Which 'mirror-less'?
- Thread starter Anex
- Start date
dan m
pfm Member
Wouldn't we all! Don't hold your breath. It's sad that a simple coupled rangefinder seems beyond affordable compact camera manufacturers, when 20 years ago they were cranking them out on most compacts. We're in the minority not wanting AF and a coupled RF - certainly too few of us to justify a new production line. It's only when you get to m8/9 prices it becomes justifiable for them.
Note the pentax pancake is not much thicker than a lens cap, and their DSLRs are really quite small cf. canon/nikon.
Yeah I know most people just want to shoot on auto and a lot of the time I'd probably use my 'carry around' in the same way, but I just want the option of over-riding the camera, like you get on manual cameras. I don't understand why the viewfinders aren't coupled. Obviously it's cheaper to just stick a prism in and nothing else, but I just can't see the point in having one if it gives you no information on focusing, assuming you're interested in using focus creatively.
cliffpatte
Speed camera anarchist
Anex, I'v used most of the cameras you mentioned - G1, GF1, EP1, X100, M8, M9 as well as LX5, Nikon 1 V1 etc
Anyway, for the application you're talking about, I would imagine that sensor size shouldn't be important as long as you have a choice of focal lengths and the thing is in your budget, in which case I'd be looking at whatever the cheapest Olympus Pen or Lumix is with the optional viewfinder
I'm not sure why people criticize the VF on the X100 by the way, you can use it in 2 modes - purely optical with a HUD showing focus information etc or as a true WYSIWYG EVF and you can also use live view on the back screen so its certainly no worse than any of the others in this respect. I love the Optical VF mode - brilliantly clear for framing.
Anyway, for the application you're talking about, I would imagine that sensor size shouldn't be important as long as you have a choice of focal lengths and the thing is in your budget, in which case I'd be looking at whatever the cheapest Olympus Pen or Lumix is with the optional viewfinder
I'm not sure why people criticize the VF on the X100 by the way, you can use it in 2 modes - purely optical with a HUD showing focus information etc or as a true WYSIWYG EVF and you can also use live view on the back screen so its certainly no worse than any of the others in this respect. I love the Optical VF mode - brilliantly clear for framing.
martin clark
pinko bodger
Well, 3 of us then. It's a bit beyond a DIY thread anyway.Dan said:
Watching this thread with interest. Most of the pics I've posted in the last year have been iPhone 4 not because it is any good (it's not!), but simply a matter of always having the leech to hand. Compact, useable /defaultable non-AF, good wide- ish lens and ... rugged utility appeals strongly. Haven't quite found it yet.
cliffpatte
Speed camera anarchist
Just to resurrect this again, the Sony Nex7 which is the 'pro' version of the one Ian has, looks the business.
APS-C sensor, interchangeable lenses with adapters for Leica, Olympus etc. Zeiss glass in the Sony mount, electronic viewfinder and two assignable knobs on top which for me would be for aperture and shutter.
Aside from the lovely but expensive Leica 9, it looks to be the best of the current mirrorless cameras, at least for my purposes. Unfortunately it's delayed due to the flooding in Thailand and it's out of budget for me, but perhaps in a year or so when there's a 7n or 7x or whatever they call the next one, I can get a used 7.
APS-C sensor, interchangeable lenses with adapters for Leica, Olympus etc. Zeiss glass in the Sony mount, electronic viewfinder and two assignable knobs on top which for me would be for aperture and shutter.
Aside from the lovely but expensive Leica 9, it looks to be the best of the current mirrorless cameras, at least for my purposes. Unfortunately it's delayed due to the flooding in Thailand and it's out of budget for me, but perhaps in a year or so when there's a 7n or 7x or whatever they call the next one, I can get a used 7.
cliffpatte
Speed camera anarchist
The Nex7 looks nice, especially with the OLED EVF built in (compared to the attachable ones for the Lumix / Olympus offerings.
Samsung's NX200 looks interesting too.
sample photo from NX200
Samsung's NX200 looks interesting too.
sample photo from NX200
I like manual focus and manual exposure and a big sensor - chemical or digital.
For the OP, the best small camera I've had was the Ricoh GX200. Small sensor but good interface and you can clip on an optical viewfinder and use the step zoom lens to match. My wife has an LX5, but the Ricoh was far better to use (till I left it on a train...)
Mike