Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/11/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Jack, I made the switch from analog to digital two years ago. Like many others, I still shoot the occasional roll of film. I think that if your frame of reference is Leica M and street photography, then you will not be happy with any point-and-shoot, especially if you also like to take pictures in low light. Sure, some P&S's are better than others, but all of them feature a tiny sensor which will result in noisy images at anything over ISO 400, especially if the manufacturer has crammed 8 or 10 megapixels onto this tiny sensor. You will also have to deal with shutter lag, the absence of a viewfinder or a viewfinder that is worse than even that on screw-mount Leicas, and a whole bunch of other compromises. Obviously, the easy option is just to get the M8 now that it is out, but I understand that you don't have a spare $5K lying around--most of us don't. But if you want a digital camera that will give you a shooting experience close to a film camera, then I would suggest one of the Olympus SLRs. You will not pay much more than you would for a high-end P&S, and you will be getting much more of a camera than with a P&S in a size not much bigger than an M6. Nathan On 7-nov-2006, at 16:09, Jack McLain wrote: > Thanks all for the thoughts and suggestions regarding the usability > of the > G7 camera. With the lens being so-so and the other issues that have > been > raised, it's off the list. > > I am suffering real camera purchase angst. I've been a very > traditional > develop-and-print-your-own guy for a long time, and have always glibly > dismissed the digital world off-hand. Now I am paying the price for > studiously ignoring the technology. I pick up one of these digital > point and > shoots and have no clue even how to turn them on (or is the proper > term > "power them up"?). I bought my wife a little Olympus P+S and could > offer her > no advice; very frustrating for someone who considers himself a > "photographer". > > I realize the disdain most serious enthusiasts have for the "what > camera > should I buy" question when posed by the neophyte, but I beg your > indulgence > for an old-fart guy who was shooting a Leica and printing TriX 35 > years ago. > I stand before y'all with head bowed and hat in hand, and hope for > some > photo-wisdom. > > I've been surfing the camera sites, reviews, etc, and am now > leaning heavily > in the direction of the Leica D lux. (I mean it IS a Leica of sorts... > Right?) > > The new D lux 3 model seems to be selling over it's MSRP, even on > eBay. The > comparable Panasonic model, which the Leica is based on, is > available and > for significantly less money. I am not clear on what exactly (other > than a > Photoshop-lite software package), makes the Leica a better choice > between > the two. > > There are several near new or new D Lux 2 models in the ~$400 - > $500 range > on eBay and other venues. Is the D-Lux 2, while "only" sporting 8 Mega > pixels, a good choice at that price point? Is the D Lux 3 so much more > advanced, or a better user (in classic street candid photography) > that the > premium price is a no-brainer? > > > My best regards > Jack > > Jack McLain > http://jackmclain-photography.siteframe.org/ > > In the desert near Maricopa, Arizona > "But It's a Dry Heat!" > > > > > On 11/5/06 10:01 AM, "Will von Dauster" <vondauster@earthlink.net> > wrote: > >> Jack, the G7 is a decent point and shoot camera. In my opinion, a >> better choice might be the A640, which is 10 MP, has a better lens in >> my experience, and offers the advantage that it uses AA batteries - >> rechargables are best, of course, but off the shelf ones in an >> emergency. The A series do not allow raw capture, but again in my >> experience do a very good job of internal conversion to jpeg. The >> A640 does not have the optical image stabilization that the G7 has, >> but this may not matter to you. >> >> Having said that I just bought a D-Lux 3 yesterday, and my first few >> snapshots with it are very impressive. Great lens! The 16:9 aspect >> ratio may take a little getting used to, though... >> >> Will von Dauster >> >> On Nov 5, 2006, at 6:47 AM, Jack McLain wrote: >> >>> Can anyone offer opinion or comment on the Canon G7 as far as it's >>> "user >>> friendliness" from the perspective of a Leica M camera user? It >>> kinda >>> "looks" like a camera. >>> >>> Are there other digital cameras that one could consider (other than >>> the M8 >>> or Epson Rd-1 which I just cannot afford right now)? Is the >>> Panasonic, even >>> without a optical viewfinder, a choice to consider? > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > Nathan Wajsman nathan@nathanfoto.com General photography: http://www.nathanfoto.com http://www.greatpix.eu Picture-A-Week: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog