The P7700 goes to Venice!

[vieri]

Hello everyone, I just posted my impressions on the P7700 on my blog HERE! It's a very nice little camera packing a lot of punch in a small enough package. Here some images:











the rest in the review. Enjoy!

[Steen]

Nice review, Vieri, and I like the images a lot, they look absolutely great - perhaps especially due to the photographer, I suspect

If only the camera had a viewfinder I would probably buy one for my wife who needs a new handbag camera.


Could you please tell me a bit about your considerations when choosing it - whether it be for size, or for IQ, or for buttons, knobs and handling in general - over other choices like:


• Sony RX100 (larger sensor)

• Canon G1-X (much larger sensor and at least a lousy little optical tunnel viewfinder)

• Nikon 1 V1 / V2 (larger sensor, electronic viewfinder and even interchangeable lenses)

• etc.

[vieri]

Hello Steen,

thank you very much, i am glad you enjoyed the writing and the pictures!

About your questions:
- Viewfinder, indeed I would have liked one, if you are talking about an EVF; the old P7100 which I tried as well had an optical one, and as much as I like RF cameras and optical viewfinder on real cameras the one featured on the P7100 (or the Canon Gxx series) is a joke, so I am glad they saved space by taking it out. That said, they could envision the possibility of an external EVF, seeing that the camera has an hot-shoe, and I am a bit disappointed they didn't. However, the rear screen is very very good and I didn't find usability to be much hindered by the lack of a viewfinderl

- Why the P7700 and not any other out of the cameras you list? Well, basically they are all very good alternatives, but they all lack something that I needed; specifically:

1. Sony RX100:
- CONS: lack of pro external controls vs the P7700's; much shorter focal length; much slower lens at equivalent focal length (f4.9 at 100 mm vs f4 at 200mm); fixed LCD screen; lack of flash hot-shoe; not possible to use filters; built-in flash doesn't serve as commander for external flashes; much more expensive ($648 at BH vs $399 for the P7700);
- PROS: slightly bigger sensor, smaller & lighter;
2. Canon GX-1:
- CONS: bulkier & heavier (nearly 50% heavier!); shorter focal length; MUCH slower lens (f2.8 vs f2 at the wide end, f5.8 at 112mm for the Canon vs f4 at 200mm for the Nikon!); not possible to use filters without buying filter adapter; built-in flash doesn't serve as commander for external flashes; much more expensive ($599 at BH vs $399 for the P7700);
- PROS: much bigger sensor;
3. Nikon V2:
- CONS: bulkier when lens attached; need either one very big and heavy lens or various lenses to cover the same range as the P7700 and they all are slower than the P7700's, bulkier to carry around thus defeating compact camera purpose for me; lack of pro external controls vs the P7700's; built-in flash doesn't serve as commander (need optional accessory; much more expensive ($746 BODY ONLY at BH vs $399 for the P7700);
- PROS: bigger sensor; flexibility in lens changes, but lack of equivalent or better lens than the P7700's;

So this was my rationale for choosing the P7700 as a all-rounder to bring along on the side of my Sigma DP1 Merrill, DP2 Merrill and newly ordered DP3 Merrill. With the P7700 I get more range, a faster lens, I can use filters, I get a commander for my Speedlights if needed, a tilting screen, plenty of external controls (more than a pro DSLR, in fact, considering direct exposure compensation access!). Of all the cameras above, probably only the G1-x or the Canon G15 would be possible alternatives; the Sony RX-100 is a wonderful compact, but in a different category of cameras; the Nikon V2 I am sure is a wonderful camera system, but in a different category.

To me, Nikon with the P7700 finally after too many botched attempts got it right in the serious compact segment: a very good camera at any price, but really a lot of bang for your buck considering what it offers and the price it offers it at. Only thing that is really missing is an external EVF. Of course, this is just my opinion in relation to what I needed it for, your needing and therefore your solution may of course be different

Thanks again for reading my review and commenting!

[Steen]

Thanks a lot, Vieri, good food for thought, and your analysis makes a lot of sense.

I for one hope we will in a not too distant future see a Nikon P7800 or a Sony RX200 with a built-in electronic viewfinder

[ptomsu]

Originally Posted by Steen

Thanks a lot, Vieri, good food for thought, and your analysis makes a lot of sense.

I for one hope we will in a not too distant future see a Nikon P7800 or a Sony RX200 with a built-in electronic viewfinder

Same from my side! If this camera gets an EVF I will have one!

[vieri]

Originally Posted by Steen

Thanks a lot, Vieri, good food for thought, and your analysis makes a lot of sense.

I for one hope we will in a not too distant future see a Nikon P7800 or a Sony RX200 with a built-in electronic viewfinder

Originally Posted by ptomsu

Same from my side! If this camera gets an EVF I will have one!

Thank you guys, I am glad you enjoyed the review. Indeed, to me the biggest "miss" on the P7700 features list is an (optional) EVF: just give me one of these little "a la Olympus" or "a la Leica" external EVFs, with 120fps (60 would do too, barely) and the camera would become an instant classic

[ZoranC]

Originally Posted by vieri

Here some images:

I _love_ colors in these images! Would you mind sharing your settings/postprocessing, please?

[vieri]

Originally Posted by ZoranC

I _love_ colors in these images! Would you mind sharing your settings/postprocessing, please?

Hello Zoran,

well, a big part is the great light in Venice! Other than that, levels, hue-saturation, some secret sauce and there you go