The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Confessions of a small sensor junkie

M

Mitch Alland

Guest
Dear Abbie, I've always been a one-camera girl but now find myself with five, yes, that's five, small sensor cameras. What should I do?

1. I bought the GRD in July 2006 after reading the review by that nice man, Sean.

2. In December 2006 I got the D-Lux-3 because I wanted to be able to shoot at 50mm EFOV.

3. In March 2007 someone on the LUF sold me his V-Lux-3 at a good price and I was attracted by the idea of a 420mm EFOV lens with the DOF of a 90mm one, although I don't use telephoto much.

4. In the last week of August I was in Tokyo where I found the GX100 on sale until the end of the month for about $100 — at that time it was still unclear when a GRD2 would appear.

5. In early December I bought the GRD2.

Although I like the D-Lux-3 — it has a very good lens which seems to be better at the telephoto end than the GX100, and goes to 120mm EFOV rather than to 72mm — I haven't used it since I got the GX100, which is better at ISO 400 and above. Also, the controls are different and confusing to use together with the GRD or GRD2. But somehow I haven't been able to get myself in the frame of mind to sell it.

As for the GRD, at this point, I'm still keeping it for possibly shooting at ISO200, although the 12-14 sec RAW write time, which didn't used to bother me, is difficult to go back to after the GRD2.

The GX100 I'll keep because it's stepped zoom offers great flexibility and it works the same way as the GRD2.

On the V-Lux-3, I'll decide what to do after my trip to Namibia next week, where it looks like I'll have a chance to go to a game park at least for a week.

So, dear Abbie, please advise me what to do...

—Mitch/Bank
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10268776@N00/
 

mwalker

Subscriber Member
Look into the mirror and repeat after me...I like myself, I like myself...its ok

Dr. Phil

keep em all
 
Last edited:

Maggie O

Active member
Mitch, you really should give the D-Lux 3 a chance again- get a Sandisk eXtreme III card for it and shoot RAW. And remember that LightZone's "Midtone Sharpen" is the best friend the D-Lux 3's files have.
 
S

stnami

Guest
........... keep the GRD for sentimental reasons. use the 100 and GRD II..toss the rest to someone who will use them
 

Auni

Member
To: Mitch

From: Abby

You certainly have a problem. First, you have a lot of camera's, and small ones at that... but that is another issue.

Next, I am not sure, but I think that you may be looking "through" your camera's view finders with one side of your brain (creative) and looking "at" your cameras with the other (analytical).

A camera may be one of those materialistic things that is only "better" than another camera if it can inspire it's user to be more creative. It has much less to do with lens abberation and pixels than it does inspiration.

I have a D-Lux 3 as well and I really like it for a lot of reasons. Don't get me wrong here, the Leica is a great camera, but it just never inspired me. That is just me, I'm sure, but it was just too analytical for me.

My new GRII is my new muse. She has inspired me to see the pictures I want to create.

So, keep the GRII, for now, until a new muse comes along... and write me again about your small camera problem. They have little blue pills for that now.
 

Lili

New member
*in best 12 step manner*
Hi Mitch!!
I feel you here.
My GRD is with me all the time, my Pentax K100D with all those lenses scarcely ever leaves the Lowepro bag!
Small sensor convenience, with high quality is addictive.
However I cannot *justify* a GRD II (yet ;) having only got my GRD a couple of months ago.
But I am looking *really* hard at getting a GX100 to compliment my GRD.
I keep telling myself that it would take little more space with better IQ than the GT-1/GH-1!
Yeaaaah, that's it, that's the ticket.........
 
Last edited:

Otto

New member
*in best 12 step manner*
Hi Mitch!!
I feel you here.
My GRD is with me all the time, my Pentax K100D with all those lenses scarcely ever leaves the Lowepro bag!
Small sensor convenience, with high quality is addictive.
However I cannot *justify* a GRD II (yet ;) having only got my GRD a couple of months ago.
But I am looking *really* hard at getting a GX100 to compliment my GRD.
I keep telling myself that it would take little more space with better IQ than the GT-1/GH-1!
Yeaaaah, that's it, that's the ticket.........
And, of course, it's barely more than the cost of an average lens for your Pentax. :D
 
7

7ian7

Guest
Based on how you describe your relationship to them, I say the Leicas you mention can go, and eventually you might consider upgrading to an updated GX(200?) to complement your GRD2.

It's strange how certain perfectly good cameras inspire no "emotional connection" and others, despite their annoying quirks and shortcomings, seem so much a part of the mythology and history of our personal photographic adventures.

I have a more emotional connection to my Ricoh than to any Canon dSLR I've owned. Go figure.
 

Otto

New member
Lili, that's a cool shot with some of the Big D in the background. I recognize it since my Son lives there.

Good luck with your decision. You guys have me lusting for a Ricoh now, as well.

Good shooting,
Otto...
 

Lili

New member
Lili, that's a cool shot with some of the Big D in the background. I recognize it since my Son lives there.

Good luck with your decision. You guys have me lusting for a Ricoh now, as well.

Good shooting,
Otto...

Thank you Otto! I have not regretted getting my GRD even though the GRDII came out a month later.
It is my constant companion, my sketchbook if you will :)
 

Robert Campbell

Well-known member
OTOH, a more reasoned response is to consider your needs, and what type of photography you do now/expect to do in the future.

Two or three cameras with the same controls are easier to master than if they all work differently.

If the RAW write of the GRD now annoys you, even if it didn't before, then it will continue to annoy; the problem of using high ISO on the GRD II can be overcome - albeit it as a workaround - by using a neutral density filter with the adaptor thingy.

If you don't use telephotos, why have a camera with this ability? Perhaps to use on holidays - you won't find it easy to photograph the lions from a jeep with a 28mm.

If you have two different cameras, but with overlapping abilities, then why do you need both?

Do you need the baht?

I think you more or less answered your questions.

Regards

Bertie
 
W

wbrandsma

Guest
Hi Mitch,

I am suprised :shocked:. Despite your minimalistic photographic style you have maximised your photographic instruments. You can use only one camera at a time. Maybe you should leave a camera in Paris, a camera in Thailand and take another camera with you wherever you go!

I have had only two digital cameras. An Olympus C4000z and the Ricoh GX100. I had the Oly since 2004 and the Ricoh since last June. I will not sell the Oly though. My son can learn photography with that camera. I will probably replace the Ricoh around 2009/2010 when Ricoh launches there long awaited RF camera :rolleyes:.

But I do have a small collection of 12 older cameras like two Pentax, two Praktica, one Agfa Click I and two beautiful Agfa Ambiflex cameras. I especially adore the Ambiflex. My grandfather used those to make his living with these cameras.

I hope you find peace with your photography belongings.
 

simonclivehughes

Active member
Mitch,

So that we don't lead any newcomers astray, I think you meant the V-Lux 1, rather than V-Lux 3 in your original post?

BTW, I'm still happy using my D-Lux 2, complete with CV 28/35mm minifinder, at least when looking for something smaller than my M8s.

Cheers,

Simon
 
Top