Please help me a pick a digital camera

[john_.]

I am looking for something portable, I have 2 D200's but dont want to lug

around the city ... My main stipulation is noise levels and RAW, and the only

viable options I have seen are the caplio gx-100 and the canon g6... is there

anything with the specs i'm looking for even available? If you have any low

light level shots with high iso's i would appreciate it...

[pbizarro]

All digicams will have noise at ISO higher than about 200. The difference is in the way they combat noise; some brands are more light-handed, and you end up with more noise, but also more detail. Then, it is up to you to apply noise reduction at your discretion. The best example would be Ricoh, with their GRD and GX100 cameras; at ISO 400, the GX100 is noisy, but the noise cleans up pretty well with Neat Image, for example.

 

Other brands, like Fuji, use slightly larger sensors in some of their digicams, and apply a lot of noise reduction, to achieve low noise at high ISO. Panasonic also apply a lot of noise reduction at high ISO, but they end up smearing the detail too.

 

So, as of today, I would say to forget about noise, move over, and buy the camera that gives you the control and print quality you want, at the print size you plan to use the most. If you are planning to buy a digicam to look at 100% images on screen, forget about. Besides not being fun, it is a pointless and frustrating exercise.

[digitmstr]

I was in your same situation. I ended up buying a Canon 400D (Rebel XTi). It's very small for a DSLR and, even with the kit zoom, beats the pants out of any P&S at any price.

 

Because RAW is no longer included in most (if not all) P&S cameras as well as a hot shoe (something I wanted, just in case) there was no other option that would have good noise performance at high ISO.

[sam_thompson2]

The Panasonic LX2 has Raw mode, iso 1600/3200 mode and has in lens image stabilization. But supposedly noise is not that good at higher ISOs.

[iansky]

Hi John,

 

I must endorse what Paulo said and forget about "Noise".

 

I have the Ricoh GRD and GX100 and find that with both, the noise very much replicates what we see in film grain, it can be cleaned up but it also adds a film like quality to the finished image.

 

I have a few of my GRD images(under the May tab) and GX100 images posted here:

http://www.ianskyphotosite.blogspot.com/

 

The Raw images from the Ricohs are DNG so can be converted by most current image editing packages and are well worth the effort.

 

Good luck in the decision making process!

[john_.]

Yeah, the ricoh has been my top choice, do you like yours?

[fri dom www.splitlife.com]

Hmm I have the same question. I use a dslr (oldy but a goody - nikon d70s), and would

like something that i can carry around and take photos which are also good enough to

sell. the d70 is just too big, I never take it with me on account of its 'mug-me' look into

inner cities and the like, and its 'sweat-with-me' weight (ok not that much but still over a

day or two in the sun...).

 

I'd like something which is small, quick-off-the-trigger (I really hate those delays where

you push the button and then wait... oh there goes the shot...), and has some manual

controls. Also raw output would be a bonus. The main one is to take shots that are

sellable.

 

So I found this thread and checked the LX2, looks good, then a guy I've bought cameras

off in Hong Kong recommended the FujifilmF31fd, saying "around 3 full stops better than

the LX2 in ISO noise and dynamic range. No rival at the moment. image quality like a

DSLR. " So... is what he says true? And will that one be better at taking sellable photos than

the LX2? :)

[fri dom www.splitlife.com]

Been doiong some research, these pics at dpreview show ISO 800 with the 2 cameras:

 

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/FujifilmF31fd/page15.asp (left image down the page)

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/PanasonicLX2/page10.asp (left image down the page)

 

The F31 does indeed look way way better...