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.

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

SMALL SENSOR QUALITY : 2009

Following my ‘AR’-style post of a few days ago, this is in repsonse to a few requests for the ‘saturated’ version of this F200EXR image, without the posterisation effect from the DxO FilmPack Polachrome simulation.

One great advantage of small-sensor cameras – whether F200EXR, LX3,CX1 or a swathe of others – is that they always exhibit great depth-of-field, even at their largest aperture :

F200EXR  : f3.3 at 28mm equivalent

LX3 : f2 at 24mm equivalent

CX1 : f3.3 at 28mm equivalent

This makes small-sensor cameras absolutely ideal for shooting subjects like architecture & landscapes, or for maintaining decent depth-of-field in night & low-light shots, where the camera’s maximum aperture is needed to let the light in.

Add to this the huge benefit these days of in-built image stabilisation – whether sensor-shift or optical IS – and the result is a very useful photographic tool that supplements an SLR very well. On some occasions, it’s definitely my preference – usually no need for a tripod – and in 2009, the results can be very impressive.

Certainly a far cry from my first Fuji 0.95 Mp (!) digital clunker that was pretty well only able to produce thumbnails through to 6×4 at a push !

The market is maturing well, and 2009 has seen some excellent & innovative compacts, SLRs that are more highly-specced with better high-ISO capabilities than ever before, and more recently, the new ‘Hybrids’ …Micro Four-Thirds cameras such as Panasonic G1/GH1/GF-1, and of course the Olympus E-P1.

So far, I own several compacts and SLRs ….But why no hybrid (yet)?  

See my next post for why I’m holding off (for now!)

Many small- (and large!-)sensor camera images at http://nickbland.zenfolio.com  and much more information for the camera-inquisitive at http://1001noisycameras.com

CX1 AHEAD OF THE PACK ?

(Macro image from Ricoh CX1)

Prompted to post this, following several recent e-mails from readers of my (various!) blogs …. hope this answers some questions for you : 

The LX3 is acknowledged as one of the very best compacts out there, and enjoys a huge fan base, which has perhaps grown further lately as some potential buyers – swayed by the announcement of the Olympus E-P1, Panasonic GF-1, Ricoh GRDIII (and CX2), and Leica X-1 – have more recently decided that this fixed-lens model, producing consistently great-quality images, has to be considered a relative bargain at around £350 …and have bought-up all available free stock. Pretty well globally.

But whilst the LX3 undoubtedly has a huge, die-hard fanbase, there have been a couple of other contenders for buyers’ cash …notably the Ricoh CX1 and Fujifilm’s F200EXR.  Both have proven extremely popular.

For those interested in all of the (potentially boring) technical differences between these three ‘pocket rockets’ – you’ll need to look elsewhere. Life’s too short. But if it’s real-world usability and satisfaction rating you’re more interested in, you’re at the right place. No waffle, here’s how it goes :

1/ LX3 : Excellent in very many respects:

• Stunning lens (of course), starting at 24mm f2 …but ends at 60mm (equiv).
• White balance dramatically better than it once was – I feel there’s still a little room for improvement. Reds are still oversaturated, even when cooled-off. If you like Canon colour, you’ll like LX3.
• BW – in ‘Dynamic’ form …very film-like, fantastic high-contrast, highly-detailed results.
• Multi-film mode – three separate, consecutive images
• Multi-Aspect mode : very useful. 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 options
• Superb Mega O.I.S
• Slightly ‘hollow’ feel to chassis
• RAW files – very detailed, but need to use (time-consuming) SilkyPix software to extract quality
• Separate lens-cap
• Almost pocketable (!)
• User interface – a bit fiddly, but ok

2/ Ricoh CX1 : vastly underrated

• Some say it’s a far cry from ‘GRD output’ – I disagree (unless you want to pixel-peep… but why would you?)
• White balance – superb. Multi-awb is a useful extra. Great colour rendition, and fantastic ‘Outdoor’ setting
• Electronic level …excellent, should be standard on all cameras 
• Very flexible 7x zoom focal range - 28-200mm(equiv), capturing images that the LX3 is simply incapable of
• Image stabilisation very effective – and this camera is capable of surprisingly good low-light images
• Rapid response …focus, image display, scrolling, changing options ….CMOS etc means very fast all ’round
• Reliable exposures, and wide dynamic range (without the inhibiting DR Double-Shot mode)
• As advertised, not prone to sky ‘whiteout’  …more useful and more impressive than I expected
• Multi-film (Colour, BW, sepia) works brilliantly – exactly same image processed three ways
• Multi-Aspect – but only one at a time : 4:3, 3:2, 1:1  (needs addition of 16:9!)
• Stunning 920k screen – looks like the image you download and view on pc screen
• Amazing 1cm macro capability
• User interface – as good as it gets – intuitive, fast, logical, reliable
• Great build quality exceeds all other compacts I’ve ever used
• Very recently superceded by the new CX2,  with even greater 28-300mm(equiv) focal range

3/ Fujifilm F200EXR : useful award-winner

• EXR sensor promises much, delivers some (sometimes)
• Sensor option (three in total) has to be manually selected for best results
• Some strange metering/exposure reactions, so inconsistent results …even in fairly ‘normal’ shooting conditions
• Irritating real-world aspect : the high-contrast (but fairly lo-res) screen makes you wonder what you’ve captured … or not
• Images often – but not always – look far better on computer display, once downloaded (thank heavens !)
• Multi-Aspect modes : can select one at a time from 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
• 5x zoom range : 28-140mm (equiv) …again, captures some images that LX3 just can’t
• Image stabilisation ok, but definitely not as effective as CX1′s
• Some blackout after image capture, as if processor working really hard
• Feels ‘lightweight’ and small in the hand, compared with bulletproof CX1 build and solid feel 
• 12MP files (jpeg only) are very detailed …although images not quite as responsive to processing as CX1 jpegs, in my experience
• New F70EXR has wider focal range, and is less expensive – but its sensor is more highly pixel-packed
• Overall – great camera, hoped for more than it has delivered (so far, at least)

Hope this helps you draw your own conclusions on usability for your own needs – because that’s all that really matters.

Without doubt, all three are very high-quality cameras, and all are capable of great results much of the time, even under very difficult conditions.

Images in separate galleries from all three models at http://nickbland.zenfolio.com – enjoy !

Well, after over 67,000 visits to the lx3 imaging site in only a couple of months, from scratch, and somehow deciding to also try to keep my other site, ricohimaging, up-to-date and of continuous interest to followers … I’ve decided to combine them into an all-encompassing new site in the same favoured format, with all of the same intentions. There’s also the opportunity to include coverage on models like the F30 above, that were the forerunners to today’s exciting models.

So, on the new site – http://nickbland.wordpress.com – there’ll be regular updates, latest news, commentary, photography aspects in general, and proven ideas to maximise quality from – and usability of - many of the leading ‘serious’ compact cameras in today’s market – those that a normally DSLR-toting pro would be happy to have with them at all times.

We know that many of these pocket shooters are capable of great results – I’d like to continue to focus (ouch!) on how to get the very best from them, before, during, and after capture. I’ll be sharing some pro tips which I hope will help you to improve your own photography, while at the same time hopefully also expanding my own knowledge by looking at new angles & techniques !

Thanks very much for your support so far … makes it worthwhile knowing that this is useful to you. For much more, please in future visit & bookmark the NEW site :

http://nickbland.wordpress.com

There will of course be many new additions to my zenfolio site, which remains at :

http://nickbland.zenfolio.com

Don’t forget also that the content from the previous sites can all be found in the ARCHIVE section (accessed at the top right of each page) …and enjoy !

Cheers,

Nick

16th August 2009

PANASONIC GF1 ...RICOH'S VERSION TO FOLLOW ?

As mentioned with the recent announcement of the new Fuji F70EXR, and again in my post of about an hour ago – without having seen this at that point – the compact market is hotting-up, and here’s another that’s likely to see the light of day pretty soon – although maybe in an altered form ?

Either way, it’s another Ricoh competitor, and really a type of product that they should be developing … perhaps they already are ?

YORKSHIRE LANDSCAPE : DYNAMIC BW 16:9

It was time for another CX1 Black & White image, again in my favoured 16:9 aspect ratio.

CX1 BW output is really good anyway, but I find with some enhancement in Nikon Capture NX software that it’s easy to get that unusual look of fairly high contrast while maintaining detail – just wish it was more like that straight out-of-camera, which we may see in the CX1′s successor.

Likewise, 16:9 is becoming a much more available standard aspect ratio option, and Ricoh would be making a mistake in omitting it from either being covered in a firmware update – which would be very simple for them to do – or adding it in to the spec of a new model, as & when.

There’s a distinct ‘hotting-up’ of the compact camera market, with several new models announced recently, and no doubt many more to come shortly. The Fuji F70EXR is only a few weeks away (EXR sensor, 24mm-240mm equiv focal range, 16:9 option !), as is the new Ricoh GRDIII …and manufacturers are starting to realise that the only way to reverse the trend in the now-declining global compact camera market is to go with the first rule in sales : GIVE THE CUSTOMER WHAT THEY WANT.

Some rules are made to be broken – this is one that should remain unfettered, if those brands who rely on compact sales for at least a part of their income stream want to survive. DSLR sales will not continually grow, and there are signs that lens technology needs to improve now, to meet resolution available from sensors on even the lower-priced models … so there’s another potentially declining market area…for a while, perhaps.

Fact is that virtually all DSLR owners still want/need a compact – like me, they may well find it becomes their most-used camera, and many will consider ownership of more than one or two (or more!). Excite the market with innovation, and notice how, even in tough economic times, consumers will make sacrifices to own the model(s) they desire. Selling the dream ?  Definitely.

Many more CX1 images, in gallery folders for ease of viewing, at http://nickbland.zenfolio.com

Many more camera details, rumours & commentary at http://1001noisycameras.com

INGLETON WATERFALLS TRAIL : PECCA FALLS

And as if it wasn’t wet enough …here’s another image, this captured at Pecca Falls, along the Ingleton Waterfalls trail.

Rather than the usual ‘smooth’ flow of water usually depicted with long DSLR-on-tripod exposures running often into 5 or more seconds (with filters etc) – which can get a bit ‘samey’ after a while –  I instead used the CX1′s flash, at the right level, on the slow sync setting, to add some sparkle and freeze, as well as capturing some of the water’s flow.. which I reckon worked well on this occasion.

The CX1 zoom range was of course a huge help, and the short focal range of the LX3 couldn’t have covered many in this series …there are many more, and also a larger version of the above, to be seen at http://nickbland.zenfolio.com

INGLETON : JULY 09

Typically Yorkshire weather last week – although it didn’t quite rain all the time – here’s an image from the first outing in the Ingleton area… there are more, and much larger versions, at http://nickbland.zenfolio.com

Although I also packed the LX3, I barely used it on this trip … the CX1′s 28-200mm (equiv) focal range was not only useful, but actually necessary for very many of the images I wanted to capture, and I was more than pleased with the results – some of them could almost be filed under ‘low-light’ !

Anyway, for those that haven’t been to the Yorkshire Dales (in the UK), it’s an area considered to be of ‘special scientific interest’, and some of the landscapes seem to be ‘not of this Earth’ – well worth a visit

FENLAND LANDSCAPE

A different colour treatment for this CX1 landscape, with a little more contrast and less saturation …plus some Capture NX  ‘ND Grad filter’ for the sky.

Again cropped into my favourite 16:9 format, it would be preferable if camera manufacturers included this as a standard option. Panasonic and Fuji manage it on some models, and it really does make a difference if the composition can be made at the time of  exposure … perhaps Ricoh are listening ? They need to these days, more than ever.

Formats are a key point in camera usability – and user satisfaction – and I can see why many are drawn to models from certain manufacturers that enable various format options…often 3:2, 4:3 and 16:9.  I appreciate that Ricoh have included a useful 1:1 format …so a 16:9 addition would be an easy firmware upgrade. Rant over.

A visit to http://nickbland.zenfolio.com will ensure your exposure to many CX1 images in 4:3, 1:1 and 16:9 formats.

IMAGE COURTESY OF FUJIFILM

Ricoh has had little direct competition to the CX1, insofar as it has some really interesting & innovative, well-executed features that conspire to take it way beyond any standard ‘point&shoot’ compact camera.

With the announcement yesterday of the new Fuji F70EXR, with some very interesting features – not least of which are a further development of their unique EXR High Dynamic Range sensor, ‘Pro Low Light Mode’, and ‘Pro-Focus’ to give DSLR-like bokeh (out-of-focus backgrounds for increased subject impact) – this seems to be a model that will tick so many boxes for photographers that need a pocketable compact with 10x (27mm-270mm equiv) zoom range that will cover so many bases…that have so far not succumbed to the Panasonic TZ7 and the like.

But will the F70EXR be able to deliver ?

As usual, even though the camera hasn’t yet been released – that’s in August – and no-one’s even seen one in the flesh yet, nor used it - there’s already much speculation on pixel density, low-light ability, lens quality, criticism of the ND filter for slower shutter speeds (instead of an actual aperture control), and whether the whole thing is just too compromised to be a workable tool.

There’s jpeg-only output as well – no RAW.  Same as CX1, then, in that respect. Also, the Fuji’s new ‘Multi-frame technology’ is along the lines of CX1′s DR mode operation. Fuji state that subject and camera need to be still while several exposures are made in quick succession, and this does have obvious drawbacks – I’m intrigued to see how well this works in the real world.

What is absolutely certain, regardless of the answers to all of the above, is that Fuji’s marketing machine will be in full swing shortly …and we’ll no doubt all want one !

 I’ll be featuring more of the F70EXR here as things develop - I think it will be of great interest to many Ricoh shooters, as well as users of lesser cameras (!) that may be looking for a model with cutting-edge technology and what’s likely to have, like all previous Fujis, fantastic colour rendition. The CX1 has this in common with Fuji.

As a matter of particular interest to me, and you may have already noticed…. did I mention the F70EXR, like the Fuji F200EXR, will have a 16:9 format option ?

Just go to http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digital_cameras/f/finepix_f70exr/ for more on this exciting new camera. There are also many more details on the F70EXR via http://1001noisycameras.com. 

As always, there are many new & updated galleries of CX1 images at http://nickbland.zenfolio.com – including some in my favourite 16:9 format !