Nikon Coolpix A Announced! APS-C Compact with 28mm Equivalent f/2.8 Lens

Really really small. The digital Minolta TC-1. If it has decent AF speed and accuracy, it will be a much improved version of a X1 with a wider lens.
 
Ray, in [video=youtube;0a-bbHX9O3M]
at 0:40 you can see manual focusing action, and there is a distance scale (which doesn't seem to show the depth of field) and also magnified view.
I read that you can assign AF-ON to the Fn1 button in the front of the camera. I like to be able to autofocus only when I decide, knowing that the rest of the time the focus is where I left it.
In auto-iso you can set the slowest shutter speed before raising iso!
In [video=youtube;cWYx1qpPkNY]
you can see more of the camera in use, including manual exposure, which the camera does not seem to preview in the screen (I really like exposure simulation in M).
The samples look great to me. Specially in this one (shot at f5.6) the lens seems to be very sharp even in the corners.
The camera looks good to me, but it is also too expensive for me (at least for now).
I want to see if Ricoh comes with something similar.

Dani Solatie
 
Now that I see it in someone's hands in those videos it reminds me of my old Nikon Coolpix P5100 from years ago ... the retractable lens on that camera took a hit and it stopped working. This isn't for me but I can see that Nikon has packed a lot of good stuff inside this little camera.
 
That distance scale looks fine - much more precise than the one on the RX1 and most compacts. I don't care about a DOF scale - I generally don't trust 'em anyway. I can figure out my own zone settings as long as there's a distance scale to work from. AF doesn't look all that fast, but that's OK with me if there's a decent zone setup. My guess is that like the V1, this will probably sell for a few hundred dollars within a year, but this one might be so much in my wheelhouse I can't wait. That's OK, if I get this, the X100 or RX1 are definitely off the table so I could look at it as a money SAVER! I could probably rationalize a lear jet if I wanted one badly enough...

I just like this focal length a LOT more than 35 and can easily walk around all day with just a 28. I've done it often enough with the X-Pro and the 18 and with the GXR-28. And I like small as long as I can work the stuff I need to be able to work. I couldn't get around on the RX100, but I never had a BIT of trouble with the GRD3 or LX series, so I'm pretty optimistic about this one with its big bad sensor...

-Ray
 
Trying to find, and delete, an alleged post I made, with a New Year's resolution for not buying any new cameras. If it is not on the internet anymore, it didn't happen, right? Stupid unexpected AA-filter-less releases, X100s, RX1, Adobe Xtran processing improvement, etc. etc. are not helping (given my 12% strength, and eroding, willpower)

So... Nikon released a Ricoh GRD V before Ricoh/Pentax?

First thing I thought of also, Rajiv. May be the main reason I would hold off on the Nikon, thinking that I would like the handling and controls better on the upcoming Ricoh.
 
Yup, I think we may be looking at the specs for the new Ricoh GRD5 when it is finally announced. Ricoh will probably still have the edge in terms of usability and controls. Also, if they can keep the price below Nikon then they may have a winner. Still, if Nikon can force Ricoh to up their game. . .
 
Never mind the camera, once again a camera company with a big advertising budget manages to produce a set of dreary, unimaginative sample shots - they could at least try to get the horizon straight!

Though they do deserve great credit for putting out a high end camera that doesn't have an X anywhere in its name.
 
Ricoh will probably still have the edge in terms of usability and controls.
As much as I like Ricoh's snap focus approach, there are others I like just as much. And I actually sort of prefer a turnable focus ring that allows me to move the focus point along a distance scale rather than just have a series of discrete steps like Ricoh offers. The only requirement to me is that if you're using manual focus, that you be able to auto focus for a few shots and then come back to manual focus and have it remember where you were so you don't have to reset your zone each time. It sounds like this Nikon will allow this. The LX5/7 does this really well - even remembering your manual focus distance when you turn the camera off and back on. The Fuji X-Pro doesn't remember where you are, but its MF ring has been improved to where its about a half second operation to move the focus point back to where you want it. And Olympus and Fuji do this REALLY well with the 12 and 17mm Oly lenses and 14mm Fuji lens, with their manual focus rings that operate like an old manual focus lens, with a distance scale on the lens. Those are my favorite zone focus interface ever. The Nikon looks pretty good because it looks like you can AF while in MF mode without changing the manual focus point. Looks like the only thing they'd need to do to make this just about perfect for me would be to allow the second ring to be used for exposure comp without hitting the exposure comp button first. That should be a simple firmware thing, but DPR indicates it can't be setup that way.

In any case a fixed lens 28 with a really good ISO 6400 capable APS sensor in this small a camera is enough to make me drool. Even with an f2.8 lens. Less than half a stop slower than the GXR but probably at least a full stop better on the sensor. And I LIKE that sensor quite a bit.

-Ray
 
Sounds interesting, though the 28mm EFL is too wide for me on a fixed FL camera. For others, though, like Ray, it might well be perfect. But surely, at the price announced, they could have thrown in a basic optical viewfinder. I felt the same way about the Sony RX1, however, which seems to be doing rather well just as it's packaged.
 
It is definitely a great time we are now in. Competition in this market is thriving :D...

Gary

Indeed! Not sure they can all survive, but in the meantime it's nice to see traction in this category with so many options. A few 35mm options, a few 28mm options now (including upcoming Ricoh GRD5 - which may or may not be APS)... I'd like to see some 50mm options too.
 
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