Peter Leyssens wrote:
><> snip SLR wise the digital market seems mature enough at the moment.
>
Hm, doesn't feel settled down yet to me.
><snip> But what I really miss in the current
>market is a professional mini-camera. For 35mm, there were plenty: the
>snob cameras like the Minolta TC-1 I have and the Nikon with 35/28mm
>(forgot the name), Ricoh, Leica Minilux etc.
>
>In digital, Ricoh seems to disappoint imagewise, and most others are
>noise generators in plain plastic boxes. The only one that seems
>anywhere near at the moment is the Fuji F11 zoom. The Olympus mju
>digital 800 only compensates for its small sensor with software noise
>removal.
>
>
If you mean the Fuji F10 (I can't find anything about an F11), I think
it may come closer that you think
>I think that's the great potential for digital: miniaturization.
>Unfortunately, current mini cameras are let down by both the CCDs
>(mainly because of noise)
>
The F10 is just plain excellent up to 400, amazingly good at 800, better
than 800 iso film to me, and usable at 1600. I think the breakthrough is
here.
>as well as the processing systems inside
>(which I think must be due to cost saving, because lightning fast
>processing is most definitely possible).
>
>
The F10 is almost instantaneous in terms of shutter response except when
the AF assist is needed or in macro mode (great macro, by the way!).
Shot to shot at 1.7 sec. has almost never slowed me down, but could be
too slow for some. The only real slowness is when using flash, 3.3 sec.
according to DP review. Long enough to be occasionally annoying for me
the few times I use flash.
>Give it 5 years and I'm sure it'll be here, but it isn't here yet.
>
>
Well, it's here now for me. In addition to its other fine qualities, the
F10 has a better lens than most of the comparable feature/cost
competition. About the only thing missing is a higher than 8 bit output
format and faster flash recycle, but the flash isn't a big deal to me. I
was very happy when the XA came out and very pleased with using it. I
hate to say it, but I'm even more impressed all these years later with
the F10. It is a very capable camera and needs no excuses for its small
size.
If it seems too auto, it ain't necessarily so, but you have to start
thinking differently than for the film cmaeras you mention. I"ve found
it fairly easy to get lots of control over exposure.
Moose
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