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Interesting camera recommendations

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bentley

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 20, 2005
252
1
Hello MR!

I've owned digital cameras for a while but only for snapshot purposes I've done most of my photography on my Holga and Olympus XA2. I like small p&s cameras with interesting personalities and quirks.

I'm now looking for a digital that can give me the same satisfaction as my Holga and XA2.
I want something with great image quality (low noise) that's able to capture LIGHT!

Cameras I've been looking at are the Sigma DP1, Leica D-lux3/Panasonic equivalent, Canon G9.

Do you have any other suggestions or care to pass comment on the cameras I've been looking at?

thanks

Daniel Bentley
 
netdog

netdog

macrumors 603
Feb 6, 2006
5,760
38
London
As a D-Lux 3 user, I may be a little biased but obviously I think it is a tremendous instrument. I really don't find the noise levels at high ISOs a problem.

Of course, the LX3 has just been announced so the D-Lux 4 must be right around the corner. The fact that is has a Summicron Leica lens is very encouraging as the lens in the D-Lux 3 is already far beyond most pieces of glass in P&S cameras. The new lens is 24mm (fantastic!) to 60mm (a little short for some) and it is 2.0-2.8. Quite fast.

Also, the sensor is marginally bigger but rather than increase the MP count, they have instead made the pixels larger. Once the final firmware is ready, it should be considerably less noisy than the current model and this will only be further assisted by their use of a faster lens.

That's the tool that I would wait for.

The Sigma has incredible IQ but it glacially slow. I've never found Canons to be very satisfying. I know that many disagree.

Anyway, the LX3/D-Lux 4 is in many ways positioned to be a little fixed-lens rangefinder. If that sounds appealing, hold on. Otherwise, when I bought my last point and shoot, I chose the Leica and was happy to pay more than I would have for an LX2 because I like the style. I can honestly say I think it is a great camera with a better lens and IQ than everything but the slowwwww Sigma.

PS: You might also consider the M8. Don't know if that falls outside of your definition of point and shoot or not. There also may be a an M-CL announced at Photokina, and an outside chance that the FF M9 will be introduced at that time.
 
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ChrisA

macrumors G5
Jan 5, 2006
12,832
2,034
Redondo Beach, California
I'd get the Leica. One thing about it is it's sensor is 16:9 so you get to use all the pixels. With a 4:3 sensor you have to crop some away to make a wide format print. Yes, the M8 would be fun but the cost is hard to justify unless you are selling your work.
 
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CMD is me

macrumors 6502
Dec 7, 2006
401
0
LX3 might be worth waiting for if you don't mind a limited zoom. The G9 is good, but not great in low light. If you really want the best camera out there for low light you may want to look for a used Fuji F3fd or F30. The are without question the best low light compacts ever (6mp was seems to have been a sweet spot for small sensors). Actually I know some how has a F30 and a LX2 (PM if you want his info). He said he hardly uses the F30 anymore because he uses a larger Fuji S6000 for low light -- he has way too many cameras!
 
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cube

Suspended
May 10, 2004
17,011
4,973
If you want quirks, I guess there's nothing like a Kodak 14n (I have one).
It's not a P&S. It's a professional 14MP full frame DSLR without AA from 2002.
It used to cost $5000. Now you can get it for about $800. If you want something similar for Nikon glass you have to step up to the D700.

It needs good light.

http://www.sveido.com/lensdb/main.asp

Also, because of the lack of AA, you can get moire with fabrics and so on, but on the other hand it has a lot of definition.

The SLR/n improves on the shortcomings of the 14n.

Kodak stopped making 35mm DSLRs. Now they make MF cameras (via the Leaf acquisition), and sensors (like for Leica and Hasselblad).
 
V

vga4life

macrumors 6502
Jun 16, 2004
411
0
The Sigma DP1 is definitely the quirky digital compact champion. Nothing else comes close, especially if you're looking for low noise.

You might also consider the (unfortunately discontinued) Fujifilm Finepix F31fd if you're looking for something a little more versatile than the Sigma. That specific model (and its predecessor, the F30) has the best sensor of any compact P&S made in the last few years, but unfortunately fell victim to the 'moar megapixelz' arms race - its successor isn't nearly as good. See the review, especially the comparison shots with the Nikon D50 slr:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilmf31fd/
 
netdog

netdog

macrumors 603
Feb 6, 2006
5,760
38
London
I took a Sigma DP-1 out for a test drive and it was deathly slow. I love the camera (great lens at a great focal range for me, fantastic IQ, etc.) but it is so slow as to be virtually unusable in too many situations. Really hoping they upgrade this camera and get it sorted or that Leica go for a significantly larger sensor. The DP-1 is so close on paper to what I want, but oh so far off in the field of play.
 
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bentley

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 20, 2005
252
1
I'm thinking of getting a Sigma DP1 for landscapes and urban stills and a Fuji F30 or F31d off eBay for indoors/faster pictures.

Hoping this will serve me well. Though awfully tempted to at least wait til the Lumix DMC-LX3 is out (addition of hotshoe flash is excellent) and give that a try.

If only the Sigma DP1 didn't have the problems it does!
 
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cube

Suspended
May 10, 2004
17,011
4,973
Why do you think the Fuji would give better low light performance than the DP1???

The Fuji is old and with a pixel density of 14 MP/cm² compared to the Sigma's 1.6 MP/cm²
 
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vga4life

macrumors 6502
Jun 16, 2004
411
0
cube said:
Why do you think the Fuji would give better low light performance than the DP1???

The Fuji is old and with a pixel density of 14 MP/cm² compared to the Sigma's 1.6 MP/cm²
Click to expand...

Agreed that the DP1 performs better in low light - but the OP did say "faster pictures." The DP1 is sloooooooow in use. Great for when your subject stays still, not so great for people pictures.
 
P

polyethyleneguy

macrumors member
Jan 7, 2005
79
0
Florida
I think the noise gets out of control when shooting over ISO 400 with the dp1. The image is superior to most DSLRs when shooting in ISO 200 or below.
 
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bentley

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 20, 2005
252
1
I've heard the DP1 has bad lowlight performance. AF can't lock and there's considerable noise above ISO 400.

The Fuji F30/F31fd holds out good to ISO 1600! and 14mp/cm2 is a tonne better than most "new" compacts which nearly all almost double these days.
 
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cube

Suspended
May 10, 2004
17,011
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What's the point of a camera with a big and more expensive sensor and prime lens if one can do better with a cheaper one with zoom?
 
netdog

netdog

macrumors 603
Feb 6, 2006
5,760
38
London
bentley said:
I'm thinking of getting a Sigma DP1 for landscapes and urban stills and a Fuji F30 or F31d off eBay for indoors/faster pictures.

Hoping this will serve me well. Though awfully tempted to at least wait til the Lumix DMC-LX3 is out (addition of hotshoe flash is excellent) and give that a try.

If only the Sigma DP1 didn't have the problems it does!
Click to expand...

Talk to Jim Radcliffe over in the DPReview forums before you get the DP-1. He was very excited about getting his Sigma and still thinks that the IQ is fantastic, but he rarely uses it due to its shortcomings (primarily speed).

He has extensive experience with the D-Lux 3 (LX2), DP-1 and G9. He may be able to give you insight into those three. He is an excellent photographer and a great guy who is sensitive to the qualities that each of these tools can offer the photographer.
 
B

bentley

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 20, 2005
252
1
cube said:
What's the point of a camera with a big and more expensive sensor and prime lens if one can do better with a cheaper one with zoom?
Click to expand...


Because I do most of my "photography" in daylight and the DP1s IQ is miles ahead of the Fuji in that regard. The Fuji would just be for when I'm out and about in bars and clubs with my friends.
 
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cube

Suspended
May 10, 2004
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Also, because the Fuji does not go down to 28mm, it might be worth considering the Ricoh GX200 which starts at 24 (19 with adapter), instead of a dubious one for outdoors + a discontinued inflated price one for indoors.

I don't think it will match either one in its specialties, but it would be an interesting allround option.
 
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agrayphoto

macrumors newbie
Jun 17, 2008
24
1
Cleveland, USA
A long time ago I took a Diana lens and glued it on to a 4X5 lens board. I want to do the same thing with a digital camera body. Put a Diana or Holga lens on a digital capture device. I'm not nearly smart enough to do that. Maybe someone out there is and will tell us how to do it.
 
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