I have been looking for a camera for mountaineering and ski touring
trying to meet the follwing requirements:
o) Image quality high as possible
o) Weight under 300g
o) Compact
o) Manual control
The requirements are conflicting and the compromise was E900.
I have bought it in winter 2006 and made some few thousand photos up to now.
This review reflects the experience of using e990 as a mountaineering camera
in relatively demanding outdoor conditions in rain, snow and cold.
Positive:
------------
o) The size and weight are still appropriate, smaller would be better.
o) Good image quality, low noise. The images are not overprocessed in the camera and there is full flexibility in post-processing.
o) Manual/semi-manual control. Very important for summit panoramas. Unfortunantely the exposure numbers on LCD are very small and in intensive sunshine its difficult to see something.
o) Power supply. Re-chargable batteries are excellent.
o) Start up, shut down, AF/AE is fast enough for all practical situations
Negative:
-------------
o) Photography mode dial is too loose. From time to time it changes position by taking the camera out of the pocket or bag. Very disturbing, each time its necessary to check if the mode is correct.
o) Voice recorder. Would be very useful for remarks, especially when tour lasts few days and few hundred photos are taken. Unfortunately its hidden in menu on page 2 and requires multiple clicks to reach. In a bright sunshine its not usable.
o) View finder. Its not hermetic and in rain or even in very high moisture conditions its covered by vapour from inside, takes half a day to dry.
o) As mentioned, font on LCD too small for out door conditions
But are the alternatives ?
Nikon P5000 ?
Ricoh GX 100 ?
Canon A640 ?
trying to meet the follwing requirements:
o) Image quality high as possible
o) Weight under 300g
o) Compact
o) Manual control
The requirements are conflicting and the compromise was E900.
I have bought it in winter 2006 and made some few thousand photos up to now.
This review reflects the experience of using e990 as a mountaineering camera
in relatively demanding outdoor conditions in rain, snow and cold.
Positive:
------------
o) The size and weight are still appropriate, smaller would be better.
o) Good image quality, low noise. The images are not overprocessed in the camera and there is full flexibility in post-processing.
o) Manual/semi-manual control. Very important for summit panoramas. Unfortunantely the exposure numbers on LCD are very small and in intensive sunshine its difficult to see something.
o) Power supply. Re-chargable batteries are excellent.
o) Start up, shut down, AF/AE is fast enough for all practical situations
Negative:
-------------
o) Photography mode dial is too loose. From time to time it changes position by taking the camera out of the pocket or bag. Very disturbing, each time its necessary to check if the mode is correct.
o) Voice recorder. Would be very useful for remarks, especially when tour lasts few days and few hundred photos are taken. Unfortunately its hidden in menu on page 2 and requires multiple clicks to reach. In a bright sunshine its not usable.
o) View finder. Its not hermetic and in rain or even in very high moisture conditions its covered by vapour from inside, takes half a day to dry.
o) As mentioned, font on LCD too small for out door conditions
But are the alternatives ?
Nikon P5000 ?
Ricoh GX 100 ?
Canon A640 ?