Very Cool New Compact Digital Cameras

[GSRider]

And a link with some of the best pics I've seen in a while...very impressive, I'd love to know what camera / lens combo they used for these


http://www.texasjim.com/NASApix/NASA%20pix.htm

[Eka]

Quite impressive photos. I have older EOS350D and that's enough for me for a while, but i like these compact pocket size more. Only thing i wonder is how that plastic shutter in front of the lence will last in pocket and how long the battery will last. Battery has to be taken out for charger. I should have bought extra battery, but that's easy to fix. I haven't read the manual yet either - bad habbit. Still wondering where i lost my previous one...

[SHIVA]

Guys here's a shot of how I like to carry my Canon G9. Are you familiar with Pelican cases, they are water, shock and impact proof. S

[Jamie (RIP)]

Aah as always I see the man has impeccable taste.

Do we know Pelican.....yes because they are the best......well imo that is......and they have a life time guarantee

[SHIVA]

this is too good!!!! coincidence? I think not...

[Fido]

Shiva...how do you like the G9? It sounds like a neat camera.

I recall a while back...you were impressed with some photo's posted from a compact Fuji camera. Curious how the G9's picture performance compares? Or how it compares to your SLR?

I'm struggling between getting a Canon XTi (to match up with my Canon lenses) or to get a compact....and keep my Canon film SLR.

Thanks

[SHIVA]

hi, canon should come up with a new XTi this January, most probably. I'd wait until then. it would be a great camera for you, with 3" screen and it will take all your canon lenses. if you want compact, the best compact out there now is the G9, by far. there is no competition for the G9 right now, it's a great digicam... S

[Fido]

hi, canon should come up with a new XTi this January, most probably. I'd wait until then. it would be a great camera for you, with 3" screen and it will take all your canon lenses. if you want compact, the best compact out there now is the G9, by far. there is no competition for the G9 right now, it's a great digicam... :) S

Thanks Shiva. How does the picture quality compare to the new digital SLR's??

[SHIVA]

G9 at low ISO matches a low-end DSLR such as the Canon XTi with a kit lens...

[Jim_in_Calgary]

hi, thanks for posting, but your linking system is hard to see.

to post images in our forum.

place an image tag like this: [img]
then place your link: http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc26 ... G_0616.jpg

then immediately after close your image tag like this: [/img]

so sandwich your image address between two image tags like this:
[img]put%20your%20image%20address%20here[/img]

try it now, you can hit edit and correct your post...

I have learned that it is easier than that. Just paste the image address into your post, highlight the address, then click on the "Img" button at the top of the reply window and the [img]and[/img] will appear magically at the front and end of your image address.

[Bernardo]

Continuing the thread from Canon cameras, here is a serious site (IMO), and the information and specifications of the new Canon G11, and also other great cameras.

Hope this helps..

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0908/09081908canong11.asp

[GeeBee]

Ah, we're talking business now
I based the purchase of my Nikon D80 (two years ago) based on their review. Until then I was a Canon adept. Never regretted my switch and both brands make wonderful cameras, I must admit. Besides that I like Olympus too.
Currently looking for a small pocketsize camera. Something you can take with you all times with better quality than a phone camera. Any suggestions here?

[SHIVA]

I check DPreview.com on daily basis...

here's a great camera for walking around. very powerful, good screen, very long zoom range:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 US
(Lumix DMC-TZ7) outside of US

[devilspellet]

Shiva:

What's the deal with the G10 being 14.7mp and now this one at 10mp?

[andy griff]

After years of carrying an SLR round when ski-ing or biking I got fed u; and stopped. I then used a succession of super compatcs such as G2 and G6, but I have been seduced and gone back to to SLRs becuase of the new Micro 4/3 format. I have bought a Panasonic Lumix G-1 and it is great. So far I have taken it on two bike trips and it fits on the tank bag great, not much bigger than the Powershot S3 I had before. Ther results are excellent, just such a shame I am a crap photographer !



This is Snowdon in Wales

Mates bike on his return to biking

[SHIVA]

Andy, Micro 4/3 is what I am looking into as well, as an upgrade to my trusty G9. Panasonic has two new cameras GF1 and GH1. GH1 is basically G1 with video capabilities. But GF1 is not out yet and GH1 is very hard to find...

Here's my post about this from another thread:

Riding a bike and wanting to take great shots create a bit of a dilemma because real great shots only come from DSLRs with good lens (not basic or kit lens), good flash (not the onboard flash), tripod and maybe even reflective screens. So, what a guy to do? Compromise!

There are a couple of ways to compromise. These days there are a few small DSLRs being offered by most camera brands and if you don't put too big of a lens on it, it would be possible to carry the camera and just use the onboard flash. Of course a normal tripod is out of question.

compromise number 2, if you really don't have enough room on the bike (tank or tail bag) or don't use a backpack, is to carry the best digicams or compact cameras on the market and then use Photoshop to enhance your images. That's what I do. So I use a compact.

However a 3rd compromise is hitting the markets now. There is a new line of cameras called Micro 4/3s, which use large sensors, jammed into compact bodies, using smaller lenses. It's right now the best solution for guys who want great image outputs from smallest packages, however, this product line is very very new and is just beginning to show its potential.

A couple of things about today's digital market. Canon and Nikon are the leaders in the DSLR market. However, in compact market Nikon is a non-player. In the compact market the top players are Canon and Panasonic with their Lumix line. Leica compacts are just a rebadged Panasonic, so stay away from Leicas all together.

I use a Canon G9, which has been updated twice, and G11 just came out. But the G9 with 12MP, shoots basically the best quality images for a compact period. The G10 does the same and we think the G11 will not fail either.

This is how I carry my G9 in a backpack. If no backpack, then I just use a small camera case. This G9 with no case fits inside a Jeans pocket, although bulky!



So, the top 2 compact cameras on the market are Canon G series and Panasonic LX series. Both are priced at around 500. But well worth it.

The Micro 4/3, is what I'm looking at now, because I am exceeding the max potential of the G9 and G10 or G11 will not do much better because they are still using the same tiny 1/1.7 sensor, which is just 7.6 mm wide. Talk about tiny. The basic DSLRs use sensors about 23mm wide. Big difference. Micro 4/3 sensors are 18mm wide. Also very large compare to the Canon G series. Keep in mind, basic compacts use sensors that are only 6.16mm wide.

So, that's the quick overview. I use the best compact on the market, but I use Photoshop extensively to enhance the images. Hopefully if I do get a Micro 4/3 camera then the images will look even sharper, detail rich with much better contrast.

One Micro 4/3 that supposed to be out soon, is Panasonic GF1. I am planning to take a real good look at this camera. It's basically the same size as my G9, just a tiny bit larger. However, since the lens doesn't retract, it will no longer fit in jeans pocket, but that would be an OK compromise.

[SHIVA]

devilspellet, the problem that the camera makers are facing for consumer point and shoot cameras is the super tiny sensors.

Here's the story. a top compact like Canon G series, or Panasonic LX series use the largest sensor available for a consumer digicam but these sensors are still about 7mm wide.

for marketing reasons camera makers kept upping the Megapixel to lure the uninformed. it was called the megapixel wars.

The consumer thought 8mp was better than 6. 10 was better than 8, therefor 15 must be better than 10. wrong! since they never used a larger sensor all these camera makers were doing was to jam pack, force in and compress onto more pixels. so each generation packed an increasingly denser group of pixs than the previous generation onto the same damn tiny fingernail size sensor.

so, the whole thing finally blow out in their faces and now they are ready to face the reality of the sensor's limitations.

A canon G11 with 10MP 1/1.7 sensor, should beat out the Canon G10 with the 14.7MP 1/1.7 sensor on every shot. Also a modern, quality sensor with fewer MPs will take cleaner images in low light, whereas the same sensor with more MP will produce grainy pics.

IMO Canon made a mistake they should have made G11 12MP and not 10 and added HD video. right now 10MP is simply not large enough to any semi-pro use. Yes, if you're only publishing your work online even 5MP would do, but if you do print, specially magazine print from time time, 10MP causes a whole lot problems.

I tend to crop my work often. I like to show only what I want people to see, not what the camera grabbed. Meaning in many of my shots, shooting with 12MP on my trusty G9, after cropping, my images may end up being 10 or even 8 MP. Which they would still be OK for print. But if I start with a 10MP camera, after cropping I may end up with a 6MP image which simply would be stretching it.

Also I shoot both stills and video so I need a camera that can do both well. Also, I want to move into HD video with my next camera, but Canon G11 doesn't have HD.

So, it's a double whammy for Canon G11 for me. First it shoots at 10MP, which is too small for me, second it has no HD, so screw Canon I am moving on to Panasonic. The reason Canon doesn't put HD in their best digicam is because they now have HD in their DSLR's and they want people to buy their much more lucrative DSLR range with lots of lenses and flashes and accessories.

[devilspellet]

Thanks Shiva...my son has a G9 at 12 mp. Obviously, I'm not technically savvy about photography, but it sounds like the G11 is the way to go for me if I decide to pick one up...thanks again

[Fido]

Thanks Shiva...my son has a G9 at 12 mp. Obviously, I'm not technically savvy about photography, but it sounds like the G11 is the way to go for me if I decide to pick one up...thanks again

I didn't read Shiva's comments as an endorsement of the G11.

[SHIVA]

A canon G11 with 10MP 1/1.7 sensor, should beat out the Canon G10 with the 14.7MP 1/1.7 sensor on every shot. Also a modern, quality sensor with fewer MPs will take cleaner images in low light, whereas the same sensor with more MP will produce grainy pics.

Actually I did say the G11 should take better pics than G10 or even G9... but it has no HD and also doesn't shoot any faster than the G9 or G10. however it does come with a swivel screen at a bit smaller size than that on the G10.

[SHIVA]

after some extensive research I've decided to get the new Panasonic Lumix GH1 Micro 4/3 camera. It has every option that I want, including a fantastic lens 28-280mm (35mm equivalent) and various HD features. It's a DSLR with interchangeable lens. It's also the most compact of all DSLR's hence very good for carrying on the bike. This camera shoots HD at broadcast quality so you should notice a big jump in video image quality as well as stills.



To see a sample of the Video image quality check out this YouTube video. make sure to select HD and go full screen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2xlay9vrDk

[SHIVA]

more info:

although the GH1 uses the same system as the soon to be released GF1 pictured here:


After comparing the two I realized that the GF1 has too many restrictions, and the GH1 is clearly the flagship of this series with lots of pretty amazing options, including a swivel screen, a very high resolution view finder, higher spec sensor, better flash, full 1080 HD, and comes with an amazing lens. So it was a no brainer...

one more thing, when you move from compacts to DSLR the game changes. a compact gives you a total package, body and lens and off you go making your images and videos. But with DSLRs the lens is often the most important part. normally they throw in a crappy, basic lens with a short zoom for a couple of hundred or even just $100 above the price of the body alone. but once you start collecting lenses you realize that basic ones start at 400 and good ones start at 1000. so, lenses can get real expensive.

GH1 comes with a very good lens, if you consider that lens in the price, both GH1 and GF1 are basically priced the same for the body. Hence another reason for me to get the GH1. Just a thought....

[SHIVA]

Here are 2 non motorcycle shots I'd like to share from today. That's Stature of Liberty in the center.

Click here to see the entire image: http://bmwsuperbikes.com/Images/Statueo ... ix_GH1.jpg


Click here to see the entire image: http://bmwsuperbikes.com/Images/Statueo ... ix_GH1.jpg

[jewilson]

I purchased a G10 on you're recommendation and love it. Great little camera

Took these pictures 2 weeks ago with it.


Me and Ashley Force, I'm in Love..........




Me and my K-bike




Some other people used my camera for two of the Pictures

[SHIVA]

Hi, You have a good looking bike. And congrats on the G10, it's the most potent compact ever made. images look good!