Lens with Great Reputation for Digicam

[gus_cortez]

<p>Hello:<br>

Is there a digicam that has a lens with a great reputation? I am looking for a new digicam and any advice would be helpful.<br>

I compare the photos taken with my Fujifilm F30 and with my traditional SLR Rokkor lenses. The photos taken with the Rokkors are obviously better--almost in another dimension. The photos taken by my F30 are just bland and dull, comparatively. I always have to tweak my photos taken with the F30.<br>

Gus</p>

[railphotog]

<p>By "digicam" are you referring to a point and shoot digital camera, or a DSLR? Or pehaps a video camera?</p>

<p> </p>

[gus_cortez]

<p>Point and shoot.</p>

[ralph_jensen]

<p>You might be blaming the lens for things that are the sensor's fault. Your F30's tiny sensor (<6mm x <8mm) is only 43 square millimeters and is at a real disadvantage to a full-frame 35mm (24x36) sensor or negative's 864 sq. mm!</p>

<p>Besides, because the lenses of point-and-shoot cameras cannot be removed and independently used and tested, you sort of have to look at the results of the <strong>combination </strong> of lens and sensor, something easily done at sites like imaging-resource, dcresource, dpreview, etc. The greatest lens in the world is of limited value if it is bolted to a mediocre sensor, just as a great sensor isn't much help when the only lens it can be used with isn't so great.</p>

<p>So which combination is best? All else being equal, a larger and more expensive p&s camera will <em>tend </em> to have better image quality than a compact. But until you're a little more specific about your price range and needs it will be hard for anyone to make a recommendation. Is a camera the size of the Canon G11 acceptable? Is a larger SLR-like form-factor acceptable? Or do you want an F30-sized camera? As Bob implied, the term "digicam" can be used to cover almost all digital cameras.</p>

[jcuknz]

<p>I do not see anything wrong in applying some post processing to my files. If the result you get after PP meets your requirements accept that this is one of the differences between film and digital. They are different processes.</p>

[gus_cortez]

<p>Ahh, yes, the sensor size. I have to say that I forgot that very important factor that size does matter in sensor size.<br>

I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I am curious if there is a point and shoot digital camera with a reputation for capturing the color fidelity of a scene. The maximum size of the point and shoot would be a bulky point and shoot like the Canon G series and the cost does not matter to me.</p>

<p> </p>

[bill_tuthill]

Best P&S lenses are on the Panasonic LX3 (or Leica equivalent), Canon G11, and Fuji F200EXR. As for color fidelity: you say you want it but I am skeptical that you really do. The LX3 has a natural-color option, but I prefer its vivid-color mode. The F200EXR has Astia film mode that is more color-accurate than default Provia mode. I don't know about G11 options. Test graphs at imaging-resource.com show divergence from true color, for your perusal.

[eric_arnold]

<p>if i recall correctly, the Fuji F30 is mainly known for its high-ISO performance. it has relatively good IQ for a small-sensor digicam, but lacks optical stabilization and RAW capability. Besides the LX3, the Panaleicas have very decent lenses--even some of the cheaper models--but like most digicams they can suffer from excessive noise/smearing, high CAs, distortion, etc.</p>

<p>if you want the best possible optical performance from a compact digital camera, you're looking at the sigma dp series or the leica x1. however, the leica is way too expensive for most people and the sigma has a clunky interface and poor ergonomics, which make it more of a landscape shooter than a street shooter. so you're probably better of with the usual suspects: LX3, G10, G11, S90, F200EXR, F70EXR.</p>

<p>as far as color fidelity, you want to shoot in raw and post-process accordingly. or just convert to monochrome (kidding!). many digicams lack custom WB settings and auto WB can be hit or miss. if your standard is a film SLR, though, you're kind of comparing Jaguars to Kias. and a lot of it has to do with what you shoot, how you shoot it, and how you tweak your settings, as well as how well you manage workflow in the digital darkroom. you could always get a P&S film camera if that's asking too much.</p>

<p> </p>

[gus_cortez]

<p>Talk about a point and shoot film camera: Then, I have to dig out my old Canon Sureshot 120 Classic from way back in my closet. :) <br>

The responses in this string have cleared things up for me in that I was expecting too much from a small sensored point and shoot digital camera. I have never shot in RAW because the only digital camera, Fujifilm F30, I have ever had is bereft of RAW. My only workflow is adjusting photos on Picasa! LOL! I currently don't have any other software. Even so, the photos from taken by my film SLR, MInolta SRT 102, look great on Picasa but not so from the F30.</p>

 

[dg1]

<p>The Ricoh's have good reputations for lenses. One of the best, if not the best, lenses on a compact that's pocketable is on the Ricoh GRD I, I believe the GRD II uses the same 28mm f/2.4 lens as the first model but I only have experience with the GRD I. There is a current GRD III that I believe has a somewhat faster lens, I think it is f/1.9 or /1.8. All these models are non-zoom fixed focal lenth lenses. I made the mistake of selling my GRDI and now when I go back over my photos taken with it, I'm continually amazed at not only the detail but overall quality of the photos. <br>

The Ricoh GX100 and GX200 are also good cameras. The new Samsung TL500 that is coming out also promises great lens performance, at least according to what I've read. It might be worth waiting to see what it can do when it becomes available.<br>

I'm continuing to use small 35mm film cameras for pocket use. I've got an Olympus XA ,Rollei Prego 30, and Ricoh R1e. I'd like to get another compact digital camera, but I've had many, and with the exception of the GRDI mentioned, I've found the image quality of the rest unremarkable. </p>

 

[eric_arnold]

<p>here's a shot from my el cheapo panasonic lz8...</p><div></div>

[eric_arnold]

<p>another lz8 shot...</p><div></div>

[MTC Photography]

<p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/9470538-md.jpg" alt="" width="679" height="453" /><br>

PANASONIC LUMIX LX3</p>