suggestions for _robust_ compact?

AlanRew · #1 07-23-2006, 02:08 PM

I'm looking for a compact digital camera that will stand daily use without falling to pieces. Most compacts I've handled don't feel up to it.

Apart from the Ricoh GRD (which has had lots of praise), can anyone recommend, from personal experience, a digital compact that has good build quality? Or is this a contradiction in terms?

Thanks in anticipation,

Alan

Tony_Gamble · #2 07-23-2006, 03:01 PM

Alan,

I'll be interested to see what alternatives come up - but suspect that you'll be forced back into considering the Ricoh - or nothing.

Try anything else alongside it on a retailers counter and you'll find nothing so substantial.

Tony
London UK

jlipkin · #3 07-24-2006, 10:49 AM

Alan -

I've been looking for a similar camera as well. I've been missing my old Leica M6 lately. I'm shooting with a 5D and 17-40, which is pretty big and cumbersome. I was trying to find small, high-quality, digital camera that was less obtrusive. I tried to do a little research about the Ricoh, but couldn't find all that much. You say you've heard good things about it - have you seen any reviews? Or has the feedback been personal. I'm a little concerned about the small sensor size, and there's some concern about the autofocusing, though from forums, not actual reviews.

What other cameras have you been considering? Other small slrs? Any of the Panasonics?

In the end, I may just stick a prime on the 5D and use that if I can't find any alternatives.

AndrewCassino · #4 07-24-2006, 04:46 PM

I have a Sony DSC-W1 that has a nice metal body and feels good and solid in the hand. It's survived about 2,000 miles of bicycling through a temperature range from 30-100 degrees F (including a number pretty rough mountain bike excursions and a couple of crashes). It gets carried in a trunk on the rear rack of my bike. It's been on a number of hikes and road trips as well. (In my experience there is nothing like a road trip to cause mechanical failures, due to the vibration). I dropped it in fine red desert sand near Moab to no ill effect... frankly I expected it would have broken by now but it's never missed a beat.

Andrew

Tony_Gamble · #5 07-25-2006, 04:44 AM

"have you seen any reviews? Or has the feedback been personal."

Don't you find it rare to see any review saying that a camera is not much good? A cynic would say that most professional reviewers have too much at stake.

Snag is that lots of non-professional reviewers (surprisingly even in the FredMiranda forum) seem to reviewing the brochure specifications rather than a camera they have gone out to buy and use.

I bought my Ricoh entirely as a result of the pro's and semi pro's who posted on this forum. And the post about the Sony prompted me to look up about it on DPReview - so all fresh ideas are interesting.

Tony

jlipkin · #6 07-25-2006, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony_Gamble

Don't you find it rare to see any review saying that a camera is not much good? A cynic would say that most professional reviewers have too much at stake.

The one "review" I saw of the GRD was from an Adorama employee (the only US supplier)...

I'm going to stop by the store tomorrow and have a look at one in person.

Tony - you have a GRD? Are you happy with the image quality?

Tony_Gamble · #7 07-25-2006, 12:40 PM

"you have a GRD? Are you happy with the image quality?"

Totally. In truth it belongs to my wife.

We took my 350D and her GRD to Venice for a long weekend.

I 'borrowed the GRD to familiarise myself with the controls'

OK who is fooling who?

In the end I did about 200 shots on the GR and a dozen with the 350D.

I have not tried to enlarge up to A3, but up to the A4 I have printed I'd be hard pushed to tell the difference. The only clear weakness is the noise at the higher ASA settings, but who wants to cart around a 350D when you go out to dinner when the GR will slip into a pocket.

Tony