[Closed] DSLR back to compact thoughts?

G10 or G11

same sort of issues, got a Ricoh GX100, sorted:)

Just bought a Fuji S200EXR....the best bridge camera available by reviews. All the good bits of a DSLR, but my compact!!

I've gone from a Nikon D100 to a Canon G10 and it's brilliant in many of the ways you say you need. I particularly like the fact that you have complete manual control over shutter, apeture, exposure compensation and ISO and that the dials for these are all on the camera body. The lens is reasonably fast - f2.8-5.4 and it shoots in RAW. The new G11 is around £500 but if you could find a G10, then most likely it will be sub £400.

same sort of issues, got a Ricoh GX100, sorted:)

I'd look at an olympus pen as an alternative to a dslr personally though.

Canon S90 for even more compact :want:

Second Canon S90 - gets a good write-up by Ken Rockwell

Must have RAW

Fuji S200EXR? Canon S90? .... Really?

Canon G10 or G11 - the de facto standard for compacts.

Ricoh GX100 or GX200. GX100 can be found for bargain prices. V. Small and light.

Sigma DP1 or DP2 - fixed lens and not that quick so more suited to landscape.

Nikon P6000 - quality bit of kit. overshadowed by the canon G10/G11 consequently can be found cheaper.

Olympus Pen EP1 - hybrid. Pricey but versatile. Perhaps not really a compact.

Olympus C8080 - no longer produced and can be had for bargain prices on the bay.

And almost forgot - Panasonic LX3

I had the same problem as you, so went for a small digital compact Panasonic no. but found it was very limiting after using my DSLR... so I had a look around again and decided on a Canon G series model, I managed to picked up a Canon G9 cheapish second hand, 12.1 mega pixels.. which is more than enough for printing up to A3, great handling camera much like a SLR with excellent results, multi-shot on fast moving stuff is a bit poor, but I think that's compact camera thing, I also unexpectedly find myself using the video feature on it quite a lot, well worth checking out

Must have RAW

Fuji S200EXR? Canon S90? .... Really?

What's your point? Both of them do.

i carry a compact with me all the time - canon ixus 55. the slr goes when i know it might be needed.

so my answer is have both - you'll miss the slr soooo much if you get rid

[url=

SECC Dec 09[/url]

G10 Video performance, in the dark. Just an experiment, but I was pleasantly surprised. As long as you don't zoom too far, the stabilisation is pretty good too. You can see the difference just before the end of this clip, when I zoom back a wee bit.

Panasonic LX3

Only thing I don't like - and I think it's a curse of all compacts (?) - shutter lag.... oh, and it has a tendency (i my eyes at least) to go mad with saturation on reds....

Right, packing me bag now, taking the D300 out to play in the snow..... 😀

edit -

have both - you'll miss the slr soooo much if you get rid

and I think it's a curse of all compacts (?) - shutter lag

I just bought my g/f a Casio FC100, 30 frames per second with pre trigger so it captures frames [b]before [/b]you press the button 🙂

Panasonic GF1 with the 20mm pancake, I'm gagging for one!!

Panasonic Lumix LX3 here. It gets used way more then the D300

What's your point? Both of them do.

It was a question and not a point.

I was unclear on the canon having RAW format. But for sure the F200EXR doesn't.

another vote for having a look at the Ricoh Gx100 series

But for sure the F200EXR doesn't.

How about the S200EXR which is the one we were talking about? 😉

I would stay away from the Fuji.. i see way to many of them coming back at work.

I myself own an S90 and in RAW its capable of holding a load of detail :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/duncanp/4251735811/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/duncanp/4244571575/

are from the past few days.

Went from a DSLR to a G9. No regrets at all.

Cheers all, much as I thought; G10, LX3, S90, PEN, Sx100, DP1/2. Need to get hands on and judge from there. Ref, those that say DSLR you'll miss it, well better to have a camera on you than none and one handed use of a D200 with fast glass/battery pack/flash not that easy with a toddler in tow!

Grumm - oic!!

S200EXR looks like my old Fuji S5600. The new EXR sensors are meant to be very good. But might be a little to big too be called compact.

And aviemoron, if you like the PEN you might want to check out the Panasonic GF1. Similar sort of thing with the added advantage of a built in flash.

Similar sort of thing with the added advantage of a built in flash.

ie the worst possible place to put a flash ?

Built in flash is fine for fill-in if you take the occasional daylight portrait. Not much else though. Main advantage of the GF1 over the EP1/2 is better AF, by all accounts.

Take a look at the Ricoh GRD3 as well. Same sensor as the S90 and G11, sharper lens (though no zoom if that's a bother) and more control with some really nice manual/semi-manual/fixed-focus features as well as a lot of configurability and IMO better handling than the S90.

Also there's the new Casio which has an impressive feature set including DNG raw output and a 24mm wide end.

I've got the Olympus Pen as a more convenient thing to carry round than my Canon DSLR...really like it, loads of control. they only think you might not like is the lack of a viewfinder..try it and see

Yep, LX3 here, after much use of a G9, don't get rid of the DSLR and for the person who mentioned it, switch the focus to High speed and you lose the shutter lag, also if you choose multi shot, who said RTFM..... 😉

G10/11, EP-2/1, GF-1, Richo GR Digital or Sigma DP-2

MrNutt
Panasonic GF1 with the 20mm pancake, I'm gagging for one!!

I went from a D80 to the GF1, loving it as the McD's advert says.
The 20mm lens is a cracker plus it shoots RAW which i like.
Gets carried everywhere now.

Bit more expensive than the op is looking at paying buts a stonking camera.

Which of the decent compacts is best for lack of shutter lag?

What is the focus defaulting to, other than high speed chainline?

Ken rockwell likes the s90, but the reg said it was suffering from a slow shutter.

[i]Which of the decent compacts is best for lack of shutter lag?[/i]

Can't speak for the others but the Ricohs all support multiple modes: contrast-detection AF (same as any compact, slower than some, noticeable lag), manual (no lag) and fixed (2.5m or infinity; no lag). The older ones (GX100, GRD1) have phase-detection AF which has virtually no lag and the newer ones (GRD3, CX2) have the ability to set various fixed-focus points as well as a fixed point for a full shutter press in AF, again both as good as no lag. Fixed-focus modes are extremely useful on a small sensor thanks to the large DOF - at 28mm equivalent you're verging on hyperfocal by the time you get to f/4 or so.

canon sx1 350 with cash back from canon offer may be over now though so 400. raw compatible if you update the software. incredible zoom range and 0cm macro.
bought one before christmas, piece of p*ss to use and fantastic shots to be had. auto or manual modes and so many functions you'll never miss the dslr.
[url= http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/75386/show.html ]http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/75386/show.html[/url]

Oh and never forget that although the S90 is a good camera, Ken Rockwell spouts utter tripe and his articles are a broad mixture of widely known information, strong opinions and outright factual errors.

Another vote for GF1 +20mm here. Simply awesome.

My first response to the same problem was a Canon G10, which I'm still extremely happy with, but having decided to try a completely different approach I'm increasingly pleased with my [url= http://cameraquest.com/cle.htm ]Minolta CLE[/url]

[i]Oh and never forget that although the S90 is a good camera, Ken Rockwell spouts utter tripe and his articles are a broad mixture of widely known information, strong opinions and outright factual errors.[/i]

Amen to that. Worth reading for a laugh sometimes though.

Have a look at the words of a Mr Thom Hogan. He speaketh the truth.

Have a look at the words of a Mr Thom Hogan. He speaketh the truth.

but only talks about Nikon...

Darn you Lorax, I want a CL now.

I wanted a GF but I really want a GF with a viewfinder, no one makes my ideal camera yet apart from the Leica M8, far too much money though. If only the GF-1 had a nice Leica quality viewfinder I'd be in heaven.

THE LX3 supports a number of focus modes but defaults to multi area, move the toggle up in a non full auto mode to change it.

Well well well, I was skiing with some friends today, when one of them whips out an LX3 and asks me to take a group shot. Excellent! Played with it for a while and very impressed with handling and the fast lens, not pocketable but just what I'm looking for, now to find one on-line at much cheapness!

LX3 for me too. Cracking bit of kit, and these days is getting used more than my Canon DSLR.

Nick

Another vote for Ricoh GX100 here.

Getting on a bit and not without its flaws (small sensor gives noisy images above ISO 400, dynamic range not brilliant) but it's great to use; very customisable, responsive and everything falls to hand perfectly.

I don't know about the competitors, but the GX100 has got a brilliant lens, particularly good for macro shots.

Have a look at [url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuartie_c/sets/72157606598236232/detail/ ]this set on Flickr[/url] - all taken with this camera.

[url= http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2362/2742590140_656957e178.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2362/2742590140_656957e178.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

LX3 if you dont mind noisy low light shots but want a cracking lens and excellent colour rendition.

S90 if you want a 'safe' compact that isnt spectacular except for noise control.

g11 if you want Dslr quality pics from 80% of occasions, and flexibility that other compacts havent got.

S20 and SX1 arnt compact really!

P6000 has got some sciving reviews, and is a bit of a grandad compared to other cameras.

Pen and GF1 arnt compacts either. They look pretty, but if you are going to spend that much on a system with a removeable lens, Id pay a little extra and carry the SLR in a proper bag...

F200 isnt bad but isnt a pro-compact still.

Id definately keep the Ricoh/G11/S90/LX3 in mind. Thats my personal opinion coming from what Ive seen, used and tested instore with most of the above.

some good stuff there stuartie_c - I own a GX100 too.

Its been around for about 3yrs which I suppose does make it "getting on". The current GX200 doesn't offer much over the GX100. I wish it were a bit more solid buildwise but other than that it still compares well to the competition.

[url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/300-compact-camera-take-it-everywhere-you-go-some-examples ]This is a current STW thread about the LX3 + some others[/url]

Might be worth a look.
I've had an LX3 for maybe 2yrs and love it. £300-ish.
Very, very pocketable.
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/26249134@N05/4254592459/ ]2x pics from this morning[/url]

This is the site to get more info: [url= http://www.dpreview.com/ ]dpreview web site[/url]

go on Bez - give it a go 🙂 The Leica CL is also a great camera, smaller than the CLE but manual only.

I use film for two main reasons:

1) better low-light performance than a small-sensor digital, whether compact or SLR. I scan in all my film so I get the best of both worlds.
2) availability of small wide angle primes for sensible money. Unless you go for a full-frame sensor you can't really get a wide angle prime for a DSLR - but my Minolta CLE along with 40, 25 and 15mm lenses and a couple of films takes up about the same space as my D300 and a big zoom.

There are of course plenty of reasons to stick with digital - and I still mostly use my D300 and my G10 - but in certain situations I like to have an alternative.

Without going into it to much (I'm sure it has all been covered) with the exception of the canon S90 I would say none are proper pocketable compacts, having owned the ricoh gx100 it just doesn't fit in your jean pockets comfortably, so you chuck it in backpack.

You might think this is fine, but I guarantee when you are try to get that quick snap you'll be thinking I wish this was smaller. LX3 comes close but the lens protrudes further than they state, G11 massive. If you are happy with getting it out your pack first thats fine. If the S90 had a viewfinder it would be no contest.

sfb

Reviews of both GF-1 and EP-1 are available. I believe they are not made by Nikon?

http://www.bythom.com/olympusep1review.htm

http://www.bythom.com/panasonic_GF1_review.htm

The G10 is fairly big, but with the [url= http://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/p-canon-sc-dc60a-leather-case-for-powershot-g10.htm ]leather case[/url] and the neck strap it is in some ways easier for cycling than a smaller compact as you can have it round your neck and ready to go at all time. You might not want to if you're cycling fast in case you come off and the camera breaks a couple of ribs, but for a wimp like me whose wheels never leave the ground it fells pretty safe...

I'm hankering after the GF1 too. Had a G10 and found the low-light performance sucked too much - with two young kids and an aversion to the look that you got with the flash I struggled to get on with it for it's primary purpose which was family pics.

I'm currently loving our recently bought 500D with pentax m42 fast primes - I picked up an f1.4 f50 Super-Takumar for £30 odd and it's fantastic. Means I can get decent images in low-light (and the HD video is a bonus too). As mentioned above, the majority of the suggested cams aren't truly pocket-sized (the G10 certainly wasn't), to be honest the 500D is so lightweight and small for a DLSR that even with a lump of metal like the 50mm stuck to the front it'll sit nicely in a small bag. Unlike my old D300 which was a tank of a camera, excellent as it was...

If I had the money to spare (and I don't) I'd consider going back to film. I miss my Leica rangefinder.

[img] [/img]

I have one similar to this that's all weather.
It's simplicity itself.
In it I have the LX3 + some bubble wrap.
It's so good, so easy to use and produces such cracking images I used it to photograph the Montane Kielder 100 race back in September whilst also being a race competitor - see MBUK from 13 January for the resultant images.

sfb
Reviews of both GF-1 and EP-1 are available. I believe they are not made by Nikon?

ah, yes, well spotted, right there on the "Nikon" tab 🙂

Ti29er - any idea where I can get one of those bags - particularly a weatherproof version?

Cheers,
Nick

Nick: I thought it might have been CRC or Wiggle. But can't find it on either.
I'll keep looking as these are the main sites I buy from.

Charlie Waite's 2nd favourite camera is.... LX3.
He's best know for his LF landscape photography. Google this photographer for inspiration!

He's running a free master class through the www.swpp on Sunday 18th January in central London.