Coolpix A

Archiver said:
And this is a big reason why I've accumulated so much gear. Fortunately, better image quality and richer features are beginning to reach more and more camera size levels.
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so what do you do with all these cameras, do you have them hanging around?

to be honest when i initially saw the camera i was put off but now thinking about the small compact size and that it is easy to use, i am slightly interested, however like everyone else put off by the price. if this drops down to ~$600 level, it would be pretty irresistible.
 
I haven't read every post in this thread so apologies in advance if all this has already been covered but

a) I agree the price is too high but will surely fall to saner levels

b) the small size is great (IMO)

c) if it had a built-in EVF in like the NEX-6 the price would be easier to swallow (and it would be easier to hand-hold at lower shutter speeds), but might eliminate b)

c) f/2.8 with no VR is a total show-stopper for me - this is something I just do not get. Nikon has so many excellent stabilized lenses, Canon has just released 3 stabilized WA primes, and VR extends the shooting versatility so much it's difficult to understand why it was not included

For the way I shoot I find 28mm a bit too wide for a fixed-lens camera (unless it was a lot less expensive) and would have preferred 35mm, but if it had the 24MP APS-C sensor you could crop it to 35mm EFOV and still have 16.6MP...

Despite all my misgivings, if it had a 35mm equivalent VR lens I would consider it even at the intro price and without an EVF. I shoot a lot of static stuff in low light and this kind of setup would be ideal (for me)
 
FA Limited said:
so what do you do with all these cameras, do you have them hanging around?

to be honest when i initially saw the camera i was put off but now thinking about the small compact size and that it is easy to use, i am slightly interested, however like everyone else put off by the price. if this drops down to ~$600 level, it would be pretty irresistible.
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I have most of them, but others have been given to close family members. Lucky them, they get cameras like the Canon G7, G10 and S90 as hand-me-downs! But I still have cameras like the DP1, DP2 etc because they are quirky enough to be ill-fitting for non-enthusiast consumption, but deliver the goods when it comes to image quality.
 
ssmc said:
c) f/2.8 with no VR is a total show-stopper for me - this is something I just do not get. Nikon has so many excellent stabilized lenses, Canon has just released 3 stabilized WA primes, and VR extends the shooting versatility so much it's difficult to understand why it was not included
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It also kills battery life too right? In a small camera, that may be a concern. The bottom line is that f/2.8 and ISO 3200 is pretty versatile for a pocket cam.
 
jsrockit said:
It also kills battery life too right? In a small camera, that may be a concern. The bottom line is that f/2.8 and ISO 3200 is pretty versatile for a pocket cam.
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I also wonder though - why do people "need"/want VR or IS in a wide angle lens?

I could understand if this was an 85mm f1.4 on a full frame sensor but at, say, f3.5 or f4 on a 28mm you're basically getting everything in focus anyway.

The image quality (while this is not the ONLY factor in choosing any camera) and noise is good at ISO1600 and, I will make a guess, likely at ISO3200 as well. So unless you "need" to shoot at ISO200 in low low low light, I'm not sure I get the reasoning for VR/IS.

Maybe I'm missing something on that because I have always questioned why it is needed in wide/ultra wide angle lenses.

Cheers,
Dave
 
Just thought I'd add...Anders Petersen never pushes 400ISO film and he does all his work now with a 35/2.8 lens and a little flash (Contax T3).

So, maybe complaining about f2.8 is a bit *lazy* :D

Nobody take it personally...I'm tend to be lazy. Just pointing out that you can street-shoot all day long with f2.8 lenses. Daido Moriyama rarely pushed his 400ISO film either. His Ricoh has an f1.8 lens I believe, but most of his stuff is not razor-thin DoF.
 
jsrockit said:
I always forget that people like to do video...that may be the concern now that I give it more thought.
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Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Ya..

That make sense - but I would rarely use any of my cameras for video..that's what my phone is for :D :D :D :D :D

Cheers,
Dave
 
Actually the film GR1 is a 2.8 lens as well, it's only the GRD that has the 1.9.

But your point is well taken especially as all these digitals claim ridiculously high ISOs that you'd never shoot film at.

David_Manning said:
Nobody take it personally...I'm tend to be lazy. Just pointing out that you can street-shoot all day long with f2.8 lenses. Daido Moriyama rarely pushed his 400ISO film either. His Ricoh has an f1.8 lens I believe, but most of his stuff is not razor-thin DoF.
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I guess it really depends on what you want and *expect* this camera to do for you, right?

If you want or need a dSLR replacement or a travel camera, the Coolpix A won't do it. If you need a creative street-shooter, it's a big step in the right direction. I think the fixed 28-equivalent lens is the big clue here. As a compact street-shooter, it's going to be great, but pricey. As a full-featured camera, not so much.

That's actually why I'd still prefer my Sony RX100...the best combination so far, I think.
 
David_Manning said:
I guess it really depends on what you want and *expect* this camera to do for you, right?

If you want or need a dSLR replacement or a travel camera, the Coolpix A won't do it. If you need a creative street-shooter, it's a big step in the right direction. I think the fixed 28-equivalent lens is the big clue here. As a compact street-shooter, it's going to be great, but pricey. As a full-featured camera, not so much.

That's actually why I'd still prefer my Sony RX100...the best combination so far, I think.
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That "horses for courses" saying comes to mind here - I would agree - that's how I would look at this camera (just as I looked at the GRD series) - for just walking around street shooting (I looked at the Fuji Klasse W the same way).

There's no way the Coolpix A will be for everyone; but all the regulars here, I think, can freely admit that when it comes to cameras, there certainly is no "one ring to rule them all" :D

Cheers,
Dave
 
Three for black then. The silver does not look as good as I thought it would in this image:

002.jpg
 
Now that you mention it - I think I would opt for black too but add the CV finder (at less of a cost than the Nikon finder) :D

Dave
 
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