Digital compacts

[ivan muller]

Hi,
I have just compared my old nikon p5000 to a P5100, and frankly I think there is virtually no diffrence between the two at low iso's. In fact the old one looks slightly better than the replacement. I have sold the p5000 and borrowed a p5100 until I get something new. I am keen to get a G9(for the Raw files and faster focussing etc.)

My question is, should I buy one now or wait for a G10?(or the rumouredP6000), with more megapixels and more noise etc etc. ? Perhaps what I can get now is as good as it is going get.

What possible benifits would a new camera have, balanced with the inevitable increase in pixels and a decrease in quality?

Thanks, Ivan

[Larry Berman]

Until the camera is released and reviewed, you won't know if there's a decrease in image quality. But if rumors are true, it will have a wider (28mm) lens which will be a major selling point for those photographers who prefer wider in a point and shoot. I personally will never purchase a small format camera that starts at 35mm.

What possible benifits would a new camera have, balanced with the inevitable increase in pixels and a decrease in quality?

[ivan muller]

Hi,

You have a point. I have thought long and hard about that wider than 35mm lens. One of my favourite film cameras was the Hexar, with a 35mm, and my contax g1 had a 28mm but the lens I used most was the 45mm! So Perhaps I am not really a wide lens guy. On my ZD my favourite lens is the 50mm shift, the rest including the 35mm stays in the bag. What I do need is faster focussing and capture. The g9 has a pathetic viewfinder but I wondered if it will work if I use an external 35mm viewfinder, a la leica?  That will be great for clear and easy framing. Has anyone tried something like that?

Regards, Ivan

[Larry Berman]

I use a 28/35 Voigtlander viewfinder on my Ricoh GRD and it has amazing clarity. I don't know anything about the G9, though I do have a SD870 which I've had converted for infrared.