What's a good point and shoot digital camera nowaday?

The Attack of the LX3 Clones

Any 4 megapixel camera will do for printed press

Maybe you want camera with wide lens 28mm or even 24mm

In principle, all Canon are good

compact: try new S90 (450$) - very good I want it - check sample pix

A little bigger is the Canon Powershot G11 (600$) - Best all round compact?

Also good Samsung W1000 (TL 320 in US) with 24mm and super OLED screen (cool)




And amazing screen demo




Panasonic TZ7 is a good zoom compact - if you need more zoom reach

If you want cheap (500$) reflex the new Pentax KX is cool - you can get it in any color... in Japan...

Maybe also buy extra flash if shooting a lot indoor (onboard flash never a great solution check camera with flash shoe - G11 has it)

or maybe you can get one of these cameras that can send directly to blog, facebook or email

but you can do the same with a special SD memory card called eye-FI (a bit pricey but how cool is it? - maybe you want the pro version)

Olympus EP-1 Digital Pen

NEW COMPACT CAMERA with INTERCHANGEABLE LENSES

CAN MOUNT LEICA OR NIKON VIA ADAPTER

available 13 July

Price US : 700$ - body only; 800$ - with 14-42 zoom; 900$ - with 17mm f 2.8 prime

Europe : 749 € (avec 14-42mm), 849 € (avec pancake 17mm et viseur optique), 949 € (avec 14-42mm et pancake 17 mm).

NB also Panasonic to release 20mm f 1.7 this autumn.

Press release

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0906/09061601olympusep1.asp


Previews

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/olympusep1/

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/olympus/e_p1-review


Suggestion

Get EP-1 body + adapter leica M to micro 4/3

Get any wide M-mount lens you can get your hands on, including Voigtlander 12 (screw mount plus screw to M adapter) and 15 mm in M mount

(Please do check that lenses depth is compatible before mounting)

Work with manual lenses probably similar to Panasonic G1: need to select manual lens in menu and then live view zoom on part of scene to facilitate focusing. Focus confirmation.

Pluses

Compact, smart and cute

good resolution 12mpix

Video HD 720p 30 i/s

Sensor based dust shake system doubles as image stabiliser - works with any lens

Can work in permanent live view without any delay

Interchangeable lenses - quicker operation operation, incl. manual manual focus

Digital level

SD card (thank you!)

Good handling (padding in front, selection dial on back, etc.)

Minuses

No optical or electronic viewfinder

need to buy separate optical finder (retro look - but not practical with zoom)

No total black finish

Metal body but not sealed for dust and moisture

Not appealing for wide shooters as X2 sensor magnification factor - 25mm lens is a normal (50mm equivalent)

On other hand using tele is advantaged by image stabilisation and X2 sensor magnification, but composing a tele shot with live view is not that practical

Big LCD 3", but normal resolution 230k compared to latest Nikon/Canon 920k

A. Skywalker 18 Brumaire

Video Games | Star Wars: The Old Republic | E3 09: Jedi vs Sith Cinematic

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Video visit to Leica Solms factory

Finishing and checking M7 and MP bodies (basic assembly done in Portugal)

L-Camera TV #1 - Does Leica still make MP and M7? from Andreas Jürgensen on Vimeo.

White M8

275 units worldwide, price: $9,000

See Leica site

All sold out already !!!!

L-Camera TV - Leica M8 White Spotting from Andreas Jürgensen on Vimeo.

Also check out the safari M8.2 - 500 units

D5000D

A quick comparison between Nikon D5000 and Canon 500D.

Overall, apart from pixel count and LCD, the cameras specs are very similar. The 500D is a bit of a paradox: it’s a shrunken 50D plus HD video. Also really need additional investment in terms of good lenses (primes and fast zoom) to make best use of its hi-res sensor. So the question arises, if you don’t need video function and can dish a bit more money why not get the 50D which is more substantial camera with better viewfinder?

Concerning video capture, the EOS boast full HD capability. However, in both cameras the video function is complex and quite limited with no more than 24 images/sec in best case, limited or no focus, etc. Clearly this is still MK I of the integration of this function into DSLR. For the moment (or rather near future), the best compromise between picture quality, video function and handling seems the Lumix GH1.

Both cameras are compact and light to wandering around all day, if you carry only one lens or short zoom. In terms of kit lenses, the Nikon is a bit better although probably would be even better with 16-85VR (costs the same as the camera) or with new 35 AFS DX. The EOS may offer the best image quality for the price if shot in Raw at low to moderate ISO with good lenses. Nikon may be better all-rounder for the price.

Item	D5000	500D
Sensor	12 Mpix CMOS – 12 bits	15 Mpix CMOS –14bits
LCD	Lower res 2.7” vari-angle	High res 3”
Kit lens	18-55 VR - better optic	18-55 IS
Live view	Slightly faster focus dedicated button	dedicated button
AF module	11 points - better	9 points
High ISO*	good - better detail retention above 800	good - reach 12800 (but ok…)
Handling (personal view)	Slightly better	what? no click-wheel!
Extras	some corrections in camera (perspective, Raw, color fringes, etc.)
Battery autonomy CIPA	500 shots	400 shots
Depth of field	no button, via menu	dedicated button
Grip	Not Nikon official	standard BG-E5
Use Nikon lenses	All F lenses, will focus only AFS	All F non-G, through third party adapter ring, manual only
Use Canon Lenses	N/A	EF/EFS
viewfinder	slightly better – wt custom grid	small
Video	720p - no focus	full HD - limited focus
Price with kit (body only) est.	850 (700)	900 (800)

* From Camera labs, note tests with kit lens and standard Jpegs

Black Pink Mountain Tops

Ok It took me a while to figure out, but both albums were released on Jagjaguwar.

The two bands come from Vancouver and are both fronted by Stephen McBean (actually Pink Mountaintop is labeled as a side project).

As you can see the two albums have virtually the same cover....