A landscap photographer is looking for a high quality compact camera

[yanzhang]

<p>Dear all,</p>

<p>I am an amateur landscape photographer, I always use my Canon 5D Mark II to take landscape photos. However, from time to time, I found I probably also wanted a compact camera to take some good quality photos when I was traveling to record some interesting people and events. Sometimes, I may also use it to take landscape photos when my 5D Mark II is not with me.</p>

<p>Can anyone recommend some good compact but high quality camera to me? I am thinking Lumix LX5 (with a Leica 24mm lens). Will this be a good option?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>Yan</p>

[tonmestrom]

<blockquote>

<p>I am thinking Lumix LX5 (with a Leica 24mm lens). Will this be a good option?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>yes</p>

[bengt_rehn]

<p>If you can live with a fixed focal length there are a few models with APS-C sized sensors. The Sigma DP1s or DP2x with 28/4 and 41/2,8 lenses have a very good image quality. Resolution is about equal to a 10 Mpix Bayer APS-C sensor, but color rendition and clearety are better. The Sigma Foveon sensor have 14 M recording pixels at 4,7 M pixel locations. There is no need for a AA-filter which enhance the clearety and preserve microcontrast up to the resolution limit.<br>

An expensive alternative is the Leica X1 with a 43/2,8 lens.</p>

 

[peter_roberts4]

<p>Yan,</p>

<p>The so-called Leica lens on LX5 is just a piece of cheap plastic. Don't expect it give you the image of a LEICA produced by LEICA.</p>

[luis_g]

<p>The LX-5 will do a fine job for a compact. I have the LX-3 and love it.</p>

[DickArnold]

Canon G12. I just bought one for a friend. I would really like to have one myself.

[bobcossar]

<p>Peter R, you really need to try to make sense.</p>

[eric_arnold]

<p>for landscape photography, the canon G series is pretty hard to beat. a bonus is you can use the external flash you already have.</p>

[r.t. dowling]

<p>Fortunately, there are lots of great cameras to choose from in this category. In addition to the LX5, there's also the Canon S95, the Samsung TL500, and the Olympus XZ-1. They're all capable of producing beautiful photos.</p>

<p>Check out these reviews, which may help you with your decision:</p>

<p>LX5 / S95 / P7000 group test: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/q42010highendcompactgroup/</p>

<p>XZ-1 review: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympusxz1/</p>

<p>TL500 review: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/samsungtl500/</p>

<p>The G12 and the P7000 are surely more compact than your 5D mk2, but if you want something pocketable, stick with the LX5 / S95 / XZ-1 / TL500.</p>

[yanzhang]

<p>Dera all,</p>

<p>Thanks very much for your useful suggestions, I will do more research from here.</p>

[wgpinc]

<p>Canon G series (G10 - 14mp, G11 or G12). Canon S90 or S95. Great processors, lenses and sensors. Up to 11 by 14 with care you won't be able to tell the difference between one of them and the 5D Mark II. Good Luck! G10 sample. <br>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/10603767-md.jpg"" alt="" /></p>

[aplumpton]

<p>Yan, if you are used to the quality of the Canon, a small compact digital may not satisfy you. If I was looking for a new P&S digital with some operational options I would not return to something like my current Leica D-Lux-3 (Panasonic) or its successors (or other compacts with thumbnail sensor sizes) but think of a a Sigma DP2 or a Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1, or one of the other ASPS or 4/3rds sensor size cameras (as Bengt says), as they have much larger sensors and capability of higher quality photos.</p>

[bill_tuthill]

Until ISO 1600 and above, I don't see much difference in image quality between the best compacts (G12 etc.) and the micro-4/3 models such as E-PL2 and GF2. Are you willing to pay > $100 more and get a lens with much less zoom range, just for high ISO? With dynamic range optimization, the G12 is much less prone to highlight clipping than the GF2 and especially E-PL2. That said, the new Olympus 14-42 folding lens is cute.

[brian_goodman]

<p>I'm a landscaper who enjoys a good compact out there with my DSLRs.<br>

<a href="../photodb/folder?folder_id=983838">http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=983838</a></p>

<p>A good compact is certainly useful and a lot of fun out there in the field. The lenses are actually quite good and versatile. I went the micro 4/3 route for a little while, but it wasn't really the compact solution I was looking for. I've had the LX5 since it was released as well as the TL500 and S90. They will give you what you put into them. The RAWS process really well and the cameras give you a challenge. They help keep things fresh out there in the field.<br>

It's really fun to shoot the scene with the DSLR and then move around the scene with the compact. And what you can get quality wise can sometimes pleasantly surprise you.</p>

[scottelly]

<p>I second Arthur's recommendation for the Lumix GF1, if you can afford it with these two lenses:</p>

<p>http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/651751-REG/Panasonic_H_H020_Lumix_20mm_f_1_7_Aspheric.html<br>

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/736393-REG/Panasonic_H_H014_Lumix_G_14mm_F2_5.html</p>

<p>It would make a good, pocketable lens, and you could bring a couple of other lenses to use with it, making it a true back-up for your DSLR. Here are the other two lenses I would consider:</p>

<p>http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/630570-REG/Panasonic_H_F007014_Lumix_G_Vario_7_14mm.html<br>

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/736369-REG/Panasonic_H_FS100300_Lumix_G_Vario_100_300mm.html</p>

[lad_lueck]

<p>The older Canon G9 produces excellent full-bleed 13" x 19" prints. I base excellence on what my 1Ds w/24-70 can do...</p>

[aplumpton]

<p>The fast 20mm lens mentioned by Scott for the GF1 has received particularly excellent reviews as a (effective) moderate wide angle lens.</p>

[eric_chi2]

<p>Yan,<br>

I just received my Panasonic LX5 and would like to recommend it greatly.<br>

I bought the LX5 for similar reason as your, I want a small camera that I can always bring with me. So any m4/3 is out of question.<br>

After I received my LX5, I'm so impressed by its features. It also has many features that's great for landscape photography:<br>

1. It's the only P&S with 24mm. 24mm is much more prefered for landscape photography than 28mm.<br>

2. Ever dream a camera can give you hyper-focal distance range on the flight while you are focusing? LX5 will do just that. When you do MF, it will automatically show the corresponding hyper-focal distance range on the LCD. No other P&S, or any other camera do that. <br>

I just found (2) last night. Still thrilled. It is also the first P&S that when I reviewed my inital test images in LR3, I didn't feel the images are from a P&S.<br>

Eric</p>