Digital alternatives

I'm thinking of testing the digital waters. I've considered buying a

used RD-1, but as an alternative, I'd like to consider picking up a

smaller fixed-lens digital rangefinder or point and shoot. My core

requirements are:

 

1) Lens focal length of approximately 35 or 50mm equivalent

(preferably 50), or a short zoom that includes that range.

 

2) Lens speed of f2.8

 

3) Good quality at ASA 400 equivalent

 

4) At least 5 mpix

 

Are there digitals out there with this capability? In some ways, I

would think these requirements are easier to meet than some digitals

out there. In other ways, like lens speed, they may be tougher.

Fuji F11

Thanks Eric. I should add one more thing ... I like to use an optical finder rather than an LCD viewer to compose. Old habits die hard, I guess.

well, vf's on a p&s are going to small and crappy, with that said, i love my canon s70. it shoots raw and great little movies. i'd forget about getting you feet wet with digital via a p&s and jump right in with a dslr.

The Fuji F10 is a fine camera, too. It made me finally retire the family's Olympus Stylus Epic.

 

It has a large shutter button and almost zero lag. iso 800 is sweet, and 1600 is good if you

can live with a little noise. Very natual colors, too, unlike the Canon G5 I used to own.

 

The only real downside is the awkward power cord and the need to recharge the battery in-

camera.<div></div>

"I like to use an optical finder rather than an LCD viewer to compose. "

 

You're swimming upstream on that one... ;-)

.;<div></div>

The Ricoh Digital GR has some great reviews and you can get it with an optical VF. I've not tried it myself. It comes with a 28mm equivalent fixed lens and 8MP. The lens on the film version, which is a classic little shooter's camera, is fantastic.

The VF on digi p&s's are all pretty much a joke. Having said that, I like the Oplympus SP350 I got a while ago. Some of the newer fuji cameras look intersting too.

 

Have you considered a nikon d50 with a 35 f2 or canon's digi rebel with a similar lens? Those bodies are really tiny for an slr, and the image quality at high iso will be better than from a p&s.

Kodak C530 is a current, non zooming lens, 5MP, optical VF camera. Canon SD10, discontinued, non zooming lens, 4MP, no VF. I think there are others, maybe try Olympus.

<b>"I like to use an optical finder rather than an LCD viewer to compose. "

You're swimming upstream on that one... ;-)</b></p>True but unfortunate. I've always been farsighted and can't see an LCD at arm's length without wearing glasses, which I don't normally. I dont need to wear them to set the controls on most cameras because of displays in the finders, and even on a Leica I know the speeds and apertures by clicks. You're right, none of the eyelevel finders in digicams are worth a plugged nickle. I looked at a couple of EVF's and wasn't impressed either. Has anyone tried jerryrigging a slide viewer loupe to an LCD, or is the magnification too severe?

If you are looking for good High ISO performance, nothing but a DSLR beats the Fuji F10 or F11. Thay have no optical viewfinder though.I have an Olympus C7000. It is a 7mp with a decent 38-190mm lens. It takes wonderful files and often rivals my 8mp DSLR at low ISO. The performance at ISO 400 is pretty good as well. There is noise but it cleans up well and is quite useable. It also has a typical optical finder for a digital.

 

Optical finders on todays digitals are utterly horrible. They are tiny and only cover 70-80% of what you get in the final image. I swear that if someone made a small camera with a decent finder I would buy it in a minute. One caveat is the Ricoh GRD. It has an add-on optical brightline finder but it also has a 28mm lens and that is a bit too wide for me. I would love to see someone put a sensor in the likes of my Oly 35RC.

 

If you find a camera with a flash shoe you could always buy a brightline finder for the focal length you want and use it. Just set your zoom for that focal length. The Oly SP350 has a shoe and I am going to try this out on one.

 

Regards,

Chuck

John wrote: "Has anyone tried jerryrigging a slide viewer loupe to an LCD, or is the magnification too severe?"

 

I use a Williams & Associates Xtend-a-ViewTM Pro LCD Shade. You have to attach some velcro to your camera to hold it but it works well. The only problem is that your LCD has to be high resolution or it doesn't look good. My Oly C7000 has a 2in 206.000 pixel resolution so it works great. It is not the same as a good optical finder though.

 

Check out this review.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/xtendaview_pro.html

 

Thanks,

Chuck

The Ricoh GR digital only problems are price and the noise above 200 ISO. It focuses quickly, has no shutter lag... but probably 28mm and a 21 converter is too wide for you. I also own a Fuji E-900 with low noise at 400 (even 800 is usable) but a lousy viewfinder. I'm thinking of gluing a shoe to use it with a 35mm viewfinder...

Disregard of the obvious! Use the LCD to compose and select an aiming point, then use the visual finder to shoot the scene.

Another one that's worth considering is the little Sony DSC-40. I've been using one for a year now and I'm very pleased with it as a pocket camera.<div></div>

thank goodness times are changing...imagine posting a thread like this three years ago here? we couldn't even use the "D" word back then :D

If you are just testing the waters, and want an optical VF, I'd say see if you can pick up one of the Fuji E550's or F810's for cheap (now that they are "obsolete"). You can get a refurb E550 for $175 on Amazon, and it has excellent ISO400 performance and a lens in the right focal length and speed that you mentioned.

The fuji E900 is the replacement for the E550 and seems to be a good performer as well, but obviously more expensive.

Get a Canon A620 while they are still available (and cheap)...

 

35-140mm (equivalent) F/2.8 - F/4.1

 

Copes quite well at ISO 400. Uses AA batteries. gets around 500+ shots per charge if you use decent 2300 Mah and not too much flash.

 

Has a viewfinder (not a great one but adaquate.

 

7.1 mpixels

 

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canona620/

 

Can be 'programmed' on its 'creative' (or C) setting to have a pre-focussed snap focus mode that avoids shutter/focus lag. Ideal for street snapping if that is your thing.

The Canon A 620 is the clear winner in this category. Check out the detailed review at dpreview.com 7.1 mpixels, 35-140 mm, full manual control if you need it, tilting and swiveling LCD (very handy), uses AA batteries, quick reponse upon turnon, quick flash recycle, lithium batteries seem to live forever, etc., and, if it really matters, the best photo quality of the bunch.

Trevor and my message were racing in cyberspace, and he beat me by a few nanoseconds. Maybe we were separated at birth. Any Kennedy, MacFetridge, Kilpatrick, of Fleming blood in your roots, Trevor?

No Kerry. Your world only has me on loan.

<i>Has anyone tried jerryrigging a slide viewer loupe to an LCD, or is the magnification too severe?</i><p>

I have, on an Ixus V3 (or Powershot 230). It's a no-brainer, jerryrigged in 5 minutes (with the help of 3M power velcro and a saw to cut the Hama plastic slide viewer to size). Perfect in-focus viewing plus flare-ban @ $3.<p>

Another route would be a brightline VF of your preferred focal length attached on top of the digital p&s. Much more expensive, though, and less flexible. But, anyhow, the nice thing with AE/AF p&s's is that they do the "thinking", you do the composing... ;-)<p>

Be aware, though, that you won't find a digital p&s (besides the "obsolete" Canon G series) with a 50mm equivalent at any f/stop faster than approximately 3.2 - they all start with 2.8 at their wide end (typically 35mm and thereabouts), getting slower by the mm...

All your core requirements can be met and exceeded by one alternative which is not fixed-

lens nor point and shoot: Nikon D50 body with a 35mm f2, 28mm 2.8 or 24mm 2.8. Add

any of these lenses to a D50 body and you and up wth a camera far more capable than any

p/s, and with great results with available light at high ISOs. good luck

The D50 is all very well. I own one and love it. But for size and price the digital compacts are the way to go despite their shortcomings. The Fuji F10/11 gets my vote (I prefer LCDs to the optical finders). Nothing wrong with the Sony, Canon or Nikon offerings either. Not to mention other manufacturers. It's a big market and and interesting one.

 

The quality on compacts is good enough, I feel, to take serious images with as long as you know what you're doing. OTOH you have the advantage of their small size. Take them anywhere and everywhere.<div></div>