Ok I was 10-15 years ago a pro photographic printer / photographer but due to the digital age, that kind of died!
i am looking to get back into snapping again after losing my mojo, but only for my own stuff nowt professional

I am looking for a digital camera that has plenty manual control but is also fairly compact as I see there are some new breed of cameras that seem to offer this I have seen Panasonic Lumix online but i have never actually held one which to me is essential.

Oh and my big bugbear with some digital cameras is shutter lag that would drive me nuts so thats an issue too

Am i asking too much?

Ta oracle

…never actually held one which to me is essential.

Then you should maybe be asking this question at your local camera shop. If lag is such an issue, you may need to step straight into the DSLR range. If you’ve been pro, then this would seem to make the most sense anyway.

I will of course be going to my LCS just wanted to have some wisdom/info before i do

I am also prepared to sacrifice some features for a smaller unit as its just for my own use

Agree with Three_Fish – if shutter lag is a major issue for you and you’ve used film SLRs in the past then go directly to a DSLR.

Alternatively if size is an issue consider one of the new Compact System Cameras which are effectively a DSLR without the SLR part (i.e. no flappy mirror, electronic viewfinder, but still fast shutter and interchangable lenses).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirrorless_interchangeable-lens_camera

Shutter lag on half decent digital cameras is nigh on non-existent.

Stuff like the compact Panasonic systems are very quick. They don’t have viewfinders though (well, most of them don’t), although you can buy electronic add-ons although these are expensive.
You might find a small DSLR worth a look if you want something a bit more compact; something like a Nikon D5100, rather than the larger D90 or D7000.

Of course, get along and try some out. Don’t really need to tell you this but it all comes down to what feels comfortable to you.

I ended up with a D80 after trying that and a Canon equivalent in the shop. I was hoping to prefer the Canon as it was a fair chunk cheaper, but for me it was too small, the controls felt cheap & the menu’s weren’t as clear.

There are also cameras like the Canon G12 or Nikon P7100 which are worth a look, but I suspect won’t be quite up to scratch, considering you are coming from a pro background.

Talking of flappy mirrors why do digital cameras have them? theres no film to protect, or am i missing something?

Cheers for the replys its the Compact System Cameras i was looking at as i am more likely to take one with me than lug a DSLR around

I will check out the cameras suggested

its to allow you to view exactly what is going to be shot. You can achieve the same effect with a prism, but htat has some compremises. A screen in the viewfinder is useless for focus accuracy by comparison

I wonder if there’s a rating somewhere for cameras by shutter lag. I haven’t tried one that is acceptable yet other than DSLRs.

Eh. I thought the mirror was to allow the same view to be seen in the viewfinder as is recorded on the ‘sensor’ whether that be film or a digital sensor.
Nothing to do with ‘protecting the film’….

Compact film cameras didn’t have mirrors and didn’t suffer from ‘damaged film’.

AlexSimon – Member
I wonder if there’s a rating somewhere for cameras by shutter lag. I haven’t tried one that is acceptable yet other than DSLRs.

Blimey! Even the £200 compact I bought a few weeks ago has barely any shutter lag. Once it’s focussed you press the shutter a bit more and it takes the pic; there may be a teeny bit more delay than my SLR, but apart from highly critical sports or wildlife photography I can’t see it being a problem.

It focuses a lot slower than my SLR, but that’s not the same thing as shutter lag, even though the focus process is started by pressing the shutter.

I guess its what you are used to and how many action shots you take in different lighting situations

Eh. I thought the mirror was to allow the same view to be seen in the viewfinder as is recorded on the ‘sensor’ whether that be film or a digital sensor.

Lol yes i suppose I thought that in the digital age this had been got around!

ok – well if it’s not called shutter lag, I mean time to autofocus. Mine don’t delay once focussed either.
It’s near instant on my DSLR (as well as tracking subjects) and almost useless for close-up action shots on everything else I’ve tried.

The number of times I’ve tried to take mountain biking shots and the camera takes the photo about a full second after where I intended.
That’s on an LX3, iPhone and Canon S70. I’ve also tried other people’s Canon Ixus and Lumix cameras.

The only way I’ve managed to do it is to stick it in f8 and prefocus. At least then you get an acceptably focussed result.

Anyway – probably off topic.

have a look at a panasonic GF1 or the new version GX-1. it’s the micro 4/3 camera that photographers buy. panasonic realised the mistake they made with the subsequent gf2/gf3 models. the touchscreen was dumbing down a camera favoured by ‘real photographers’* so they brought back all the manual features that people liked for the GX-1.
i got a gf1 refurb from ebay for less than £300 with lens.

*i am a photographer (still life/landscape/interiors) and have dabbled in compact cameras but they all end up being unused as they are crap, either in the quality of the file or ease of use. the GF1 is the only camera i have kept and used frequently when not wanting to carry around lots of kit.

Regarding which cameras to look at – I would say it depended what kind of thing you’re trying to do. I have an acquaintance who’s a very professional photographer but has sold all his uber-expensive full frame DSLR stuff for an iPhone.

Take a look here: http://inologist.com/

I tend to use my DSLR for shots that I know have to be critically sharp for them to work (portraits of my sons, shots for other people, etc). I’m now using my iPhone for more and more of the other stuff because it’s always on me and I don’t have to spend hours at the computer processing (I do most of it in-field).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tryingtimes

Cheers Mrsmith thats the kind of thing i’m after

Inologist = NSFW, caught by a surprise nipple shot.

I’ve been looking at Olympus pen range as compared to Panasonic it has built in image stabilisation. Some thorough reviews on dpreview though best rated on there is a Sony compact system camera I think.

theres no film to protect, or am i missing something?

As well as what others have said, when you run the sensor continually (as you’d have to without an optical viewfinder) it heats up, and this can introduce noise.

Just as a thought if you still have some of your ‘old’ gear AF lenses etc these may be transferable and could save you a fortune in upgrades etc.

Hustler
yes maybe i was going to check that out too ta

I have an acquaintance who’s a very professional photographer but has sold all his uber-expensive full frame DSLR stuff for an iPhone.

Take a look here: http://inologist.com/

really? a quick google shows the same photographer with his names reversed (fraser gordon/gordon fraser) and a similar website with the same design/hosting with lots of provincial wedding/portrait type images.

so he shoots weddings on an iphone not “uber-expensive full frame DSLR stuff” ?

I’m now using my iPhone for more and more of the other stuff because it’s always on me and I don’t have to spend hours at the computer processing (I do most of it in-field).

Iphones really? jeez I am behind the times!

Mr Smith. I don’t think he’s done any weddings. That must be someone else I think. Gordon Fraser is his name though.
I think he’s only ever done the odd paid photography job.

He’s definitely sold all his gear (although not all the studio/lighting stuff). He seems happy having the limitations of the iPhone. He’s even giving talks at Apple Stores about iphonography.

I actually know him from his real job though – home cinema video electronics.

In my experience of using a Canon D30, D350 and a Panasonic GF2 and G3:

Lumix Pros:
Pocket sized with a 14mm (28mm equiv) or 20mm (40mm equiv) pancake lens. Not much bigger with 14-42 (28-80mm 35mm equivalent)

Lenses are much smaller and lighter.

By using cheap adaptors you can use pretty much any lens availiable, including C-mount, although you don’t get any of the electonic functions.

Focus aid (magnifies area in frame to allow you to get sharp manual focus)

Very light.

Excellent movies, follow focus and live view. DSLRs tend not to be so good unless you pay big.

Touch screen options allow for some useful follow focus, touch shutter options.

DSLR Pros:
The new Lumix cameras lose out to DSLRs when it comes to action shots as there is no live image between frames so it is harder to recompose as you follow the action.

Lots to hold on to. Some of the Lumix models a bit small if you have big hands or sausage fingers.

Marginally better image quality, but you have to be a very good photographer to get into the realm of it really mattering or being noticeable.

Manual controls on the camera; the lumix ones (apart from the older G2 or GH2 or the more compact GF1 and newer GX1, neither of which have a view finder) tend to be operated by digital menus more like compact cameras, albeit with DSLR functionality.

Bulb shooting. For some reason lumix models are limited to between 2-4 minutes depending on the model.

For everyday shooting there isn’t much in it. I like the Lumix models purely from the point of view of size and weight meaning I can stuff them in my biking or climbing bag without needing a huge pack or they can go in my pocket before I head out. Certainly can’t do that with a DSLR. This has meant I’ve taken many more photos that I used to with the SLRs, although I have missed the SLR dials and buttons to select modes and the feel of a big lump in my hands when holding the camera. The lumix cameras are also good for street photograpy as they are much more discreet.

Shackleton

Cheers for that! very thorough reply
I like the look and the spec of the Lumix, not sure how i’d get on with no viewfinder but i guess thats why its compact!
I also like the olympus Pen too

But as you say i will take more pics as thee is no way i’m going to take a DSLR biking etc these days

I’m going to go look in the new year after reading more methinks

Micro 4/3 is the way forward if you want digital/compact/slr

Olympus PEN have some major cheap deals on at the mo…

FWIW DSLR photography mag had a review in this months issue of <£1000 cameras. On a side note; they don’t seem to like CSC type cameras much in their opinion pieces, so I’m not sure how to interpret their reviews.

Canon 600D 5 stars, best buy

Nikon D5100 4.5 stars, best buy

Samsung NX200, 4.5 stars, best buy (20MP sensor but limited lens choice)

Olympus Pen E-P3 4.5 stars, highly rated (no viewfinder and comparatively expensive compared to similar models from other mftrs)

Canon 550D 4.5 stars, highly rated (but 600D only slightly more expensive and much better)

Panasonic G3 4 stars (marked down for low light issues with electronic viewfinder, low res LCD cf. D5100 and 600D, and being small)

Cheers for that Shackleton I’ll have a look at all the reviews