Ph digital compacts and RAW

Paul Saunders said:

But I'm drifting off the point...

Didn't you ever! :-)

Quoted message said:

Interestingly, the LX1 can be found for £380 if you shop around.

Or a little less
http://www.pricerunner.co.uk/photography/digital-cameras/454708/prices

Of course if simply must have a red dot you could get the LX-1's Leica
twin.
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/photo/digicameras/leica.html?cd=10511016#dlux2
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

sandy saunders said:

Paul .....

Hi Sandy.

Paul

Very appropriate to return with a response to a camera question Paul.

--
sandy saunders @ www.thewalkzone.co.uk
email: saunders.sandy at ntlworld.com

'Mountains or Mole Hills ... summiting still
brings the same excitement'

theo said:

Is this really you Paul ?
The lenght of the message, ok.
Quoting in between, ok.
Photography, ok.

Yep, sounds like me.

Quoted message said:

Not taking an enormous amount of photography gear., no way :-)

I seem to be diversifying more these days, making different gear choices for
each trip rather than sticking to the same set of gear each time. I should
clarify my desire for a lightweight camera, it's for those occasions where
the walking is more important than the photography (yeah I know, that's
pretty rare).

Basically it's the difference between base camping and backpacking. On my
usual "photo" trips I tend to do base camping, which involves a shortish
walk to a good viewpoint, where I'll stay for a few days, doing short walks
around the area from the base camp, so I can carry a lot more gear.

Now that I've got much lighter walking gear, I'm planning to do more proper
backpacking - walking longer distances and camping in different spots each
night, carrying all the gear all the time. That's what I need the
ultra-light camera for, especially in winter when the camping gear is
heavier. Naturally on these trips the walking will take precedence, but
I'll still need a reasonably capable camera. You can think of it like an
SAS raid behind enemy lines, as opposed to a frontal assault with the whole
army!

So don't think for one moment that I'll be leaving all my DSLR gear at home
every time I go camping, it'll simply depend on the type of trip and the
likely weather conditions. If the weather is likely to be bad, I'll plan
for more sheltered campsites (good viewpoints tend to be quite exposed) and
the photographic possibilities will be far fewer, so an ultra-light camera
would be ideal for that situation. That's also when the S70 with underwater
case would be ideal. I don't just want a lightweight camera, I want a bad
weather camera.

The other advantage to having an ultralight is that I could carry it with me
all the time, wherever I go. I'm not in the habit of taking my DSLR to
Tesco! But on a recent visit I saw an excellent photo opportunity, which I
may have been able to grab if I'd had a camera in my shirt pocket.

Also, I'll be able to carry the ultralight *in addition* to my DSLR gear,
for use as a snap camera and a video camera. When my DSLR has the ultrawide
lens on it, attached to the tripod and set to a slow shutter speed with
mirror lock engaged, my "snap" capability is effectively zero, so if an
unexpected photo opportunity appears in those conditions, I'll miss it if I
don't have a second camera at the ready.

At the other extreme, I've recently bought a new wide-angle lens for my
Mamiya Press 6x9 camera, so I'm carrying even more gear on some of my walks
now! But I won't be taking that backpacking! :-)

Quoted message said:

*Heavier* winter trips, no way.

Relatively speaking! Remember that I'm using much lighter camping gear now,
so I can carry my DSLR gear quite comfortably. But next time I'll need to
take the heavier tent, the heavier sleeping bag, more clothing, etc.

Quoted message said:

This spring you've broken all your bones, were immobilized in
hospital and were impossible to walk or even use a computer. You also
lost your memory and it's all coming back now.

LOL!

Paul

Chris Street said:

Welcome back Mr Saunders.....

Who says I'm back? ;-)

Paul

Andy Howell said:

I rather like the idea of one of the new digital Leicas.
Unfortunately, I don't like the price!

Assuming you are talking about the Panasonic version, it doesn't seem too
bad to me. There's a lot of good features crammed in there. I paid a lot
more for my G3 a few years back, and this is way better.

Paul

Phil Cook said:

Quoted message said:

Interestingly, the LX1 can be found for £380 if you shop around.

Or a little less
http://www.pricerunner.co.uk/photography/digital-cameras/454708/prices

Oh yes, thanks for that Phil. I think I did see that but forgot about it.

Quoted message said:

Of course if simply must have a red dot you could get the LX-1's Leica
twin.
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/photo/digicameras/leica.html?cd=10511016#dlux2

At that price? Same camera though, innit?

Paul

sandy saunders said:

Very appropriate to return with a response to a camera question Paul.

Well I thought I'd be consistent. I noticed a few GPS arguments during a
recent lurk, but I thought "why bother?"

Paul

Paul Saunders said:

Chris Street said:

Welcome back Mr Saunders.....

Who says I'm back? ;-)

Paul

This figment of your imagination.

PS - Got a 5D sat on my desk at the moment....:-)

Chris Street said:

Quoted message said:

Who says I'm back? ;-)

This figment of your imagination.

I suppose I'd better defer to my figment then.

Quoted message said:

PS - Got a 5D sat on my desk at the moment....:-)

Grrr... :-(

Paul

Paul Saunders said:

Chris Street said:

Welcome back Mr Saunders.....

Who says I'm back? ;-)

Paul

Welcome home.
--

Paul Rooney

Paul Saunders said:

sandy saunders said:

Very appropriate to return with a response to a camera question Paul.

Well I thought I'd be consistent. I noticed a few GPS arguments during a
recent lurk, but I thought "why bother?"

Paul

Be honest. You're an addict!

I remember the first night I started back on the whisky....

--

Paul Rooney

Paul Rooney said:

Be honest. You're an addict!

Photo addict?

Paul

Paul Saunders said:

Paul Rooney said:

Be honest. You're an addict!

Photo addict?

Paul

Maybe - have you updated your website lately? You must have some nice
new pics to put there!

Anyway, I'm pi**ed off with this weather, so I'm off to Spain for a
while.

See you when I return.
--

Paul Rooney

Paul Rooney said:

Maybe - have you updated your website lately?

No, still can't access it. Still haven't got around to getting a new web
host either.

Quoted message said:

You must have some nice
new pics to put there!

Yep. I've got some other webspace I can use in the meantime, so I could use
that for now.

Quoted message said:

Anyway, I'm pi**ed off with this weather, so I'm off to Spain for a
while.

Enjoy.

Quoted message said:

See you when I return.

What makes you think I'll be here? ;-)

Paul

Paul Saunders said:

Paul Rooney said:

Maybe - have you updated your website lately?

No, still can't access it. Still haven't got around to getting a new web
host either.

There must be someone around here who'd do it cheap (-:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You must have some nice
new pics to put there!

Yep. I've got some other webspace I can use in the meantime, so I could use
that for now.

It would be good to see what you've been up to, photographically
speaking.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Anyway, I'm pi**ed off with this weather, so I'm off to Spain for a
while.

Enjoy.

Quoted message said:

See you when I return.

What makes you think I'll be here? ;-)

Experience!

Otoh, I might not return!
Emigration to drier climes is under discussion at the moment.
Is the greenness of spring and early summer really worth it for all we
have to put up with for the rest of the year? I'm very, very tempted
to make waterproofs a relic.
--

Paul Rooney

Paul Saunders said:

Chris Street said:

Quoted message said:

Who says I'm back? ;-)

This figment of your imagination.

I suppose I'd better defer to my figment then.

Quoted message said:

PS - Got a 5D sat on my desk at the moment....:-)

Grrr... :-(

It's not actually worht the money TBH. I like my lightweight lenses and the
5D offers nothing over the 20D for what I do.....

Hence it's going back since it was only on approval...

Paul Rooney said:

It would be good to see what you've been up to, photographically
speaking.

Okay, I'll knock something up soon.

Quoted message said:

Otoh, I might not return!
Emigration to drier climes is under discussion at the moment.

I don't have a problem with drier, but I do with hotter.

Quoted message said:

Is the greenness of spring and early summer really worth it for all we
have to put up with for the rest of the year?

Shouldn't that be "are the wonderful autumn colours and crisp, clear winter
days really worth it for that awful insect ridden heat that we have to put
up with ever summer?"

Paul

Chris Street said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

PS - Got a 5D sat on my desk at the moment....:-)

Grrr... :-(

It's not actually worht the money TBH.

I agree it's a tad expensive, but surely the high res is great?

Quoted message said:

I like my lightweight lenses
and the 5D offers nothing over the 20D for what I do.....

So you don't plan to make large prints then?

I'm hoping the next generation of the 20D/350D series will offer a nice
resolution improvement which won't be too far off the 5D, but they may be
holding back for a while so that they can sell a few more 5Ds first.

Quoted message said:

Hence it's going back since it was only on approval...

Ah well, but surely the high res was nice?

Paul

Paul Saunders said:

Paul Rooney said:

It would be good to see what you've been up to, photographically
speaking.

Okay, I'll knock something up soon.

Good man!

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Otoh, I might not return!
Emigration to drier climes is under discussion at the moment.

I don't have a problem with drier, but I do with hotter.

Me too, but it's something that you can get used to.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Is the greenness of spring and early summer really worth it for all we
have to put up with for the rest of the year?

Shouldn't that be "are the wonderful autumn colours and crisp, clear winter
days really worth it for that awful insect ridden heat that we have to put
up with ever summer?"

We have heat? Here? I must have slept through it!

I do like the variation in our weather but it's just so bloody wet too
much of the time. And my camera isn't even waterproof! Nor are my
binocs, for that matter.

I reckon I might be able to get a similar variation if I'm between the
Sierra Nevada and the coast - just travel a few miles north or south
to adjust the temperature.
--

Paul Rooney