Would you buy this?

Boid

All-Pro
Location
Bangalore, India
Name
Rajiv
I've been using the X100 for a while now and it's started me thinking about how the camera world is structured right now. Almost everyone I know is trying to find the perfect camera which does EVERYTHING.

What if camera manufacturers started to sell and market cameras fulfilling a certain shooting criteria. And create cameras that did well only in that niche, and then market it as such.

For example a camera for street photography which would have the following characteristics -

1. The size of the GRD4
6314266289_7a115d7e5a_z.jpg


2. APSC sensor 12 MP (EXR or Faveon without an AA filter)

3. EVF with a 2.4 million dot screen (like the Sony NEX7)
y_nex-7_evf.jpg


4. No LCD panel at the rear (!) Forcing one to think of the next shot rather than chimp, one could always review the pics in the EVF. Plus the pleasure of seeing the image for the first time back home on the computer, almost like waiting for the pics to come from the developers.

5. 35mm fixed lens (another version could have a 50mm lens) (I'd vote for no IS but that's debatable)

6. Aperture ranging from 1.4 to 11 as an adjustment on the lens, 5 frames per second (as in the X100) and an exposure compensation dial
Fuji-X100-top.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


7. Separate ISO dial with a lock

8. Separate Shutter speed dial with a lock (maybe stacked one on the other like the G12)
PowerShot-G12-TOP.ashx


9. One button on the back to switch between JPEG and RAW

10. Another button on the back to switch between B&W and Colour

11. The Leica or Fuji JPEG engine

12. Built-in flash (I could do without)

13. Basically no fancy gadgetry that influences the image. It's all down to the basics.


This camera would be called say the Canon StreetX or something.

And price it at 500$ or whereabouts.


Similarly another small compact could be put together for portraits, etc. Isn't this conversation easier than a whole bunch of random numbers thrown at people? Wouldn't it be better to compare say a street camera from Nikon versus a street camera from Fuji? I think people are getting pretty specific about the stuff they shoot and the camera manufacturers are still busy pandering to the lowest common denominator.

I would love to know your views on this.
 
The perfect camera(s) - body?

as at today - When you start to look at the different types of photography - it becomes impossible without interchangeable lens

e.g

Macro
(Street)
Portrait
Sport & Wildlife
Landscape

but the (needed) physical size of the lens is a controlling factor

The perfect camera body

(Large) Nikon D800 ............. well the DSLR with interchangeable lens will fit the bill

(Small) - The V1 or (the V2 or V3 with a bigger sensor - if/when it is released) ......... looks good with Nikon AF-S lens - so could cope with all of the above ........ especially with a bigger and different sensor

will Nikon (ever) produce a mirror less compact with a DX/FX sized sensor - to compete with their DSLR range?
 
Everyone has their own definition of the perfect camera, even highly application specific cameras like you suggest. To use your example of a street-specific camera, what I would want is very different than what you've suggested. I'd want:

1. 28mm equivalent lens (I can live with 35, but much prefer 28)

2. Flip up screen, as with Nex and EPL3 / EM5.

3. No evf - the flip screen is FAR more important to me - I don't use an eye level finder for most street shooting, even with the X100. Which is a key reason that, as much as I love the X100, I don't particularly like it for street shooting.

4. Some sort of zone focus functionality. The best I've used is Ricoh's "snap focus" system, with very easy, on the fly, adjustments to the focus distance. A good, on screen, DOF scale is also critical to this. Very few electronic DOF scales in place today are worth the electrons they use..

5. Very fast auto-focus and/or zero shutter lag when in manual focus. Using the flip screen I'd often use auto focus, particularly in low light. But shooting blind (which I also like to do), zone focus is the only way to work. AF is particularly critical in low light, where apertures are large and DOF is often too limited for zone focus.

6. Auto ISO in manual mode, such that you could set both the aperture and shutter speed and let the camera float the ISO to get the right exposure - exposure comp would need to be enabled in this mode, as well. Good high ISO sensitivity is important with this too.

7. Silent or VERY quiet shutter.

So far, the EM-5 looks like it might be the closest yet to the ideal, but only with the 12mm lens (the only m43 lens with easy zone focus capabilities), which is a bit wider than I'd find ideal. The EVF isn't necessary, but I'd be happy to have it for other applications. The shutter isn't silent, but is quiet enough. For auto focus, I could use it with the 14mm or any other lens, but for zone focus, only the Olympus 12 is really set up to do this well. It doesn't have any electronic DOF scale, but has one on the lens body.

Its gonna cost more than $500, but it looks like it'll be a good enough camera in enough of the ways that matter to me to make it well worth the cost.

The camera you've designed, above, would be of little or no use, to ME, at least.

So, no, I wouldn't buy this. :cool:

-Ray
 
I've been using the X100 for a while now and it's started me thinking about how the camera world is structured right now. Almost everyone I know is trying to find the perfect camera which does

Not every manufacturer is pushing for the perfect camera.
My main photo requirements are.

Smallish compact size.
Intuitive handling
Fast wide angle lens
Optical stabilization
Moderate but fast telephoto ( The interchangeable 200mm tele lens on my old Contax was hardly ever used )
Articulated monitor ( Once you've used one, nothing else will do)
Capable of taking top notch low light Jpegs and reasonable quality Raw files

I have limited interest in 'street' or action photography
I have zero interest in HD video capabilities, GPS or pretty coloured camera bodies

I do have a Samsung EX1 - And it suits my requirements just fine ;)
In fairness to Samsung they market the camera to someone with 'my' requirements and don't market the EX1 as a 'Jack of all trades'
In essence, you do get exactly what it says on the tin.
 
Great thread Boid!!!

Strangely enough, the X100 comes closest to everything I would ever want in a camera. So I'm going to use the X100 as the baseline for my one ideal camera (but refrain from discussing the menu system) for normal every day carry with me all the time use. So while keeping the overall shape and size of the X100, I would like ...

(1) full frame sensor with 18 mp;
(2) faster and more accurate AF, and silent focusing;
(3) keep hybrid viewfinder, but add the NEX7's EVF into it;
(4) have the NEX's flip down screen with the Oly EP3's touchscreen implementation for touch shutter;
(5) move that aperture ring a little bit further away from the body, and get rid of the useless manual focus ring;
(6) 35/1.4 fixed lens (no need for macro, but would like to be able to focus as close as 10 inches;
(7) replace the exposure compensation dial with ISO dedicated dial;
(8) clean ISO up to 6400;
(9) built-in flash like the Panasonic GX1 that allows for lock into a bouncing position;
(10) face detection AF similar to the Oly EP3 (i.e. specify focus on eye);
(11) IBIS.

One thing that I can do without in cameras is the movie function.

Oh, and all priced at no more than $800. There Fuji ... now just do it!!
 
Back
Top