High End Compact Wanted

[saxondale.]

I'm looking for a high end compact for my travels. I can't be doing with carrying my 40D with lenses/laptop where ever i go, so it'll be nice to have a compact with me. I was looking at the new Sigma DP1 but from reviews, it seems like it's failed at what it was supposed to do. The Canon G9 (sort of compact ) looks like my best bet, am i right?

[Bubba Satori]

I just got an Olympus SP570UZ last week. I'm a photography n00b and learning to use it so I can't tell you much about it. I was also considering a Canon G9 but liked the way the Oly felt in my hand better. Here's a review of it and the Olympus camera site. Good luck.

http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/default.asp?newsID=3455&review=olympus+sp+570

http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1367

[shecky]

Leica M8 (http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/m_system/m8/)

or a Leica D-lux 3 (http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/compact_cameras/d-lux_3/) maybe

[Everythingisnt]

The Canon G9 is a very nice camera.

My other recommendation would be anything from the Sony DSC line - they have excellent lenses as well as awesome sensors. (Although they're more of a bridge camera)

[kitmos]

I'd go with the Canon G9. It's one of the few compact's that shoots Raw (if that matters to you)

[Padaung]

Canon G9 gets my vote, great camera to use and carry. Lovely size and feel, and the build quality is great. Shooting RAW you can get fab results. It is rubbish when used at any ISO above 400 however - the noise really kicks in. It only goes to 35mm fully zoomed out too, I wish it went to 28mm...

[ChrisA]

Leica M8 (http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/m_system/m8/)

or a Leica D-lux 3 (http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/compact_cameras/d-lux_3/) maybe

Panasonic sells a version of the Leica D-lux 3 for only $350. It's identical except for how some default menu options are set and a rubber grip.

The G9 is nice because it can use a Canon speed light that you may already own.

It would be fun to shoot an M8. It's a step up in terms of image quality from the Canon DSLR while all the other compacts are a few steps down. To bad the price puts it out of reach.

[eddx]

you can't go far wrong with a Canon G9 - it is fantastic and the best compact digital in my opinion - personally I'm waiting to see what happens in August when the rumors are that Canon will be annoncing the G10 with a DSLR sized sensor (not full frame but larger than all compact sensors)

[Roy Hobbs]

I don't think the G9 is "compact" at all. Sure its smaller that the 40D but not something you can throw in you pocket

[mkjj]

have a look at the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 (10x Optical Zoom) or the end of line Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3.

I have one of the older models, great zoom for a compact

[jerryrock]

I have the Canon G9 and can highly recommend it. It goes places my 1Ds will not. With 12.1 megapixels, RAW capability, face detection and anti-shake technology it is the compact camera to buy.

[mchevalier]

I recently went to China and took along my Ricoh Caolio GX100. It is one of the best cameras I have ever used, the best for travel. The lens is sharp and ultra wide angle, built like a tank and can really take abuse. Check out the results, go to www.chevalierphotographyllc.com and look at the China pictures. I have blown some of these up to 16x20 with just amazing results.
Mark

[cube]

What's to rave about the G9? It has too many megapixels and it is not wide enough.
You can also add CHDK to a lot of cheaper Canons, but not to the G9.

[onomatopoeia]

What's to rave about the G9? It has too many megapixels and it is not wide enough.

Well, you can't hack a bigger sensor out of other compacts.

[cube]

Well, you can't hack a bigger sensor out of other compacts.

But you can find them with the same size and less megapixels.

[Over Achiever]

I have the Sigma DP-1, and I mostly agree with DPReview's review (as you've probably read). It does take some getting used to, much slower, not as versatile as the G9.

It however does have marvelous image quality. I don't wear tight pants, so it also fits in my pocket just fine. If you have any questions about it, please let me know, I'm one of the rare DP-1 users on MR (I think).

John

[ChrisA]

What's to rave about the G9? It has too many megapixels and it is not wide enough.
You can also add CHDK to a lot of cheaper Canons, but not to the G9.

The D9 (and if you shoot 9:16 the D-lux3) are both different then many other compacts in that both have a slightly larger sensor. The larger senors make for lower noise and better low light ability and higher cost. The other thing that makes the G9 (and dlux3) "special" is that they can save images to RAW format.

It's the sensor that drives both image quality and the price tag Notice the M8 has a sensor larger than the Canon APS-C or Nikon DX DSLRs do and has a price also higher then the DSLR. Price go to five digits once you go to medium format.

[Over Achiever]

It's the sensor that drives both image quality and the price tag Notice the M8 has a sensor larger than the Canon APS-C or Nikon DX DSLRs do and has a price also higher then the DSLR. Price go to five digits once you go to medium format.

While true that the sensor drives up the price tag, the reason the M8 is so expensive is not just the sensor (1.3x crop factor), but the rangefinder form-factor.

[M@lew]

The Dp1 doesn't fail, it's just slower than what it should be.

i.e. It's aimed at a special market like street photographers but the time between buffers isn't enough to shoot fast enough.

[cube]

The D9 (and if you shoot 9:16 the D-lux3) are both different then many other compacts in that both have a slightly larger sensor. The larger senors make for lower noise and better low light ability and higher cost. The other thing that makes the G9 (and dlux3) "special" is that they can save images to RAW format.

It's the sensor that drives both image quality and the price tag Notice the M8 has a sensor larger than the Canon APS-C or Nikon DX DSLRs do and has a price also higher then the DSLR. Price go to five digits once you go to medium format.

Well, the GX100 has a sensor of the same size, less megapixels (but not as few as I'd like), shoots RAW, and goes down to 24mm (19mm with wide angle converter). I fail to be impressed by the G9.

[Father Jack]

As already mentioned, the Leica D-Lux3 is worth considering .. :cool:
Great build quality, awesome images but unfortunately doesn't have a viewfinder.

[cube]

Well, I'm not convinced about what the d-lux really improves, when the equivalent Panasonic is cheaper. Or does the d-lux forgo the "watercolor" noise reduction?

Leica and Panasonic have interesting compacts, but I'm wary about their sensors.

[ChrisA]

Well, I'm not convinced about what the d-lux really improves, when the equivalent Panasonic is cheaper. Or does the d-lux forgo the "watercolor" noise reduction?

Leica and Panasonic have interesting compacts, but I'm wary about their sensors.

What I've read is that if you shoot RAW format the Panasonic is identical to the Lieca where they differ is the in-camer raw to jpg conversion. The menu defaults in the Panasonic to a selections that reflect typical consummer preference for more color saturation and sharpening while the Leica is set to be more accurate. But in either case you can change the defaults or if you shoot raw the issue is moot.

About the sensors. If you shoot wide, either 2:3 or 9:16 the sensor is "large" (relative to other P&S cameras) becasue you are not cropping the sensor. Almost all other P&S camera have a native 3:4 sensor so if shoot 2:3 format you have to crop and make the sensor in effect smaler. But if you like 4:3 the leica/panasonic sensor is a waste

To really know what's best you are going to have to look at sample images. dpreview likey has some.

[Father Jack]

Very well put ChrisA .. :) Also the Leica has an alloy body not polycarbonate.

I always shoot .JPG in 16:9 format as my main interest (now I have retired) is to make DVD slide shows for my wide screen TV

The D-Lux is an awesome little camera and produces great images.

FJ

[ebutka]

The Canon G9 is a very nice camera.


I 2nd that

[ChrisA]

Very well put ChrisA .. :) Also the Leica has an alloy body not polycarbonate.

I've heard this before, that one was metal covered and the other plastic. But I've also heard that both were aluminum. The reviews all say the two are the same but don't say what the material is.

Many people when they look at a camera can't tell plastic from metal, after all, what they see is paint or whatever coating was used. My Canon P&S had me fooled for a long time as it has some metal plated over plastic.

Do you have a definitive source. Something you could link to?

[Solo13]

Another vote for Ricoh!

I've had a GRD for a couple of years, and it's awesome. Even if it wasn't for the decent quality lens(decent might be an understatement) and teh fact you can shoot RAW, it's super easy to use and change settings on, you've got SLR-like controls with a pair of dials conveniently placed, and the buttons are mostly customisable, so whatever settings you want access to quickly, you can get to almost immediately.
Also has a proper hot shoe for external flash, or radio triggers even if that's your bag. Worth bearing in mind is you can sync a lot faster (up to 1/2000?) than you could with an SLR, due to it not having to shift mirrors around and that, which might be useful in some situations
That (and the newer GRD2) is a bit of a niche camera though, fixed wide angle at 28mm, with adapters to go wider to 21mm, or "tele" to 40mm equivalent.

The GX100 is 99% the same, but with a zoom lens, and a different pixel count. I convinced a friend to get one when she was after a new camera, and have a bit of a play with it. If I had the funds/less pressing priorities, I'd get one of them too.

Build quality on both is awesome, although the GRD would appear to win as it's got a magnesium body, and from personal experience, mine's taken a few good knocks and continues to work awesomely.

[Digital Skunk]

Get the G9 so you can use your strobes with it. Besides, it's the only camera I know to be in use professionally because of that fact.

And by professionally I don't mean some guy I know... well, I know him, but so does everyone else for that matter.

David Hobby (www.strobist.com)

He used it for weeks on assignment before he ditched us for his blog.

[Father Jack]

I've heard this before, that one was metal covered and the other plastic. But I've also heard that both were aluminum. The reviews all say the two are the same but don't say what the material is.

Many people when they look at a camera can't tell plastic from metal, after all, what they see is paint or whatever coating was used. My Canon P&S had me fooled for a long time as it has some metal plated over plastic.

Do you have a definitive source. Something you could link to?

Sorry, unfortunately no. Have you checked the weight of each? They certainly feel different.