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birket

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I have the DP1 and the SD10. I love them both. However, I've been caught out a few times recently by thinking I'll be OK in using them in slightly more tricky situations. Not what you'd call 'photo projects' or anything like that, but just situations like my daughter's party or family get togethers.

Most recently, I went along to the 'christmas-lights-switching-on-ceremony' in Oxford. I had a little Metz flashgun with me and thought I'd be OK with my DP1. When we arrived, it was absolutley packed with people: you could hardly move. I also had my daughter on my shoulders so she could see what was going on. I tried taking some photos, but in all honesty, it was a complete and utter disaster! Barely any of my photos, without heavily 'stylised' post production are even worth showing to anyone.

This has happened on more than one occasion, and I now think I need to get something a little more capable for these situations. I don't want to lug a big SLR around with me all the time, so I am looking at compacts I guess. I absolutely hate all the whiz-bang-gizmo-features of all these p&s cameras. I'd rather have a fixed lens and very little options to be honest.

I used to have the Ricoh GR1V film camera which was beautiful, and I've been looking at the Ricoh GRD (version 1) if I can find one on Ebay. Other than that, could you suggest something I might look at. Possibly micro 4/3 I suppose, but not really sure about them.

Basically, I'd like the DP1 (or DP2!), but with the ability to cope with more demanding situations: good focus speed, good lens, minimal 'features', and from a purely 'visual' point of view, something that looks quite nice!
--
Kind Regards,
Rich
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http://www.blinkimage.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/birket
http://www.birket.co.uk
 
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX4 (LX5) or Leica equivalent (D-Lux 4 - D-Lux 5) seems to fit your request.

jef
 
Mmm. I had the LX3 and recently got rid of it. I just didn't get on with it really.

I am tempted to get onto the Micro4/3 bandwagon with something like the GF1 and 20mm pancake.

I know the DP2s is faster than the DP1 (original) at AF, but I still don't think it would be a good option (even though I've always fancied getting one). A pity.
--
Kind Regards,
Rich
------------------------------------------------------
http://www.blinkimage.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/birket
http://www.birket.co.uk
 
birket said:
I used to have the Ricoh GR1V film camera which was beautiful, and I've been looking at the Ricoh GRD (version 1) if I can find one on Ebay. Other than that, could you suggest something I might look at. Possibly micro 4/3 I suppose, but not really sure about them.
Click to expand...
I think that for situations mentioned by you, a pan G1 (old one) would be good...it focuses really fast and with a pancake lens is not that big....but be aware that for day light shooting it does have very limited DR and iso800 and above is a little nasty at pixel level...talking about the GRD, all i can tell you is that takes great great BW straight of the camera...also be aware that the GRD1 has some problems with the fully extended lens getting stuck and has to be sending to ricoh to get back to life...something to do with the ADJ button if im not mistaken...but again, if your thing is BW, i would go for it....
birket said:
Basically, I'd like the DP1 (or DP2!), but with the ability to cope with more demanding situations: good focus speed, good lens, minimal 'features', and from a purely 'visual' point of view, something that looks quite nice!
Click to expand...
Basically i want all that you wrote plus a VF (E or O) and the new sensor...that would be great...same G1 AF and you can ask for 1000 usd for such camera...
birket said:
--
Kind Regards,
Rich
------------------------------------------------------
http://www.blinkimage.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/birket
http://www.birket.co.uk
Click to expand...
--

To understand photography, you must understand that the experience must be much more important than the result ....
Carlos Roncatti Bomfim
 
I do love those. Brilliant bit of design. Very expensive for what is effectively a rubbish camera though.

I recall my architecture lecturer had a lego phone with a little drawer underneath for extra bits of lego: instead of doodling on a bit of paper when on the phone, you doodled with bits of lego. Excellent!
JLK said:
What's not to love?

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=11061073&wmlspartner=NKa3hZyYoHA&sourceid=27729310670919545444
--
Jim
Click to expand...
--
Kind Regards,
Rich
------------------------------------------------------
http://www.blinkimage.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/birket
http://www.birket.co.uk
 
It's hard to photograph bright lights at night no matter what camera you have. Whether the lights are bulbs or from fireworks or from traffic. I'm curious to know what settings you used i.e. aperture, ISO, shutter speed.
 
I don't want to upload the shots from my experience on Friday. They are just too awful. But this scenario was only an example. There are many times when the DP1 reaches its limitation.

Aperture will have been f4, ISO will have been a mix of 100, 200 and 400, speed will be a mixture, focus was all manual (as the DP1 can't focus fast enough).
Plutarch said:
It's hard to photograph bright lights at night no matter what camera you have. Whether the lights are bulbs or from fireworks or from traffic. I'm curious to know what settings you used i.e. aperture, ISO, shutter speed.
Click to expand...
--
Kind Regards,
Rich
------------------------------------------------------
http://www.blinkimage.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/birket
http://www.birket.co.uk
 
OK, I'll have to try this myself with my DP2s. I live near a place that has elaborate Xmas lights. I'll post to the forum when I get some results.
 


I have one of these - $10 or less. I have not tried it in low light yet...but remember...it's the photographer, not the camera, that makes the photos.

But really - you might want to look at one of the lower end Canon DSLRs and find a decent/smaller dimension lens. I've got a T2i, and I like the low light photos I've taken with it. With a small lens, it's really not very big, but you have options, and controls are easy. I'm thinking of getting a few adapters, and see what manual lenses might give me.

-John
--
http://www.johnlindroth.com/gallery/
[email protected]

My future starts when I wake up every morning ...
Every day I find something creative to do with my life.
--Miles Davis
 
Haha. Nice.

One thing I do like with my photography is a shallow DOF (I like portrait-type shots). Obviously, something like the Ricoh cameras aren't going to give me this, but comparing the Samsung NX10 (with 30mm pancake) and the Oly EP1 (with pancake) or GF1 with pancake: would the larger sensor of the NX10 give me significantly better control of DOF (ie shallower) or is there not a lot in it?

(I'm aware that this is the Sigma forum, but the thread started with the DP1, so bear with me!)

--
Kind Regards,
Rich
------------------------------------------------------
http://www.blinkimage.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/birket
http://www.birket.co.uk
 
Rich,

I think that for the small differences in sensor size, that lens mm and aperture are the main determinants to DOF. I don't know much about the lenses you mentioned, but normally a wide angle lens already has a less shallow DOF, so you need a smaller number aperture to get OOF blurring.
-John
birket said:
Haha. Nice.

One thing I do like with my photography is a shallow DOF (I like portrait-type shots). Obviously, something like the Ricoh cameras aren't going to give me this, but comparing the Samsung NX10 (with 30mm pancake) and the Oly EP1 (with pancake) or GF1 with pancake: would the larger sensor of the NX10 give me significantly better control of DOF (ie shallower) or is there not a lot in it?

(I'm aware that this is the Sigma forum, but the thread started with the DP1, so bear with me!)

--
Kind Regards,
Rich
------------------------------------------------------
http://www.blinkimage.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/birket
http://www.birket.co.uk
Click to expand...
--
http://www.johnlindroth.com/gallery/
[email protected]

My future starts when I wake up every morning ...
Every day I find something creative to do with my life.
--Miles Davis
 
A few samples of shallow DOF at F2:







Full size pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alex_virt/sets/72157624335708048/with/4956685007/
birket said:
One thing I do like with my photography is a shallow DOF (I like portrait-type shots). Obviously, something like the Ricoh cameras aren't going to give me this, but comparing the Samsung NX10 (with 30mm pancake) and the Oly EP1 (with pancake) or GF1 with pancake: would the larger sensor of the NX10 give me significantly better control of DOF (ie shallower) or is there not a lot in it?
Click to expand...
 
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