[dave]

My shortie's dad recently got a G9. For a compact the user interface is pretty good and slick, probably the most usable compact i've seen (i.e. you can do more stuff without having to use menus), and its got a reassuring metalic heft to it. no idea what the image quality is like, i've heard reports its good but not amazing. at the end of the day its still got the same tiny sensor that most compacts have.

[Jim]

View finder on it is useless as it is partially blocked by the lens. might as well of been a full chimping camera

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

no idea what the image quality is like, i've heard reports its good but not amazing. at the end of the day its still got the same tiny sensor that most compacts have.

I had high hopes, I really liked my G6. Dave S has one and he says due to them squeezing 12megapixels on that tiny chip, anything other than 100asa its goes noisy as hell. Shame Canon still feel the need to play the higher pixel count = better game.

[Yossarian]

i read that it was effectively the same sensor as their lesser cameras, but with fancy dials and menus...

kind of the opposite of that sigma thing.

while we're on this kind of subject, i'm pretty fucked off about this nikon d700. i used to have an f5 and a load of great lenses. 20mm / 105 micro / 80 - 200, etc. and i sold it all off for (relatively) fuck all when they announced the smaller sensor digitals. fuckers fuckers fuckers....

i think it's time to go properly old school. i want to be the first paparazzo working with gum bichromate.

[dave]

you should have kept it all. Those lenses are still useful on small sensors.

go really oldschool, dip a sheet of paper in eggwhites.

[underground]

Well, in line with the spirit of this thread, but not what Yoss' cares about, my Ixus 50 died due to sand inhalation, in spite of my repeated requests to keep it in the fucking case and don't just drop it on the fucking beach!

But I dunno what to replace it with, Sainsburys were doing the Panasonic Lumix FX33 for 99 nicker, alas the shelf is bare in my local one and they've got a Casio thing there now. It was half price too.

If anyone sees one in their local Sainsbury's, buy it immediately and post it to me, I will be eternally grateful (obviously I will refund plus postage immediately, like!)

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

my Ixus 50 died due to sand inhalation, in spite of my repeated requests to keep it in the fucking case and don't just drop it on the fucking beach!

Sounds like you need one of these bad boys...
http://www.olympus.co.uk/consumer/29_digital_camera_mju__mju___1030_sw_18625.htm

Clm's got the other one that is 3m waterproof, but my sis has this one which is 10m proof! Impressive. Pics are ok too. Oh, and it's sandproof! 

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Oh yeah, and it's got a built in MANOMETER...which tells you how far you are from Mr Pickles!   

[rc]

re: the G9

View finder on it is useless as it is partially blocked by the lens. might as well of been a full chimping camera

It would only be useless if it was completely blocked...viewfinders on all compacts are pretty lame if you actually want to frame an image (a la SLR).
Dismissing a camera cos at full wide angle (only) you see the lens in the bottom of the viewfinder seems perverse even for you Jim!
  admit it - everyone chimps, even the pros

[dave]

viewfinders on all compacts are shit - tiny, distorted, inaccurate etc. infact its pretty much only canon who even bothers to include them any more. if you put a proper viewfinder on then every compact would be much bigger, for a feature 99.99% of the target market will never use. but at least they've got one, so if you can't see the screen from strong sunlight, or you want to hold the camera steadier crushed against your face instead of at arms length, then you can.

chimping is what sets us apart from the animals.
(except the chimp.)

[Johnny Brown]

Aren't the G9s massive? I want something smaller than a fag packet.

All tiny sensors are noisy. The GX100 and 200 sacked off the viewfinder as a clip-on option. It might be electronic, but solves brightness issues with chimping and is easily the equal of a tiny optical one.

I'm pretty fucked off about the D700 too. Now there is no chance Nikon will make any small, fast DX primes. And now complete strangers ask why I'm not going full-frame. I can't see any advantages for what I do.

[dave]

I can't see the DX format going away any time soon (just look at the pricepoint), and since they never looked like making any DX primes back when FX was just a pipedream you could argue that you're in no worse position now. The problem is that punters and magazines don't get excited by primes. Johnny Punter buying a DX SLR for the first time thinks he needs every focal length covered (i know I did), so he's looking at 18-XXX zooms, which is what sells in vast quantities. it ain't the 1980s anymore where you got a 50mm lens and lived with it for a few years. nikon is savvy these days, they don't want to sell you a cheap fast sharp prime which'll do you forever when they can sell you a slow soft zoom which you'll want to upgrade when the next model appears. This is how they make the bulk of their money, people who bought the D70+18-70, then got a D80+18-135, then a 18-200Vr, now are going to buy a D90+18-105VR.

All the best nikon primes that you're ever likely to buy are all basically from the '80s, and most of them are the same designs from the '60/'70s. DX aside, they havent made ANY primes you're ever likely to buy in the last 15 years anyway DX, FX or otherwise (i.e. I'm excluding exotic stuff like uberwide 14mms, fast telephotos, macros, PC etc):

AF 20mm f/2.8  - released 1989
AF 28mm f1/4 - 1994
AF 35mm f/2 - 1989
all AF 50mms -1986
AF 85mm f/1.8 - 1988
AF 85mm f/1.4 - 1995
AF 180mm f/2.8 - 1986

[rc]

How many times have you looked at a picture of family or friends and thought “It’s a pity they’re not smiling?”

Admit it JB: you want something smaller than a fag packet that "makes sure your people pictures are filled with happy faces".
Thank goodness sony have delivered the technology you've been waiting for.

A friend got one of these recently - appallingly, it does appear to recognise a smile... maybe the next one will recognise arses and elbows?
[where is the 'I give up all hope' smiley?]

[Jim]

my casio exilim has this feature. Shame its really noisey image wise

[Johnny Brown]

DX aside, they havent made ANY primes you're ever likely to buy in the last 15 years anyway DX, FX or otherwise (i.e. I'm excluding exotic stuff like uberwide 14mms, fast telephotos, macros, PC etc):

I see your point, but its mostly the exotics I'm after to be honest. The Dx fisheye is fantastic, tiny, uber-sharp. Why not more?
Canon users have a tiny 60mm macro, something like that would be nice, plus something very fast at a similar length. Or both. I suppose I'm really after a smaller, lighter version of my Zuiko 90mm/f2, which despite a homemade mount and having to use my little finger to stop it down, is still my sharpest lens by a country mile.
Something like a DX 300mm/f4 with VR would be amazing too. I could go on. Hopefully peeps rinsing the warehouse of those new PC lenses will point them in the right direction.

[Yossarian]

the only nikon lenses that i really use are a 35mm pc for the studio and a 17-55 for fun.

i've just bought an olympus 300mm for kicks. i intend to use it for stalking celebrities. watch out fearne cotton and lauren laverne...

[Yossarian]

for fun, and for kicks. i sound like barry george.

[dave]

90mm wise theres the AI 85mm f/2 and the AF 85mm f/1.8, both highly rated, are these a bit too big/heavy?

[slackline]

the only nikon lenses that i really use are a 35mm pc for the studio and a 17-55 for fun.

i've just bought an olympus 300mm for kicks. i intend to use it for stalking celebrities. watch out fearne cotton and lauren laverne...

What adapter are you using? (or do you have two bodys?)

[Yossarian]

that lens is going on my om2.

olympus slrs are much better for stalking, being as they are nice and compact.  all the great stalkers use them.

film is much better than digital too. when you get arrested and crimewatch do a reconstruction, they can shoot one of those scenes in the darkroom, with your double grinning manically while he hangs up dripping pictures of fearne doing her shopping and putting things in her rubbish bin.

[Johnny Brown]

90mm wise theres the AI 85mm f/2 and the AF 85mm f/1.8, both highly rated, are these a bit too big/heavy?

You've totally missed the point there Dave. I want a prime lens of equivalent focal length,  designed for the DX sensor, ie smaller image circle aming it lighter and smaller. Ideally a stop or more faster to make up for DOF increase. A 65/1.4 would do it, though to really complete with the Zuiko it'd need macro capability WITHOUT internal focus, be sharper than Leica's offering and have bokeh smoother than a baby's arse.

Alternatively a digital OM6ti, though I'd prefer a system designed around a smaller sensor. The 4/3 system had a lot of promise, shame they fucked it up trying to compete. That 150/2 is dynamite.

[dave]

90mm wise theres the AI 85mm f/2 and the AF 85mm f/1.8, both highly rated, are these a bit too big/heavy?

I want a prime lens of equivalent focal length,  designed for the DX sensor, ie smaller image circle aming it lighter and smaller. Ideally a stop or more faster to make up for DOF increase. A 65/1.4 would do it, though to really complete with the Zuiko it'd need macro capability WITHOUT internal focus, be sharper than Leica's offering and have bokeh smoother than a baby's arse.

or failing that, hows about a pirate memory game suitable for ages 4-8?

you could always try a 50 1.4 and extension tube. probably won't be exactly what you're after though. sounds like you really want an olympus and a scanner.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Not for me but someone I know is in the market for one of these 'bridge' cameras (come on, it's better than pro-sumer!)
Anyone had a play with one of these?
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0808/08080702nikonp6000.asp

I like the fact it has GPS built in. Something that will be standard in the near future I think.

Is the Panasonic DMC LX3 the Leica equivilent mentioned earlier in this thread?
http://www.radiantlite.com/2008/08/panasonic-lumix-dmc-lx3-vs-g9-and-p6000.html

[cofe]

i've finally found what yossarian has been looking for.

[Yossarian]

That's rather nice. Pity they couldn't have done the case in crocodile or something.

I didn't find what I was looking for in the end, so I brought the 67. Fo' real...