For the most part my review would just reflect nearly everything said here before. What a great camera! In that case, I will concentrate on a few points I have not seen mentioned and unfortunately they are on the negative side.
One irritating point of this camera for me is the placement of the EVF (electronic viewfinder). It is way over to the left side of the camera body. Even after three weeks of ownership I am having trouble getting used to this because naturally when I pick up a camera like this I put my eye below the flash bulge in line with the lense barrel. It feels odd to me to be looking through the left corner. Also on the subject of the EVT, the resolution is poor. The 4x zoom feature of the manual focus is clever and handy but it is compromised by the limited resolution of the EVT display. If you want to see a nice EVT, check out the Nikon 8700/8800 and you will see what I mean.
Another minor annoyance has to do with the Venus II ASIC that, for the most part makes this camera feel competitive with the latest and best in terms of performance. But I think it falls down in two areas. One is video shooting. 320x240 at 30 fps is old school. The new cameras coming out now can shoot at four times this resolution (640 x 480). The other area where Venus II does not keep up is noticed through the display. You will see if you swing the camera back and forth at a rate between one and two times per second the display will not keep up.
Lastly I would point out that handling of this camera can feel odd for a camera with a built-in handle. It doesn't feel quite right ergonomically and I am still fishing for the right grip after three weeks. Also, what to do with the left hand? With the very nice lens hood that is supplied, the left hand question becomes moot because the hood offers several good opportunities for gripping. Nice.
Overall I am extremely pleased with this camera and I feel, when price is considered, that all the right compromises were made and the money was put in the right place, like the lense for instance. The overall construction is amazing and does not feel like your typical consumer Japanese camera. It feels as if the whole thing was made in Germany the way the doors over the battery, ports and flash all snap in place with an authoritative clack. It is very precise and satisfying.
Pros:
* Great pictures!
* Terrific prosumer look and feel for the money
Cons:
Some ergonomic lapses
Venus II seems more like Venus 1.5 in places
Problems:
No problems so far.
One irritating point of this camera for me is the placement of the EVF (electronic viewfinder). It is way over to the left side of the camera body. Even after three weeks of ownership I am having trouble getting used to this because naturally when I pick up a camera like this I put my eye below the flash bulge in line with the lense barrel. It feels odd to me to be looking through the left corner. Also on the subject of the EVT, the resolution is poor. The 4x zoom feature of the manual focus is clever and handy but it is compromised by the limited resolution of the EVT display. If you want to see a nice EVT, check out the Nikon 8700/8800 and you will see what I mean.
Another minor annoyance has to do with the Venus II ASIC that, for the most part makes this camera feel competitive with the latest and best in terms of performance. But I think it falls down in two areas. One is video shooting. 320x240 at 30 fps is old school. The new cameras coming out now can shoot at four times this resolution (640 x 480). The other area where Venus II does not keep up is noticed through the display. You will see if you swing the camera back and forth at a rate between one and two times per second the display will not keep up.
Lastly I would point out that handling of this camera can feel odd for a camera with a built-in handle. It doesn't feel quite right ergonomically and I am still fishing for the right grip after three weeks. Also, what to do with the left hand? With the very nice lens hood that is supplied, the left hand question becomes moot because the hood offers several good opportunities for gripping. Nice.
Overall I am extremely pleased with this camera and I feel, when price is considered, that all the right compromises were made and the money was put in the right place, like the lense for instance. The overall construction is amazing and does not feel like your typical consumer Japanese camera. It feels as if the whole thing was made in Germany the way the doors over the battery, ports and flash all snap in place with an authoritative clack. It is very precise and satisfying.
Pros:
* Great pictures!
* Terrific prosumer look and feel for the money
Cons:
Some ergonomic lapses
Venus II seems more like Venus 1.5 in places
Problems:
No problems so far.
