple sticks in it. I've also used it to record video of bike rides by attaching it to my handlebars.

For bike touring I prefer reasonably small non-SLR cameras. I keep mine in a handlebar bag so it's easy to grab and take photos even while still riding. Am willing to give up a little quality in exchange for not having to worry about damage to the camera. That lets me take more pictures, esp. the spur of the moment type.

Thanks for the reference. I haven't seen the 'Clampette' around anywhere for many years. I got mine about 35 years ago (I think it cost $5 then) and am still using it. It can be made into a usable tripod by clamping it to the bike frame or by clamping a couple sticks in it. I've also used it to record video of bike rides by attaching it to my handlebars.

For bike touring I prefer reasonably small non-SLR cameras. I keep mine in a handlebar bag so it's easy to grab and take photos even while still riding. Am willing to give up a little quality in exchange for not having to worry about damage to the camera. That lets me take more pictures, esp. the spur of the moment type.

My Clampette is like this one

http://www.interisland.net/watershed/mike/clamp_pod.jpg

I don't know what brand it is. It was given to me by a friend.

There seems to be dozens of these kind of things around. A very interesting one is the Hama Bike Pod (http://www.langtoninfo.com/showitem.aspx?isbn=4007249043726)

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0032KHK1W.02.MZZZZZZZ.jpg

This one (http://cgi.ebay.com/Proaim-Pipe-Clamp-w-Metal-Ball-head-cycle-dslr-cam-/190446866422?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c57848ff6) looks like it might work well off bike, too

There's also the Gorilla Pod (http://joby.com/).

I'd love to take my Nikon D50 out on tour with me but I'm afraid of ruining it/breaking it. Anyone here take nice cameras out on tour? What do you do to shield them from shock extreme heat and cold? Should I just stick with a point and shoot?

"Just a point and shoot" may be much less limiting than you imagine.

I'd suggest picking one of these (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/q42010highendcompactgroup/).

You're a Nikon guy (as am I), so you'll probably favor the p7000 (as did I).

But I endedup getting an LX5 because it's more pocketable.

Having used it for a while now, I find there is very little I can't do with the LX5 when out and about.

Thanks! That's awesome! I can probably mimic the setup with stuff I've already got. It's pretty stable? D you worry about the CF in the legs?



The old Arkel T-42 I use have two straps on top of the left panniers. That's where it goes. I've also carried it on top of a trunk bag when day riding.

I use a Feisol tripod and ballhead. The screws on the ballhead aren't captive and lost the tension adjustment screw (don't care, never use it) and later the locking screw, which rendered the head useless. I walked back on the gravel road I was riding and was extremely lucky to find it. Now I keep the locking screw tight when not in used.

http://www.borealphoto.com/Cycling/Mon-v%C3%A9lo-My-bike/DSC4038/606740465_rthok-S.jpg (http://www.borealphoto.com/Cycling/Mon-v%C3%A9lo-My-bike/DSC4038/606740465_rthok-XL.jpg)

I tour with a micro 4/3 (Olympus PEN EP1) - almost the quality and versatility of a DSLR with much less bulk. I just wrap it in a clean dry t-shirt and the legs of my Gorillapod then stick it in a giant zip-lock bag. In the past, I kept that in a pannier (did about 800 km that way with no problems at all) but this summer I am planning to keep it in a bag on top of my front rack.

I'm planning the something similar. Recently acquired a Panasonic Lumix GF-1, which is a Micro Four-Thirds interchangeable-lens camera. With the 20mm/f1.7 pancake lens, it's not much bigger than a P&S and the image quality is superb. I've also got the Panasonic 45-200mm lens (equivalent to 90-400mm for a 35mm camera), which is surprisingly good given the wide zoom range. I'll wrap the lens, and maybe the body, in a Tiffen/Domke lens wrap (http://www.tiffen.com/results.html?search_type_no=435&tablename=domke) and throw them in the handlebar bag. It's a great setup and much less bulky than my DSLR...

I'm planning the something similar. Recently acquired a Panasonic Lumix GF-1, which is a Micro Four-Thirds interchangeable-lens camera. With the 20mm/f1.7 pancake lens, it's not much bigger than a P&S and the image quality is superb. I've also got the Panasonic 45-200mm lens (equivalent to 90-400mm for a 35mm camera), which is surprisingly good given the wide zoom range. I'll wrap the lens, and maybe the body, in a Tiffen/Domke lens wrap (http://www.tiffen.com/results.html?search_type_no=435&tablename=domke) and throw them in the handlebar bag. It's a great setup and much less bulky than my DSLR...

I have a Nikon D2x, a GF-1, a GH-1 and an LX5.... and for a bike tour I'm taking the LX5 all the way.

Unless it's specifically a bike photography tour (ie it's going to photgraphy specific destinations) in which case I'll take... hmm... maybe the GF1 and GH1 or maybe the nikon, but the nikon w/ lenses definitely weighs a ton.

I think it depends on you and your needs as a photographer. A lot of people who use dslr's would probably get by just fine with something like a g12, lx5, or micro 4/3. If you expect to sell work from the tour or are printing larger than 11x14 then bring it. If the answer to those is no, than it comes down to your shooting style. If you need the things that only a dslr can offer, like shallow dof or fast frame rate, then yes, you should bring it. Personally I can't imagine what I'd need a fast frame rate for on a tour, but I love shallow dof.
However, I'm not so attached to it that I can't make do with the macro function on my lx5. All I really need from a camera is a fast wide angle lens, an aperature priority mode, and bulb/ really long shutter setting, and my lx5 meets those requirements.
My concern with bringing an slr is not hardiness, instead it's the unnecessary weight and ease of use. The smaller a camera is, the more I use it. For me a micro 4/3 would still be too big, but it might be a good fit for you.

For me a micro 4/3 would still be too big, but it might be a good fit for you.

The Micro Four-Thirds cameras are actually pretty small! My GF-1 isn't terribly larger than my buddy's PowerShot G9 when the 20/1.7 is attached, though it does weigh more. It does enough of what my DSLR does that I haven't missed the larger camera... yet ;)

I've hung a padded case inside my pannier. Bu like many others I found it very inconvenient to get it out every time I wanted to shoot. I tried to just carry it on my shoulder, but that was annoying too. It also pretty much occupied the pannier entirely. So I think I'll skip the DSLR and try to see how Canon S95 performs. So far, in plentiful light, it takes shots that are very close to my Canon 40D quality. The only issue I have with it is that I can get the kind of DOF I'd like. We'll see. But mainly it was the inconvenience not the weight.

I've hung a padded case inside my pannier. Bu like many others I found it very inconvenient to get it out every time I wanted to shoot. I tried to just carry it on my shoulder, but that was annoying too. It also pretty much occupied the pannier entirely. So I think I'll skip the DSLR and try to see how Canon S95 performs. So far, in plentiful light, it takes shots that are very close to my Canon 40D quality. The only issue I have with it is that I can get the kind of DOF I'd like. We'll see. But mainly it was the inconvenience not the weight.

If the weight wasn't the issue why not take a DSLR in the handlebar bag. I did that on the TA and found that It was accessible enough that I even used it while riding at times.

The weight is the reason I stopped doing that, but the DSLR and an extra lens was very convenient in the handlebar bag.

The Micro Four-Thirds cameras are actually pretty small! My GF-1 isn't terribly larger than my buddy's PowerShot G9 when the 20/1.7 is attached, though it does weigh more. It does enough of what my DSLR does that I haven't missed the larger camera... yet ;)

The bodies are small, but the problem is the lenses. I have an oly 420 w/ the pancake, and if I bring just the pancake I often find myself wanting a wide angle and something with more reach.
Also, if I am bringing a larger camera, I figure I may as well be able to compose ttl. I tried out the viewfinder on the g1 and didn't care for it at all. That said, your gf1 is a gorgeous camera, and if I could justify having another camera I'd buy one in a minute!

For tripods I'm very happy w/ my ultrapod-
http://www.amazon.com/Pedco-UltraPod-Lightweight-Camera-Tripod/dp/B000ANCPNM

The bodies are small, but the problem is the lenses. I have an oly 420 w/ the pancake, and if I bring just the pancake I often find myself wanting a wide angle and something with more reach.
Also, if I am bringing a larger camera, I figure I may as well be able to compose ttl. I tried out the viewfinder on the g1 and didn't care for it at all. That said, your gf1 is a gorgeous camera, and if I could justify having another camera I'd buy one in a minute!

Like the body, the lenses are similarly lighter and smaller. There are nice "do all" range zooms and various primes all of which are much lighter than their full sized DSLR counterparts.