A Pros Compact Camera-When?
Posted on: Sat, 06/14/2008 - 7:55pm
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A Pros Compact Camera-When?
When is a manufacturer of any kind going to get the balls to finally make a compact that pros can take with them that doesn't have gouging limitations and frustrating feature sets?
I am for one tired of the pussyfooting around this issue by all manufacturers trying to maintain a wide profit margin on the DSLR market. Photographers typically are spenders and will buy all the equipment they need for all the situations they need it.
I don't think a good compact is much to ask, one with a nice large sensor (that doesn't sport 3 color layers reducing the resolution to a scant 4mp), a good range of zoom (say 24-150 ), a nice usable optical viewfinder, and a basic easy layout and user interface.
With todays technology and money in the Photography market, there should be no reason a manufacturer couldn't do this.
I say, the first that does wins the hearts and minds of many photographers and they benefit overall as a result. Exactly the opposite of what they fear will happen i.e. lose DSLR sales as a result. Nonsense.
Carl
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Not a fan of the Sigma DP1?
The focus seems to be on the DSLR market nowadays. I don't know that a "pro" level p&s shoot camera would make much sense to any of them if they can't reap tons of profit from it. The p&s market supposedly has no more room to grow. You can't sell overpriced lenses, vertical grips, and lens hoods to someone with a camera like your describing.
Once upon a time Minolta did make a very high end compact p&s film camera with their best glass built into the front. Though it would complicate things, I wondered if any camera maker would make a compact DSLR. They could combine a very slim digital p&s style body with a new line of compact lenses.
Sony A700, Sony A100(sold), Maxxum 7xi, and Maxxum 700si.
Its a valid try, but falls short in my opinion. Not enough range in the lens to be practical and the tele add on is a chuckle to me.
All I am proposing is a minimalist compact, enough to satisfy pro level standards of image quality really. There are some compacts out there that come real close to nailing a bare minimum status for pros, but fall short on just one major feature. Dynamic range and noise is always a problem it seems.
Maybe hard for me to describe what I envision, but I think it can be done.
Olympus is doing the E420, closest to what I am implying I think.
Carl
-AlphaMountWorld Chef-
"You can't legislate morality or common sense."
Good topic.
Frankly it has amazed me that nobody has really tried to do something more serious compact camera wise. I agree the DP-1 does not look good enough, its ok, nice lens..DR isnt bad from the shots I have seen, but its overpriced for what it delivers IMO. No thanks.
Ricoh seem to have the handling pretty well, and decent optics..but more than a few pals report problems, esp dust on sensors, gear issue on the lens etc, enough to put you off, and the IQ falls far short of larger sensor cameras.
I sure hope other makers try to do something more on this one, but they seem so caught up in trying to out "superzoom" and gimmick feature each other, IQ has taken a back seat. Real shame..as I think a decent compact with a larger sensor, nice lens (non uber zoom), and good IQ and manual controls, would go down very well for many.
What about the M series from Leica? It’s pretty compact and offers a lot of versatility and a rangefinder. I do not know how good the new digital camera works but the older film M3 I use delivers astonishing photographs.
Just a thought.
AJ
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