Andrew Mitchell
Lives in
Taipei, Taiwan
Works as a
TEFL teacher
Joined on
Sep 3, 2001
About me:
Olympus C-21OOUZ, Olympus C-5O5O, Canon Ixy 50, Canon Ixy 75, Minolta 800si, Ricoh GR1s, Konica-Minolta 5D , Sony A700, Panasonic DMC-LX1, Panasonic DMC-LX3, Sony A55, Canon S100, Fujifilm X70, 27" 3 GHz i5 SSD iMac, Photos & RAWPower / first camera bought was in Singapore in 1967: Minolta Hi-Matic 7s <http://mattsclassiccameras.com/rangefinders-compacts/minolta-himatic-7s/> |
Comments
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| Bursting with Joy by TaoVerit from Montage | Pileated Woodpecker in Flight by Fotorequest from A Big Year - Birds 2022 | Into the night by TokyoRohan from Streets of the World - with People! | The inspiration for the Reverend Awdry's Isle of Sodor by cjf2 from My Best Photo of the Fortnight | Z62_3868_2-DeNoiseAI-clear by archerscreek from Rabbits and Hares Unlimited | Purple Evening Hues by punman from Velvia Landscapes |
Dave Oddie: I was looking for a compact take anywhere camera before Christmas and had this been available I'd have considered it. Things like the small EVF would not have been an issue as the reason for buying a camera like this is the small size and something has to give.
Unfortunately one feature that I don't think should be missing (but is) despite the size would have ruled it out and that is IBIS. Small cameras can be harder to hold steady than larger models as I have found with the camera I did buy, a Sony RX100 VII. Without stabilisation I am sure I'd have many shots ruined by camera shake. Olympus have been putting IBIS in small cameras for years and I really don't understand Fuji bringing out any new model without it. The fact the other cameras in the comparison DPR chose lack it also is no excuse. I'd avoid those as well.
It seems like Fuji are purposely stubborn when it comes to IBIS. Pretty much the same way that Apple are stubborn about many, *many* features that people have been crying for for years, but Apple have decided we don’t need.
geopapa: No evf no party. When you can have EVF with the similarly priced fuji xt-200 or with a body as small as the a6100's (maybe even smaller if you choose mft)
This is for someone new to photography who doesn't yet know he/she needs evf. It's something that clearly differentiates a more serious camera from the compact/smartphone crowd. Just my 2 cents.
Where I live - in Taiwan - the X-T200 is nearly double the price of the X-A7. Hardly “similarly priced”!
Terrible company that every year kept trying to make me pay for what I'd already bought. Stopped being conned a couple of years ago now, and feel much better. RAW Power does it for me these days.
cpt kent: Why would you add USB charging, and not use USB-C?
@cpt kent I have a Mac, and have no trouble at all with the thought of USB charging. It’s how I charge up my Fuji X70, and no USB-C is not a problem at all.
phazelag: I bought and still have the original FZ1000 at launch in 2014. I think this camera is a good deal and I still love mine. But it does make me sad that camera innovation is slowing to this level. Same camera 6 years later. The only reason I like this camera over the later Sony RX10 models is that its about 200 grams lighter for travel, hiking, etc. But I still would like an RX10 IV and enjoyed my original RX10
Here are some of my FZ1000 photos https://www.scottzinda.com/Point-and-Shoot-Cameras/Panasonic-FZ1000/
Exceptional photos there, sir!
I’m thinking of getting the Mark 2, but was holding off as I’ve never had a 1” sensor camera (I’m more of an APS-C sort of guy). I believe your photos might have just pushed me off the fence.
Thanks for the heads-up. Free here in Taiwan, and works perfectly on my 11” iPad Pro.
Canon have kept the same lens for the Mk1, Mk2 and now the Mk3? It was never the sharpest lens to start with, but several years on they are still fobbing it off on us? Mmm ......
Mk7: Could you post some backlit shots, showing the fill flash capabilities? Thanks.
@gravis92: flash is not needed on this camera *by you*. But several hundred people on these forums - myself included - have stated they won't be buying because there is no flash (and other reasons). IBIS has been around for a very long time now, and almost every other camera manufacturer has managed how to sort out having ibis and a flash in a fairly small body. I feel Ricoh made a mistake here. (Notice how I said "I feel ...", and not "Ricoh made a mistake ..."?)
DiffractionLtd: No weatherproofing and no EVF make this an expensive camera.
I wouldn’t hold your breath on that. If there ever is a GR4, it could be 5 years away, knowing the speed which Ricoh works at!
Toby43: I can only find one image above iso400 and that’s a macro at 1600. The ability to shoot at higher iso than the GRii is important and would be the only reason I would trade up. Nothing new here.
Yes, a nasty habit that dpreview has always had: very few high ISO samples.
(unknown member): I think flash is a much more important and versatile creative feature than IBIS. It would be nice if Ricoh designed a small TTL flash with a flash cable or maybe even wireless to go with the GRIII.
Otherwise I am glad that this camera is still produced, it is quite a unique product with a focused product philosophy behind it.
I hope the next update gets the flash back and better battery life. And then at some point maybe even FF.
You might have to wait 4 or 5 years for that "next update"!
Christos Cloud: Do we need in-body stabilization in a camera that is not designed for videography?
100% yes. Small cameras are far more difficult to hold steady than DSLRs with a lens to grab hold of.
This might be country specific. I live in Taiwan, have an iPhone X, and all the latest upgrades. This feature is *not* in my Google Photos.
Great camera to use, but mine - like many others around the world - had terrible back focus. Sony Taiwan absolutely refused to fix it; it took me over a year to get them to use the proper equipment to check it. This proved conclusively that it was back focusing, but Sony just plain refused to accept the results. In the end, because I had so many Minolta and Sony lenses, I bought an Alpha A55, which is still going strong. The A700 quietly rots on a shelf. I’ll never buy anything from Sony again.
Of all the cameras I have owned, 2 of them have been an absolute joy just to hold in the hand, with perfect ergonomics. The first was a film Ricoh GR1s, and the second was the brilliant LX3. I still have both, and they both get regularly fondled!
adriantilley: This series needs to stop. DPR, I know that you need to fill up your news feed with something, but who cares about the specs on a camera from 10 years ago or whatever? Have some self respect.
I care!
I have 3,974 photos on my computer taken with this truly wonderful camera. The first on 25th November 2001, and the last on 10th May 2005. It rightly has pride of place on my "old camera shelf". Of all the cameras I have owned over the last 50 years, I have never had one that was so much fun to use as this one. The "Uzi" had an *enormous* following here on dpreview, so I find it highly amusing to see comments like "monstrosity" and "incredibly ugly". You have no idea what you missed. I finally replaced it with an Olympus 5050, which took fantastic photos, but was a nightmare to use. And that was the end of my love affair with Olympus.
Lars Rehm: I have just added metric measurements.
Surely - for all dpreview articles - it should be standard policy to list all measurements in both imperial and metric.
As an aside, I have a Benro monopod which I use will a Manfrotto #342 ball-head, and it's brilliant. I, for one, will be out looking at a Benro Transfunctional Travel Angel as soon as I can.
Not everyone (me included) is a high-tech tripod user. I found the article very useful.