Top end digital compact or entry level DSLR? Help me to decide.

[Hocus Eye.]

ohmyliver

I am glad you are on here. I want to know how what the G9 is like in practice. For example does it have a filter thread on the lens or do you have to buy some slip-on converter ring? Also have you used it in RAW? How noisy is it at 800 ISO?

 

[editor]

"While the lens itself is not threaded, you can add conversion lenses or 58 mm filters by removing the ring around the lens (by pressing the button at the lower-right) and attaching the optional conversion lens adapter."
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_g9-review/

I'd say the biggest drawback of the G9 - and it's a massive one for me - is that the zoom stars at 35mm, and not a more useful 28mm or wider.

 

[Hocus Eye.]

Thanks for that editor. I agree about the zoom, I use the 28mm end on my Ricoh most days.

 

[editor]

Thanks for that editor. I agree about the zoom, I use the 28mm end on my Ricoh most days.

That's the beauty of the GX100: 24mm is sweet!

 

[ohmyliver]

ohmyliver

I am glad you are on here. I want to know how what the G9 is like in practice. For example does it have a filter thread on the lens or do you have to buy some slip-on converter ring? Also have you used it in RAW? How noisy is it at 800 ISO?

To be honest, I only go up to 400 iso, and then fiddle with other settings. I once shot accidentally in 1600 iso and that was very noisy..... I mainly use raw. With lightroom, it is great. To be honest, I wanted something I could carry around, and get used to dlsr thingies like shutter speed, and apature (sp) and the like, so that I could get the feel of if I should upgrade to a dslr in a couple of years time. But, I hate the bulk of a dslr.

Generally, I'm very impressed with it. But then again as I said, I've only used a two mp cameraphone before, and I'm still learning its features. I shot 5 minutes of 320x240 film with it, and was very impressed by that (it does also a 640x480 30fps setting, but that eats memory card, and I only have a solitary 1 gig at the moment)

 

[Hocus Eye.]

Sound as if it is acceptable at 400 ISO and very noisy at 1600 then it will be not good at 800 ISO. That leaves it at about the same as my Ricoh R5.

I do a lot of hand held low-light work. I am not happy with the maximum aperture of the Ricoh which is f/3.3 at the wide angle. The G9 is only about half a stop better at f/2.8 though.

 

[stowpirate]

I think I will give it another year before upgrading; it will be interesting to see what gets produced over this period of time.

In the next year entry level DSLR prices should fall to less than £200. Digital compacts will with luck have some form of wireless connectivity built in. Iso levels will reach dizzy heights and noise levels fall to acceptable levels

 

[krow]

An slr is a bulky thing and taking an slr out is a different ball game to putting a compact in your pocket, the slr takes over your day.

 

[Barking_Mad]

depends why you want one and what you are using it for.

 

[Hocus Eye.]

In the next year entry level DSLR prices should fall to less than £200. Digital compacts will with luck have some form of wireless connectivity built in. Iso levels will reach dizzy heights and noise levels fall to acceptable levels

And pig farmers will be installing runways! I terms of prices, we may have seen the last of relatively cheap cameras. The pound has been strong against far eastern currencies and this is likely to change through the year.