LX3/LX5 ?

Chatting to a friend yesterday, he mentioned to me how he’s still enjoying his LX3 – bought on my recommendation – and, knowing I’d sold mine “Do you miss it at all ?”   Made me think – sharp Leica wide aperture lens, 24-60mm range, selectable aspect ratios including 16:9, dynamic BW setting …stunning camera, no doubt.  What also came to mind immediately was how the white balance was still ‘out’ as at the last firmware update, bringing back the dreary memory of ages spent on clunky SilkyPix raw conversions, which seemed a long, S-L-O-W process – because it was. I know many aren’t as fussy about colour as I am…but it did drive me to distraction eventually.

I’ve since replaced my LX3 with another compact camera, that happens to be smaller this time, that also shoots RAW, and has brilliant colour rendition, as well as a superb – and really fast & intuitive – RAW converter bundled with the camera. Example above. This is my ‘everyday’ pocket camera, with a 28-105mm (equiv) focal range, no lens cap, fast startup, superb 3″ LCD, and razor-sharp lens (as has the LX3). It’s a Canon S90, capable of unbelievable results from such a tiny package.

With recent rumour (again!) of an LX3 replacement from Panasonic, and a publisher waiting on me getting my hands on it for a forthcoming book, I again wondered how useful an improved, LX3-style but up-specced Panasonic may be to me….Answer : hugely !

Looking back over some of my LX3 output of 2009, I do have a lot of fond memories, and realised that mine got very heavily used – not that you’d know it from its appearance. It was sold in ‘as new’ condition, because it literally did look ‘as new’, and the guy that bought it obviously felt that that was accurate. So, add great build quality to the LX3’s many attributes.

I do think we’ll learn more about the LX5 shortly, and I’ll be up for one, no doubt. There’s still that certain ‘something’ from the LX3 that makes its images special, and I could even be tempted to just get another anyway ….if I can find a supporting RAW converter that I can live with, and that’s fast.

Regardless, when the LX5 does appear, I share the hope of many on aspects such as reduced noise, wider focal length coverage (say 24-80) whilst maintaining quality, improved colour rendition for o.o.c. jpegs, and improved controls & handling. Immediate availability of a suitable case would also be appreciated.

Not long to wait now for an ‘official’ announcement from Panasonic – likely in the next couple of weeks – and I suspect that the camera will be available fairly soon afterwards. Why ? Because competition continues to intensify, and especially in this climate, every sale counts.

M4/3 : FALLEN FOR IT ?

MICRO FOUR-THIRDS - A NEW STANDARD ?

It of course could be construed as either :

‘Fallen for It ?’ … head-over-heels with these new, high quality cameras (& lenses) that offer SLR quality in miniature Or : 

‘Fallen for It ?’ … the Penny/Doris marketing (wrong !) of a system solution to a non-existent problem

There are certainly at least two schools of thought on the arrival of m43, now that both Olympus & Panasonic have truly small bodies, along with a few m43lenses. I definitely lean towards the former, although, in my last post, I indicated that I already have several compacts & DSLRs …but, so far, no Micro Four-Thirds camera (or lenses) …and here’s why :

1/ There’s so far a distinct shortage of available lenses in the m43 format …although there are several potentially useful 43 lenses  eg one that caught my eye today, the Olympus 12-60  ie 24-120mm equivalent – but it’s a fairly large lens, relative to m43 body size, and it pretty well negates the point of a useful, truly miniaturised system.

2/ The end of October sees a likely New Product announcement from Olympus – and the general concensus is that this will be something along the lines of ‘E-P2’ …probably with the inclusion of an in-built viewfinder, and possibly on-board flash.

3/ I learned today that following at least one major Ricoh Japan/Ricoh UK staff meeting last year, Ricoh will definitely be in the ‘small body/interchangeable lenses’ game …and some product is likely fairly soon

4/ Nikon are apparently developing a ‘2.5x’ small system …so, for example, a 10mm lens will be equivalent to 25mm (in 35mm terms) …and surely so must Canon and, by implication, Sony ?

5/ Fujifilm are known also to have taken great interest in the early succes of m43, and are rumoured to have products of a ‘similar’ nature in development.

6/ Samsung NX models are likely soon …not m43 standard, but a miniatuised system along the same lines

7/ Additional to the existing E-P1, I also have reliable confirmation that Olympus will launch a total of three new m43 bodies, planned to see the light of day over the next six months … although my source expects that this may more likely stretch over 9/12 months …but that’s still an ambitious output, and Olympus are ‘very seriously comitted’ to m43.

8/ Based on that last statement, we should see the introduction of several new m43 lenses …hopefully sooner rather than later.

Given that m43 is really just in its infancy, and already seems to offer superb performance …albeit with a few fixable deficiencies so far …this is, from what was expected to be niche, fast becoming a type of product range seen by the major (& smaller) players as critical to their ongoing survival – let alone their ongoing success and increased market share & profitability. 

Extrapolate accordingly, and if the consumer-led, and pro-led, revolution really gets under way, we’ll really be spoilt for choice. That has to be a great situation for all of us absolute enthusiasts, and marks a truly interesting era in digital imaging. I’m observing all of this in some detail, and will step in when I feel the time’s right…and that doesn’t necessarily mean waiting for too long – but there really is so much on its way AND SOON.

In the meantime, if you’re already using, or considering a DSLR, you may find some interesting reading at http://nikonpro.wordpress.com

For more, see also http://1001noisycameras.com

F200EXR/LX3 IMAGE QUALITY

COMPACT IMAGE QUALITY

Despite all of the interesting stuff on the ‘net, I still enjoy reading a magazine – especially one that’s been really well printed onto high-quality paper …and when I say ‘reading’, I suppose I mean looking at and appreciating the photographs. Most people – around 80% of the population – respond much more to an image than to text …so we’re not alone !

When a magazine image is so well-printed that you can almost appreciate the quality of the equipment used to make the image, as well as the photographer’s clear ability, some individuals can be convinced that it’s the gear that made the difference, and invest in new kit accordingly. Known well to the musical fraternity – and also being a musician myself – there’s a syndrome that has many ‘sufferers’ …G.A.S.  That’s Gear Acquisition Syndrome.

It’s as applicable to cameras & associated gear as much as it is new musical instruments, amps etc, and it’s all too easy to be drawn in. And it’s not as if I’m immune, it has to be said.

But that’s sometimes what can make things really interesting. If you read the previous post, re Hasselblad H3D/Leaf, Sinar & PhaseOne backs etc, and their place in the commercial photography world, you’ll know that I see it as a challenge. Yes, I have a D3 – one of the finest cameras on the planet – that’s usually to be seen connected to a Nikon ED24-70 f2.8 lens – one of the finest lenses on the planet ….but as a combo, not always the most convenient to cart around. And they’re in for lens repair and calibration at the moment.

My F200EXR is these days pretty well always with me. There’s no RAW file capability, no off-camera flash facility (although it could be ‘slaved’) …it’s little more than ‘point & shoot’. But the quality levels being achieved these days in compact cameras mean that its uses go way beyond taking ‘snaps’. 

Careful setup & usage – and image processing – can result in some great image quality that would have been strictly SLR material in the not-too-distant past. But that’s all changed. I’ll be going into some detail in future posts about achieving ultimate quality from a compact – some readers (of the 82,000 so far) have asked for an e-book, which I may well consider if there’s enough demand. Let me know if that might be useful to you.

The image above is another of my ‘personal challenges’ – visualising what I’d aim for if I had the D3/24-70/tripod with me, and all the time in the World for careful set-up, composition, processing etc ….all the things that happen at the start of the process in the commercial photography domain – and how I could achieve not dissimilar results from one of the very best compacts around – could be with the LX3, or in this case, the Fujifilm F200EXR ‘pocket rocket’.

Job done.

Much more on Fujifilm’s F200EXR (and F100fd/F30), Panasonic LX3, Ricoh CX1, Nikon D3 & D200 at http://nickbland.zenfolio.com.