Alpha users choice of PnS compact cameras to supplement DSLR

[SK1968]

For me, a 'compact' PnS has to be really compact. I have a Sony T200. Like it because it is sleek with no protrusions. It slips in and out of my pants pocket easily. I can retrieve it conveniently and safely with one hand hooking the lanyard on my wrist. I use it whenever the situations require me to shoot 'secretly' without outraging anybody's modesty of course. The slide-on/off function also works perfectly in one-hand operation condition...I find the vertically sliding mechanism better than those horizontally sliding or button-press types.

 

[TME]

I've gone through 3 compacts to find a perfect companion... and failed... I tried the Casio VX-7. It was a utter failure... very poor IQ, often blur pictures... too fiddily... then I bought the SONY W300 which looked like a perfect compact. In many ways, it is a very good compact. Highly recommended in fact. BUT, the lens starts at 38mm, too long for me... also the camera is too small for its good, quite tough for my fat fingers to get at the small buttons... so the hunt continued... and I picked up a Panasonic TZ-5, 28-200mm... 720P video with zooming capability... sounded almost too good to be true... hahaha... well, the IQ wasn't too good either... otherwise it has been my second camera so to speak...

The new Olympus Digital Pen camera looks really good... small, interchangeable lens, large enough sensor... hmmm... time to jump ship???

 

[jammerwong]

I thought I am the only one feeling this way of buying the Olympus Pen....

 

[TME]

I thought I am the only one feeling this way of buying the Olympus Pen....

I think many pros and amateurs have been looking for a compact that can match an SLR's output... usually we would want this for a snapshot at functions or gatherings, where you don't want to lug a huge SLR along... I always wanted that, but with compacts having hopeless high ISO IQ and unable to balance low light background with flash, it was always the SLR that won the day...

 

[TME]

The sample picture gallery on dpreview look quite good actually... and that's a pre-production sample... perhaps there will be better firmware... high ISO performance is one issue that must be good... at least up to ISO1600... don't care for higher... the high ISO performance must preserve detail, colour and keep out colour noise... hope they get it right the first time around... might even ditch my A900 for such a camera if it can cover the same focal range with the level of detail that an A700 can capture...

 

[wongjunhao]

Sony a350 and a Olympus tough 6000 as a supplement.

Reason: waterproof + shockproof. It's pool time!

 

[Atarandas]

I've gone through 3 compacts to find a perfect companion... and failed... I tried the Casio VX-7. It was a utter failure... very poor IQ, often blur pictures... too fiddily... then I bought the SONY W300 which looked like a perfect compact. In many ways, it is a very good compact. Highly recommended in fact. BUT, the lens starts at 38mm, too long for me... also the camera is too small for its good, quite tough for my fat fingers to get at the small buttons... so the hunt continued... and I picked up a Panasonic TZ-5, 28-200mm... 720P video with zooming capability... sounded almost too good to be true... hahaha... well, the IQ wasn't too good either... otherwise it has been my second camera so to speak...

The new Olympus Digital Pen camera looks really good... small, interchangeable lens, large enough sensor... hmmm... time to jump ship???

Ah looks like E Pen 1 is out , any Sony Bros has intention of using this as a sub system to complement their Alphas ? =)

 

[TME]

Ah looks like E Pen 1 is out , any Sony Bros has intention of using this as a sub system to complement their Alphas ? =)

If the IQ is good enough and the camera's ergonomics good enough, I'll change systems... I think it really has the potential to be revolutionary in terms of how people take pictures...