An upgrade or not?

As a digicam user since sub megapixel camera era and a user of this website for many years, it's always a lengthy decision process to select the next compact to carry around on trips and for daily use. There are always new siblings claiming to be smaller, faster, better iso performance, more pixels on the market. Since pixel count reached 7m + by 2005, one can hardly count on any significant improvements in terms of image quality of these tiny sensor device. Nor the newer compacts offer the flexibility of compacts like Camedia of Olympus which came with filter threads and attachment lens. Ex-1 almost answers all needs for an upgrade, coupled with a much appreciated optical quality when aperture wide opened.

Problems:

As you can point out many problems in any camera, EX1 has its fair share. The short battery life does not compliment a camera with so much serious functions on it. It takes Samsung to look into their design if anything went wrong with the power management. Colour of image is not as likable as fellow brands and always calls for extensive adjustments with the Raw file. It's a pity that the wide angle conversion lens (bought separately) is not endorsed by "Schneider-Kruznach". It's quality is not quite comparable with with the lens in the camera, lots of vignetting and sharpness fall off at the edge. Optical zoom is not applicable when conversion lens is attached. It means to keep the size of conversion lens small. Filter thread is surely missed and faster shutter is essential. I wonder if Samsung will produce a more "perfect" camera although the above problems aren't difficult to resolve. It is just that gadget company will always produce things that you will need to upgrade in very near future.