Need a new smaller camera

[garritynet]

So I have had my K200D since around Christmas and well, its been a blast. The only real problem I have with the K200D is that its just too damn big to take with me everywhere I go. I want a camera that I can take with me anywhere. With the K200D I have to plan in advance that I want to have it.

When I purchased my camera I also purchased my fiance' a Panasonic TZ4 so she could take pictures too. I borrowed it for a spell and about the only thing I liked about it was its size. I hate composing on a LCD and I'm getting very used to shooting in manual. Today I took pictures in my fiance's backyard with my K200D, in was raining very lightly, for about two hours and I had completely forgotten that I was shooting in manual. I was just recomposing a flower shot and I glanced at the top of the camera and saw that it was set on 'M'. Most of the flowers had wiltered petals so no real keepers but still, it was fun. I don't get many opportunities to shoot in weather like that. Anyway my point is that I like, maybe even prefer, the ability to shoot manual.

After looking around I found one camera that I thought was interesting. Its the Voightlander Bessa R3M. It just looks fun to me. I have no expierence with rangefinders but I have read up on them online. I plan to buy the body by itself and stick a 75mm lens on it since I love shooting with the 50mm on my Pentax so much.

The downside is ofcourse that it uses film. I have never had a camera before my K200D, although I have wanted one since I was a kid, so I'm not sure how I would feel about film. Any advice would be appreciated.

So my questions comes in two parts-

1- What do you guys think of the Bessa R3M?
and
2- Can you recommend me a small, thin camera that allows me to compose with a viewfinder and shoot in manual?

 

[jpeyton]

Panny G1

 

[randomlinh]

Is the G1 that much smaller (no one around here seems to have it to see)? I'm in the same boat. I'm avoiding p&s, but the LX3 is appealing. But really would like a DP2 hoping it fixes all the problems w/ the DP1. Or if someone would come out w/ that olympus m4/3's mock up... And that rumored prime needs to come out too.

As for the RF, it's a different beast altogether. I've used a few of the cheaper intro ones, and could not take to them. You focusing using a shifting contrast patch, and it was really hard for me. Tho, my friend has a Bessa R3A and Zeiss Ikon and love it (to the point of almost ditching his SLR setup when he got an epson R-D1). It's also not all that compact, heh.

Film, IMO, is still awesome. I shoot w/ my K1000 occasionally. I can't go past 1/500 tho cause the shutter is busted. I'd be more tempted to try the nicer RF's if a setup didn't cost me $7/800 (I'd want the Nokton 40/1.4 w/ an R3A). THe other huge thing is getting it to your computer. Film scanners are expensive and slow (ok, slow is relative, but nothing beats copy and paste). Since film is very hobby like for me, I'm seeing what I can do w/ "shooting" my film w/ my 40D, heh.

 

[996GT2]

Panny LX3?

 

[magomago]

Yeah it will be harder to get what you want. You really need a P&S if you want that portability. Maybe the Sigma DP1 - although the reviews aren't that great. Just have to wait till APS filters to P&S, or P&S atleast starts to get larger and larger sensors. What you CAN try and check out in the K-m / K-2000. It is smaller, but it isn't amazingly smaller. IMO, it felt more 'compact' to me more than anything. However, that still may be too large

 

[extra]

LX3 or G10....

 

[garritynet]

The K2000 is small but none the less way to large, as is the G1. I want something I can carry with me everywhere. The other problem is that I dislike composing a shot with the LCD. Maybe there is some crystal clear LCD out there that will make it all better but I haven't seen it.

I just like being able to see with my eyes what I am photographing. Anyway, the search continues.

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: garritynet
The K2000 is small but none the less way to large, as is the G1. I want something I can carry with me everywhere. The other problem is that I dislike composing a shot with the LCD. Maybe there is some crystal clear LCD out there that will make it all better but I haven't seen it.

I just like being able to see with my eyes what I am photographing. Anyway, the search continues.

you're going to have to sacrifice something. small != good viewfinder. Basically the LX3 w/ a shoe mount viewfinder might work. G10 is still bigger, both smaller than the R3A/M I think (the R3A/M has a 1:1 viewfinder though, something I really want to try out).

It's a give and take game, trust me, I"ve been looking, haven't found anything, ha. I'm hopeful for the DP2 as I've said.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: garritynet
The K2000 is small but none the less way to large, as is the G1. I want something I can carry with me everywhere. The other problem is that I dislike composing a shot with the LCD. Maybe there is some crystal clear LCD out there that will make it all better but I haven't seen it.

I just like being able to see with my eyes what I am photographing. Anyway, the search continues.

One of the chief advantages of an SLR is the WYSIWYG aspect which AFAIK you're not going to get with a RF or P&S. My Samsung V3 has an LCD but also a viewfinder, and that's what I use 95% of the time. It has manual controls although I almost never use them (should). What I find detestable about the camera is the slow response. Press the button, and it's anybody's guess when it will take the picture. The SLR's have it for response, some bettter than others. But mine's pretty portable, but they've gotten better. I love it working with a couple of AA's. My V3 is terrible in terms of knowing what you are going to get from the viewfinder. It actually gets around 25% more than you see. I can guess now pretty much what I'll get but I often take 5 pictures just to make sure I get one that I'll like. I am looking at DSLR's but when I get one I know I will hate the size and weight aspects.

I've seen a post here from a member who said you really need 3 cameras:

DSLR
midsize
compact