Need Camera Advice

[Cheshire Figment]

I currently have several cameras and am looking for a new one. I have been kind of into photography for many years, and used to process my own film.

Currently most of my cameras are film (two Nikon F2 with Motor Drives, and a few pocket cameras). I also have one fairly old digital which needs replacement.

I am looking for a high quality digital camera than can be considered a pocket camera. My problem when looking at, for example, the Nikon Coolpix is that I find it difficult to use a viewscreen and still hold the camera steady; I would much prefer a camera with an eyepiece viewfinder.

I will not say that price is no object. However for example I like the Nikon P6000 but really don't feel a need for such things as a built-in GPS or being able to do movies. I do like the size and that it does have a "real" viewfinder.

Any suggestions and also reasons why I might like your suggestion.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Any suggestions or comments?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Have you looked into the new Micro Four Thirds cameras? Here's the Olympus model. It doesn't have a viewfinder, but you can buy one. Panasonic has a couple of models as well. DSLR like, yet quite small. I can't see you being completely happy with a point and shoot given your background. I have a friend who's living this now...

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I looked at the olympus and cannot see attempting to get an external viewfinder. Fist it would probably not synch to the zoom and second I would probsably either break it off or lose it.

 

[YesDear]

I also still have my F2 and Motordrive. I picked them up the other day and wondered how I got around with them.

I do not think you will find a P&S that has a true viewfinder. If you want a great quality P&S look at the Canon G10. Slightly bigger than the normal P&S but a great camera with many features an SLR or DSLR has.

Is it the size that keeps you from a DSLR? I just imagine with your background you will get frustrated with the limitations of a P&S.

 

[annnewjerz]

I do not think you will find a P&S that has a true viewfinder. If you want a great quality P&S look at the Canon G10. Slightly bigger than the normal P&S but a great camera with many features an SLR or DSLR has.

Agreed, if I was going to buy a new point & shoot today, it'd be the Canon G10. Between being able to shoot raw, attach an external flash and having a rechargable battery pack as opposed to AA batteries IMO it's probably the best p&s you can get.

 

[boBQuincy]

Canon's G11 was just announced and it is even going in the right direction (less pixels for more image quality) and is still has a real viewfinder! This is likely to be my next P&S.

Panasonic just announced a new micro 4/3 camera but like the Olympus it also has an external viewfinder (and not a good one either). When will they realize that cameras that are meant to sell to real photographers *must* have a real viewfinder?

 

[GrandBob]

I'm very fond of my Panasonic DMC-FZ28. It's just a little too large to be pocketable, but the trade-off is that it's a super-zoom - 18x, 27-486mm equivalent, and includes image stabilization. You can switch between using the large LCD screen on the back and the electronic viewfinder with the flip of a switch. The electronic viewfinder (essentially a lower-res LCD inside the camera) has a diopter adjustment, which is ideal for me, since I need reading glasses to view anything close.

HTH,
Bob

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Panasonic just announced a new micro 4/3 camera but like the Olympus it also has an external viewfinder (and not a good one either). When will they realize that cameras that are meant to sell to real photographers *must* have a real viewfinder?

Panasonic has a couple of models, one of which has been out for at least a year. Olympus' model came out recently. I like it myself and imagine I'll own one someday, as with an adaptor, I can use all of my AF 4/3 designed for digital lenses with it, including my pancake which, when mounted, will easily allow the whole camera to slip right in my pocket.

As you can imagine, they did a ton of marketing research when designing the Micro Four Thirds cameras. They looked at trends of today's shooting and what people wanted. Those of us really into photography know a viewfinder is preferable, but fact is that most people today aren't using them.

cannot see attempting to get an external viewfinder. Fist it would probably not synch to the zoom

Being designed for digital, everything "lines up correctly" and there is a sophisticated IS system built into the body.

It was also a challenge to get everything into such a compact design, and they knew they'd have to give up "something, somewhere". They looked to the mirror, pentaxxx and viewdinder, deemed not truly necessary with a Live View funcition. So leaving it out was definitely not an oversight. I imagine subsequent generations might be different - maybe [given a) if these even take off and b) it's shown that that's what people want]. In addition to still photos, the camera will take video as well, so not having a viewfinder is allowing ease of use for that as well.

IMO, they are definitely something to consider for those wanting dSLR quality in a small package. Sensor size is a lot bigger than that of any point and shoot camera. Illustration In fact, the sensor is the same size of that used in 4/3 format cameras like mine. And with that, of course, there can be some issues such as with high ISO performance, etc (the same of which can be said with other entry level dSLRs). But for those who want to balance portability with image IQ, here it is in a nice little package.

The biggest attraction of any SLR camera system is the ability to change lenses. However, if the imaging plane (focal point) varies depending on the angle of view or focal length of each lens, it would not even be possible to focus the subject. To avoid this problem, the imaging plane of all interchangeable lenses is standardized by strictly specifying the length of the flange back, or the distance from the mount plane to the film/image sensor surface.

Digital SLR cameras incorporate more components between the lens and the image sensing material than film SLR cameras, such as the image stabilizer, dust reduction mechanism and low-pass filter. Also, since the viewfinder of an SLR camera requires a mirror box for viewing the real image, the flange back needs to be longer to accommodate the mirror box. Compact cameras do not use the mirror box, so don't require a long flange back. These factors have made it difficult to design SLR cameras that are as slim and compact as compact cameras.

However, if a digital SLR camera can be designed to exclusively use Live View for shooting, the mirror box is no longer necessary and the camera can be designed with the kind of slim profile previously considered impossible, without compromising the high picture quality. For example, when an ultra-slim pancake lens is combined with the camera, it can be stored and taken out of the inner pocket of a jacket, allowing the user to benefit from the high picture quality of SLR with a higher degree of freedom.

The Micro Four Thirds System is a new standard based on combining Live View shooting with the Four Thirds System, freeing users from the viewfinder and moving closer to an optimum balance between picture quality and compact size. With the Micro Four Thirds System, more people will be able to enjoy the excitement of interchangeable lenses and system extension capabilities that only SLR photography can offer, while still benefiting from the convenience and high portability of ordinary fixed-lens compact cameras.

http://www.four-thirds.org/en/microft/#SlideFrame_5

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'm very fond of my Panasonic DMC-FZ28. It's just a little too large to be pocketable, but the trade-off is that it's a super-zoom - 18x, 27-486mm equivalent, and includes image stabilization. You can switch between using the large LCD screen on the back and the electronic viewfinder with the flip of a switch. The electronic viewfinder (essentially a lower-res LCD inside the camera) has a diopter adjustment, which is ideal for me, since I need reading glasses to view anything close

Micro Four Thirds has an electronic viewfinder as well.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I ended up finding a new but discontinued Sony Cybershot DSC/W170 for under $200. It is 10.3 MPx and has a Zeiss 5-25mm (28-140 equiv) zoom. The key is it has a real viewfinder as well the viewing screen. And I can just ignore the audio and movie parts. Plus I got a MSP Duo 4GB card for under $36 and everything seems to work.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Good luck with your new camera. Keep us updated as to how you like it.

 

[ukcatfan]

Plus I got a MSP Duo 4GB card for under $36 and everything seems to work.

Wow, I didn't realize how much more expensive the memory sticks are. I used to prefer CF, but I am pretty used to SD now and the prices are good. I think I paid around $7-8 for the last 4GB SDHC card I bought.