Ultra Compact?

[sthughes]

Ok I'd love to have a D-SLR but they are just to big and inconvienient for me to bother with. I like to have it in my pocket so I can pull it out and start snapping straight away. Sometimes in fully automatic mode and sometimes a bit creatively in manual, even some night and lightening stuff. So the question is what is a good ultra compact with lots of the SLR features. Oh and I really want something with a pretty wide angle lense & image stabilisation. (Waterproof would be great but that's a bit too limiting)

I've been looking at a Panasonic FX520 (aka FX500 in the US). Seems to fit the bill but no RAW output (is that a big disadvantage?)and no manual focus, but you can use the touch screen to AF on the bit you want it to. Also, looking at sample photos it looks a bit grainy even at ISO100 when looking at 100%. This isn't too bad and would you notice it on an A3 print when it's a 10 MP image?

Any better ideas or comments?

[woka]

The Ricoh GX200 or a similar type of camera might be worth a look:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0806/08062 ... hgx200.asp

They aren't ultra compact and are a bit more expensive, but they have RAW support and a larger sensor than the smaller compacts (ie. less noise).

[sthughes]

The Ricoh GX200 or a similar type of camera might be worth a look:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0806/08062 ... hgx200.asp

They aren't ultra compact and are a bit more expensive, but they have RAW support and a larger sensor than the smaller compacts (ie. less noise).

Hmm definately worth a look - I had seen the GX100 but hadn't realised the 200 had just come out. I have now had a bit of a look at some reviews and sample photos and honestly I like the Panasonic pictures better (apart from the obvious resolution disadvantage - but who cares @ 10MP). Also it is a bit bulkier and possible the ugliest camera ever built?? Love the 180 second exposure, electronic leveling, 460k lcd and f2.5 though!

I guess really I'm after something a bit smaller when all's said and done though.

Thanks anyhow.

[sthughes]

Stuff it I can't stop myself - I've bought the FX520 now, I guess I'll soon know what it's like.

[the_camera_poser]

I'm curious about those shock and weather resisitant Olympus cameras.

How you liking the new camera? Any good samples yet?

[sthughes]

Well I haven't had a huge chance to play with it as yet - just had too much on! So far quite happy. Hope to try it out more this weekend. Here's a few points though:
- Love the 3" lcd (just a tad better than my old 1.5 inch!)
- The touch sreen is quite good but nothing groundbreaking.
- Love the Image stabalisation, especially for recording video (at 720p)
- 5X zoom is certainly an advantage over 3x
- 25mm wide angle rocks!
- Face detection works well
Biggest Complaints:
- Pictures still a bit grainy when you pixel peep - but then it is an ultra compact i guess.
- Full "Intelligent Auto" mode tends to crank up ISO all the time (see above)
- Can't have anything but auto flash or off in full intelligent auto mode
- Can't slow synch the flash without the red eye (pre-flash) also going
- Little slow shot to shot with the flash on - but no big deal
- Not bombproof like the Olympus cameras - might need it this weekend in the rain.
- Video lenghts capped (8:27 for 720p) (WHY!!)
There's a lot of negatives listed there but none of them are really an issue to me.

I nearly got the 1030sw but for the not so great picture quality reviews and it didn't have as many features like 5x, 25mm, 60 sec exposure, f2.8 and the Panasonic is a bit smaller. It was a toss up and in the end, but I figured I never drowned my old one in 4 years of use (and abuse) so maybe I don't need it. I can still use my old one with its underwater housing for snorkeling where image quality isn't a major thing to me anyway. I wish you could get a canon PS 860is that had some more manual control, or a Sony for that matter. (I really rated my old DSC-P73)

No 'good' samples yet but here's a couple of majorly cropped (the originals are like 4.6MB) examples i 'snapped' (see another tread for definition) outside work when it arrived, both in full auto mode and unaltered. Third I did something a bit manual but can't remember what (used the flash too).

[Joe]

glad you didnt get the ricoh....working in the industry has turned me right off them...we worked it out the other day, over 30% return rate on ricoh cameras.

[sthughes]

Just as an update - I used it on our walk to Waterfall Valley - love it. I'm totally happy - can even use the touch screen with thick polarfleece gloves! The only thing I would like is manual focus but it's not a dslr so I can't be picky.
Some shots with lots of snow and pale white/grey/blue sky came out a tad cool - but that's easily fixed right from the windows photo gallery (Vista).
I said it's not bombproof like the Olympus ones but it did get a bit damp on Sunday with no issues and I did accidentally push it off a 1.2m high bench at home onto the hard floor with no issues (whoops), so it's not that fragile either.
I took some nice night shots with it at 15, 30 & 60 sec exposures. The 30's came out best - made me glad I didn't get a Canon which only goes to 15.
Finally I love the compact size - meant I could carry it all the time and have it out and taking photos in seconds. Quite handy when the rest of the party just keeps walking and you have to catch up repeatedly!

[the_camera_poser]

Nice-looking samples- a good choice!

I really like their line of cameras. I'm pretty happy with my piddly Canon 460 as a back-up, but i'd definitely go panasonic if I was going to replace it. I love their 16:9 images. I know I can crop my Canon's images to this size, but if it's a P&S, what's the point of having to crop?

Thanks for the samples. Very sharp and nice colour.