why can't they make a digital camera with features i want?

ElFenix

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compact body size
28 mm wide angle
mechanical/optical image stabilization
usable ISO 400
program/aperture priority/shutter priority/manual exposure control
optical viewfinder

there are several cameras that come close to this. the G7 is lacking the wide angle. the S80 is missing IS (though those have been discontinued). the panasonic LX2 is lacking the viewfinder and usable ISO 400. i have to imagine the leica version of the same camera is less aggressive at noise reduction, but that camera is also ridiculously expensive. the nikon P5000 looks like a G7 competitor at first blush, but doesn't have the exposure controls.

any other cameras to look at?
 

WW

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Jun 21, 2001
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Originally posted by: ElFenix
compact body size
28 mm wide angle
mechanical/optical image stabilization
usable ISO 400
program/aperture priority/shutter priority/manual exposure control
optical viewfinder

there are several cameras that come close to this. the G7 is lacking the IS. the S80 is as well (though those have been discontinued). the panasonic LX2 is lacking the viewfinder and usable ISO 400. i have to imagine the leica version of the same camera is less aggressive at noise reduction, but that camera is also ridiculously expensive. the nikon P5000 looks like a G7 competitor at first blush, but doesn't have the exposure controls.

any other cameras to look at?

G7 does have optical IS:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0609/06091405_canon_g7.asp

 

ElFenix

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Originally posted by: WW

G7 does have optical IS:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0609/06091405_canon_g7.asp
ert, i meant wide angle. not sure why i typed IS. brain fart, i guess.

Originally posted by: 0
My Nikon 5700 fits that bill...

that's not a compact. i have an SLR already. nor does it have IS.

Originally posted by: randomlinh
it's because no one wants to work on a better freaking small sensor. they want to play the numbers game and cram all those MP's.

i don't think all of these have much to do with sensor, except noise. and 1/1.8" sensors seems to work well enough in terms of noise. i guess it's harder to make a wide angle lens with a smaller sensor, but canon has done it before (S80). and panasonic puts wide angle lenses on even smaller sensors (and even more compact bodies).



WTF, the SD800 IS has a manual mode but not a shutter or aperture priority?
 

Aharami

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Aug 31, 2001
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noise at anything above 200 ISO is what really pisses me off about P&S. my S3IS is useless at 400+ ISO
 

jpeyton

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Originally posted by: Aharami
noise at anything above 200 ISO is what really pisses me off about P&S. my S3IS is useless at 400+ ISO
Indeed, the only P&S usable above ISO200 are Fujis.
 

funboy6942

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Nov 13, 2001
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Have you looked at the Panasonic DMC-TZ1?

Compact, Lecia lens. 10x optical zoom, huge LCD on the read, fantastic picture taking abilities.

Another review

Pictures taken with the camera submited on amazon

It has its own battery like my FZ5 does, just buy a few off ebay, I have 3, the charges on them last forever, I mean forever, the cheap ass ones off ebay I have sit around easily for over 6 months before I get to one and it still has 3 bars. Thats about it, should be just like mine though just smaller and 2x less on the zoom. Keep a few of them batteries in the camera bag and you will be good to go.

And so it doesnt have a optical viewfinder, thats so overrated anyway, and sooooooo 1900's :p Its other features so make up for its lack of looking though a tiny square window ;)
 

ElFenix

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Originally posted by: funboy42
Have you looked at the Panasonic DMC-TZ1?

Compact, Lecia lens. 10x optical zoom, huge LCD on the read, fantastic picture taking abilities.

Another review

Pictures taken with the camera submited on amazon

It has its own battery like my FZ5 does, just buy a few off ebay, I have 3, the charges on them last forever, I mean forever, the cheap ass ones off ebay I have sit around easily for over 6 months before I get to one and it still has 3 bars. Thats about it, should be just like mine though just smaller and 2x less on the zoom. Keep a few of them batteries in the camera bag and you will be good to go.

And so it doesnt have a optical viewfinder, thats so overrated anyway, and sooooooo 1900's :p Its other features so make up for its lack of looking though a tiny square window ;)

overzealous noise reduction, no manual exposure control (not even shutter and aperture priority), slow lens when wide open. if i was going to get a panasonic it'd be an LX2.

in the LX2's favor, it can do raw, so the overzealous noise reduction isn't a factor as long as i'm prepared to carry lots of flash. 10mp RAW images eat memory.
 

funboy6942

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Nov 13, 2001
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Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: funboy42
Have you looked at the Panasonic DMC-TZ1?

Compact, Lecia lens. 10x optical zoom, huge LCD on the read, fantastic picture taking abilities.

Another review

Pictures taken with the camera submited on amazon

It has its own battery like my FZ5 does, just buy a few off ebay, I have 3, the charges on them last forever, I mean forever, the cheap ass ones off ebay I have sit around easily for over 6 months before I get to one and it still has 3 bars. Thats about it, should be just like mine though just smaller and 2x less on the zoom. Keep a few of them batteries in the camera bag and you will be good to go.

And so it doesnt have a optical viewfinder, thats so overrated anyway, and sooooooo 1900's :p Its other features so make up for its lack of looking though a tiny square window ;)

overzealous noise reduction, no manual exposure control (not even shutter and aperture priority), slow lens when wide open. if i was going to get a panasonic it'd be an LX2.

in the LX2's favor, it can do raw, so the overzealous noise reduction isn't a factor as long as i'm prepared to carry lots of flash. 10mp RAW images eat memory.

Well damn then, stop looking at tiny little cameras :p
 

ElFenix

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Originally posted by: funboy42

Well damn then, stop looking at tiny little cameras :p

i already have an SLR :(

seems to me it wouldn't be hard to do what i ask, as the canon S80 comes pretty close (sans IS lens, which obviously takes up little space as they can fit it into the SD series)

i just think the manufacturers are missing out on a piece of the market for very little extra added cost to them. i'm not going to carry the SLR around all the time. and there are a lot of people like me, i think.

woe is me.
 

funboy6942

Lifer
Nov 13, 2001
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Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: funboy42

Well damn then, stop looking at tiny little cameras :p

i already have an SLR :(

seems to me it wouldn't be hard to do what i ask, as the canon S80 comes pretty close (sans IS lens, which obviously takes up little space as they can fit it into the SD series)

i just think the manufacturers are missing out on a piece of the market for very little extra added cost to them. i'm not going to carry the SLR around all the time. and there are a lot of people like me, i think.

woe is me.

Well looks like they just released the TZ3 which has a 28mm lens, 1250 ISO to a High Sensitivity Mode ISo 3200, and less distortion. Just saw this.

You could always get the camera I use, a Panasonic FZ5 :)
Not much bigger, infact the only thing that makes it look big is its 12x optical lens ;)
 

PHiuR

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Apr 24, 2001
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Originally posted by: FilmCamera
Why can't they make the lens I want?

16-400mm f/1.2L IS the size of a 70-300mm DO.

Because They're busy making mine.

10-1000/1.0 IS. size of a 35/2 cron. Haha.
 

ElFenix

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Originally posted by: funboy42
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: funboy42

Well damn then, stop looking at tiny little cameras :p

i already have an SLR :(

seems to me it wouldn't be hard to do what i ask, as the canon S80 comes pretty close (sans IS lens, which obviously takes up little space as they can fit it into the SD series)

i just think the manufacturers are missing out on a piece of the market for very little extra added cost to them. i'm not going to carry the SLR around all the time. and there are a lot of people like me, i think.

woe is me.

Well looks like they just released the TZ3 which has a 28mm lens, 1250 ISO to a High Sensitivity Mode ISo 3200, and less distortion. Just saw this.

You could always get the camera I use, a Panasonic FZ5 :)
Not much bigger, infact the only thing that makes it look big is its 12x optical lens ;)

i thought you linked to the TZ3 to begin with. that was the one i was comparing the LX2 to.

panasonic's high ISO modes are completely worthless due to the heavy handed noise reduction.

an FZ5 isn't really pocketable. and they're up to FZ7 now.


Originally posted by: FilmCamera
Why can't they make the lens I want?

16-400mm f/1.2L IS the size of a 70-300mm DO.

at least what i'm asking for isn't prohibited by the laws of physics.

Originally posted by: PHiuR
Epson R-D1 with a 28mm lens. cost you more than the Leica P&S though.

i'm not dumb enough to buy into leica M mount stuff. i don't own a money printing press. nor is it compact. not to mention rangefinders aren't all they're cracked up to be by the RF snobs. i've got two. yes, it's quiet, but it takes so long to focus i've lost the shot anyway.
 

ElFenix

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Originally posted by: RossMAN
because you have the highest postcount? :Q

you make fun of me again for it and i'm going to stop posting. then we'll see who has the last laugh :evil:
 

funboy6942

Lifer
Nov 13, 2001
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No the FZ5, or the FZ7 isnt really pocketable, but it has all the features you want, damn your a picky sob :p (I kid I kid post count whore)

I would go with the fz7 myself but I dont need to do blow up shots poster size, Im real happy with my FZ5. I had the larger FZ20 at one time, found it to be too big for my liking. The FZ5 gives me the balance I like between a tiny pocket camera with a kick ass 12x optical zoom of a larger one, and it has all the manual options I could want if I feel like playing around with the shots. Although the FZ30, or is it the 35, with the manual Focus ring, seems to be calling my name as the next camera to buy if I decide to.
 

ElFenix

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Originally posted by: funboy42
No the FZ5, or the FZ7 isnt really pocketable, but it has all the features you want, damn your a picky sob :p (I kid I kid post count whore)

I would go with the fz7 myself but I dont need to do blow up shots poster size, Im real happy with my FZ5. I had the larger FZ20 at one time, found it to be too big for my liking. The FZ5 gives me the balance I like between a tiny pocket camera with a kick ass 12x optical zoom of a larger one, and it has all the manual options I could want if I feel like playing around with the shots. Although the FZ30, or is it the 35, with the manual Focus ring, seems to be calling my name as the next camera to buy if I decide to.

i think they're up to FZ50 now :D

i considered the FZ30 back when i was first looking into upgrading from my S40 to a larger, more capable camera. but you can't do this or this with the FZ.
 

Zenmervolt

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Oct 22, 2000
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Originally posted by: jpeyton
Originally posted by: Aharami
noise at anything above 200 ISO is what really pisses me off about P&S. my S3IS is useless at 400+ ISO
Indeed, the only P&S usable above ISO200 are Fujis.
Sony R1, but that was discontinued. (R1 had an APS-C size sensor.)

ZV
 

ElFenix

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Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Originally posted by: Aharami
noise at anything above 200 ISO is what really pisses me off about P&S. my S3IS is useless at 400+ ISO
Indeed, the only P&S usable above ISO200 are Fujis.
Sony R1, but that was discontinued. (R1 had an APS-C size sensor.)

ZV

that is as P&S as a D80 on auto mode.
 

yhelothar

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Dec 11, 2002
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Originally posted by: virtuamike
Ricoh GR

Not cheap, optical viewfinder costs more, no IS, and not much noise reduction. But it shoots raw :)

I thought that was an interesting camera, until I saw that the resolution is worse than most zoom lens cameras.
If I want a prime, I want ne plus ultra in quality.