[Paul B]

I feel like I'm talking to myself a bit here but at least this time there's a question:

Does anyone have any recommendations for decent compacts (preferably manual control, RAW etc.) that are good for shooting long? I was finding the ~90mm ish end of the LX5 frustratingly short over the weekend and its intended for pretty much the same use in a months time (long multi pitch).

The best I've found so far is this

[Johnny Brown]

You've got the best compact on the market, I wouldn't start buying another. Are there no bolt-on convertors available?

Second thoughts, sell me the LX5 and buy that one on the link. It'll be everything you ever dreamed of in a multi-pitch camera. £200?

[slackline]

I feel like I'm talking to myself a bit here but at least this time there's a question:

  Maybe thats because you're the only one who changes their camera every month? 

[Paul B]

You've got the best compact on the market, I wouldn't start buying another. Are there no bolt-on converters available?

What like this?



I might as well carry a prototype D4 too. There are slightly smaller versions but they all require the extension tube and then the adapter making it quite bulky.

Second thoughts, sell me the LX5 and buy that one on the link. It'll be everything you ever dreamed of in a multi-pitch camera. £200?

I get your point but it was bought entirely for MPing, a little extra length never hurts ( )

[cofe]

I'll give you £190 for it P-Ben.

[Johnny Brown]

£180, my final word, not a penny less or strike me dead.

[Jim]

I'll have it for Fuck All^TM

[tomtom]

Pay me £25 Paul, and I'll take it off your hands. Final offer. You even pay the p&p. Now thats a deal...

[dave]

I'll swap you it for my next gas bill.

[tomtom]

I'll swap you it for my next gas bill.

Now you're cooking Dave, thats one hot deal. I'd snap it up before it vapourises..

[Jim]

Fuck, you drive a hard bargain P-Ben.
Final offer. I'll take it off your hands and you get to pay my mortgage.
Can't say fairer than that?

[tomtom]

OK, OK, I see that you're a man not tempted by financial offers - even those as tempting as Jims (I nearly went for it..).

So, I've been chatting to a Serbian colleague of mine, who claims to have 'connections' associated with the human trafficking industry. I recon, if you play your cards right, in exchange for the camera, I may be able to arrange your kidnap, transport to another nation (at present unknown), subsequent addiction to opiates and multiple levels of abuse in a bunga bunga party of some description. I've pulled alot of strings to get this deal in motion, dont disappoint now...

[dave]

Just had an email from an old mate of mine, ex-squaddie who now works private security in Iraq. He's been after a decent compact, something just to slip under the body armour for taking photos of "jundies", whatever those are. Anyway, he's knows some people in the smoke and recons he can get you "slotted" in exchange for the camera. Just say the word, they've already got your address.

[Paul B]

Joking aside (I know its going to be nigh on impossible given I go through Cameras quicker than Dave drops witty puns), the LX5 was purchased for taking on MP routes, the wide end is great for "F*ck, look how exposed this shit is" shots but one or two is enough. To actually get any shots of someone climbing a route ~90mm is quite limiting.

Even on the DSLR I rarely use the 17-40 (maybe because its not bouldering season), and I'm always using the 85, or 70-200.

[cofe]

Doesn't the S95 go to 105mm? I wouldn't get a longer lens on a shitter camera. What's the zx1 thing go to?

£130 for the lx5

[gingerninja]

Does anyone have any recommendations for decent compacts (preferably manual control, RAW etc.) that are good for shooting long? I was finding the ~90mm ish end of the LX5 frustratingly short over the weekend and its intended for pretty much the same use in a months time (long multi pitch).

have a look for an old canon g9. 35mm equivalent of 35-200mm with is and shoots raw. i have one if you want to check one out, just give me a shout. 

[Duma]

What's the zx1 thing go to?

112. and I'm really pleased with mine, but there's way too much overlap with the lx5 for paul i'd say. and no dedicated iso control is annoying.

I loved my g9 (rip) if you can get one cheap seems like a good option.

[Paul B]

The G9 is pretty sizeable though isn't it? Extra space/weight does need to be a priority.

[dave]

G9/10/11/12s from what I remember are comparable in size with a M4/3s body.

[Johnny Brown]

Here we go, just in time. Fuji's next retro offering, the X10, a 'G12 killer'.

[gingerninja]

its not the most compact of compacts but ive taken it biking, climbing and snowboarding and its was fine. you can also get converters from .25x up to 3x. id avoid the g10, to many pixels and the g12 is the shizzle but its not cheap.

if you really need something smaller the s95 is just a smaller g12 without a hot shoe and a few other things. id still consider the g cameras tho as they will work with your flashes.

[slackline]

You should chat to Paul B.

[Johnny Brown]

Most of your questions are covered in the Something for the weekend thread. Short answer: my view is the 4/3rds cameras are a touch big to take on a multi-pitch rock route. The latest bodies are getting there, but the zooms are too big and a standard prime is a pretty limiting thing to have when you can't move on a belay. Wide-angle primes are arriving, but most look on the big side, but again, its limiting without a zoom.

I'd have a play with the LX5 and ZX1, and decide which end you prefer the zoom capability (LX5 goes wider, ZX1 longer).

edit, what I wrote a while back:

it comes down to a 24-90mm f/2-3.3 equiv lens (LX5) vs a 28-112mm f/1.8-2.5 (ZX1).  For me the wide end would be more use than the long, the speed difference I don't think is big enough to count. I like the format options with the LX-5, but the Oly will likely handle better, output better jpegs, and is reportedly sharper. Probably best to get down to a shop and see which you prefer in the hand.

More (slightly bizarre) info on the smaller 4/3rds options:

[Paul B]

Its an interesting one this...

Given the LX5, was (or maybe is?) the best compact on the market, I find it quite limiting as a MP camera anyway. The 90mm end leaves me wanting when you're actually trying to take pictures of people climbing and not just a "oh shit that looks scary" shot, i.e. filling the frame with climber. Its size means it doesn't quite fit into a fair number of cases and the one I ended up with would likely fit a GF3 easily!

I'm blessed with my DSLR being an absolute FF cracker (if you ignore a few flaws and the autofoucs system), the IQ difference bettwen it and the compact are huge, ridiculously huge (pretty unsurprising really) and often leave me wondering why I don't just use a cheaper point and shoot and accept them as holiday snaps rather than something else. Obviously as the jump in sensor size decreases this will be less noticeable. Mirrorless cameras are really interesting given with an adapter you can fit almost anything to one, allowing access to a whole world of unloved glass (yesterday I saw an NEX with a Canon FD 800mm on it!).

Sony have packed a DX sensor into their NEX lineup but as JB points out, you've always got the large ish lens to contend with and repudtedly, Sonys offerings thus far are pretty shit. Even so, is that additional bulk worth it for two steps up the sensor ladder?

[Tom de Gay]

What JB said regarding choices.

I would have thought Tokyo would be quite an expensive place to buy a camera given the current strength of the yen. Also some manufacturers (including Panasonic and, I think, Sony) lock out the English firmware on products sold in Japan. This could be good for your Japanese, but bad for your photography.


Yodobashi Camera is great for having a play and seeing what you like though.