David Hughes
David Hughes
More like expensive and unneeded extras. Titanium coloured finish, pigskin or snakeskin covering, circle of diamond, rubies etc around the logo and so on.
Shirt buttons are necessary, half sovereigns as buttons are luxury.
Regards, David
unixrevolution
Well-known
Yes, we will... but they will not be as elegant or as cheap as their film counterparts. I think the Sony RX1R MKII shows that it is possible.
Kent
Finally at home...
I think we also look at those elegant premium compact cameras with some sort of nostalgia and romanticisation. Of course, they were/are fascinating and some amazingly beautiful cameras, but some of the modern digital cameras also look pretty good and offer a more thn decent photography experience ...
fireblade
Vincenzo.
robert blu
quiet photographer
I think you guys keep missing the OP's criteria... "Will there ever be a digital T3, with pocketable titanium body, full frame sensor and great lens?"
rbsinto
Well-known
"If you build it, they will spend."
There will always be people with more money and ego than brains.
The ones who don't wear "watches", but rather "timepieces", and don't drive "cars", but instead "automobiles", and so on.
Robert
There will always be people with more money and ego than brains.
The ones who don't wear "watches", but rather "timepieces", and don't drive "cars", but instead "automobiles", and so on.
Robert
unixrevolution
Well-known
Fair point, but I don't think a camera needs to be a "luxury" camera to be full frame.
I'm waiting for the pocketable full frame digital compact. We took full frame for granted in the film days, because mostly it was. But now digital has problems scaling to the small end.
I don't care about the titanium body or Ostrich Leather surfaces, or a fancy name or a wood grip or a polished-amber shutter button. A FF pocket digital camera would be a wonderful thing.
Here's the reason why a Pocket FF is probably not on the top of any manufacturer's list though:
Back in the film days, negative size was directly linked to print size. You needed 35mm negatives to get 4x6's back of good quality from the printers. But with digital sensors, the native format of the sensor doesn't matter, as far as getting your pictures printed, or uploaded, or whatever.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
The Leica X, X2, Q, Ricoh GR-D, Sony R1, and a few others like them are today's "luxury compacts".
G
G
Nobody said they needed to be. The OP was referencing FF cameras like the Contax T2 or T3, the Nikon 28 / 35Ti, and the Leica Minilux. They were a new type of camera when released (I know, I bought them when released) and were certainly luxury compacts when released. The OP is just hoping to see something similar in the FF compact realm. Right now, there is only one FF compact that fits the bill and it is $4000... the Sony RX1R II. It certainly is a luxury camera, but does not feel like one.
Archiver
Mentor
Thank you for understanding my criteria. The RX1r II is currently the closest thing to what I'm hoping to see in the future, and you're right in that it is a luxury camera but doesn't feel like one. I'm not after ostrich feathers or a Patagonian vole skin half case. I would love to see a full frame, pocketable camera that is gorgeously designed and built to last.
Leica are the most likely to make something like this. Ironically, Sony are the second most likely.
Oly/Pana are fully invested in micro four thirds sensors and are unlikely to venture out of that field in the forseeable future. Nikon had a crack at an aps-c compact with the Coolpix A, which was quietly discontinued and nothing more heard. Canon are firmly entrenched in protecting their established lines, and only innovate in response to heavy market demand. Ricoh make two or three cameras, with only one aimed at photographers. Sigma is smoking crack with their Quattro body designs.
I'm about to go out now with a Contax T3 in the bag alongside the Sigma DP2. Dream time.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
I can't believe that, considering the amount of time you have been at RFF, you would assume that a thread could possibly stay entirely on topic.
This ain't the national library old mate!
jazzwave
Well-known
CMIIW, a Luxury compact in digital era :
1. Full frame sensor
2. Pocketable
3. 16-24MP (or more)
4. Titanium Body (do we really need this metal?)
5. Price more than $1500
6. Incredible lens (compare to other compacts)
7. feel free to add other parameter...
I think Sony RX1 and Leica Q (you can insert this camera to jacket or cargo pants pocket) can be considered as Luxury compact camera.
The second line (APSc) are : Sigma DP series, Sony RX100, Ricoh GR, FujiX70, Leica T.
~ron~
1. Full frame sensor
2. Pocketable
3. 16-24MP (or more)
4. Titanium Body (do we really need this metal?)
5. Price more than $1500
6. Incredible lens (compare to other compacts)
7. feel free to add other parameter...
I think Sony RX1 and Leica Q (you can insert this camera to jacket or cargo pants pocket) can be considered as Luxury compact camera.
The second line (APSc) are : Sigma DP series, Sony RX100, Ricoh GR, FujiX70, Leica T.
~ron~
uhoh7
Mentor
David Hughes
David Hughes
I don't think it's so much a matter of criteria but one of definition.
Try as I may I can't see a decent lens and so on as a luxury. To me luxury will always be something added that's not needed except for showing off or wasting money.
Regards, David
Try as I may I can't see a decent lens and so on as a luxury. To me luxury will always be something added that's not needed except for showing off or wasting money.
Regards, David
burancap
Mentor
While I do agree with the logic landing on the RX1, I also do see merit with your point. To that end, I would overlook the Hasselblad Stellar and shoot for the Moon! Have you seen the prices asked (keyword) for a used Lunar???
uhoh7
Mentor
Luxury can mean different things, and have negative connotations. But the OP is talking in terms of Luxury=very high quality and finish.
So the M240 in those terms is a luxury camera, though not a compact, and neither in my mind is the Leica Q compact, except in relation to bigger cameras. The Q does not easily fit in many pockets.
As to the RX1rii:
The perfect should not be the enemy of the good. It is an incredible camera. Period. It is the best compact camera ever made by anyone bar none. In fact there is nothing else remotely close. It has probably the sweetest 35 lens ever made. I have 6 35s. 4 for the M9 and 2 great famous SLR 35s. None I prefer to this one. And close focus is 14cm. You are not going to do that with an 8 element cron v1 LOL, not that would not like a copy of that lens
Yes the MF could be done better, and it should be weather proof, and the lens is stupidly large in outside diameter, and the batteries are eaten like popcorn. It is not perfect.
But it is way beyond good.
No edit here from uncompressed RAW ISO 6400 and no noise reduction.
DSC00801 by unoh7, on Flickr
The files are huge like 80mb. The payoff is unbelievable ability to deal with highlights and shadows. I've never seen anything like it.
I was struggling with using the various AF modes and methods and getting input on how to use them. Jeff Kott at FM came to the rescue and boiled it down:
"I have a very simplistic approach to focusing my RX1Rii.
If I'm going to be shooting people, focus area is set to wide with Face Detect on with continuous AF. Done.
AEL button is set to Eye AF and when I'm at portrait distance I use Eye AF. If it can't lock on an eye, it defaults to Face Detect.
For shots without people, I use AF-S, flexible spot medium for all distances short of infinity. For infinity, I switch to Manual Focus and use focus magnification to nail infinity focus.
That's it. "
5 days in, with Jeff and other's help the RX1rii is much more fun to use, and absolutely deadly. There is no better digital 35 at any size, let alone a compact, in terms of image quality.
My hair dresser snapped this, using Jeff's method:
DSC00758-2 by unoh7, on Flickr
Could the RX1rii be better? What camera could not, and especially, what ground breaking camera could not?
For all the imperfections, this is the real thing, and the only digital "real thing" in compact form. Take a lesson, Leica. Improve it.
Barnack would have one of these, were he alive today, I promise you.
Oh, and did I mention: you cannot hear the shutter? That and it's very small size means the camera is disarming to it's subjects who have no idea the amount of technology pointed at them
I sort of wish all this were not the case, as I must return the camera at some point and do not have the money for one.
It's a luxury I can't afford
So the M240 in those terms is a luxury camera, though not a compact, and neither in my mind is the Leica Q compact, except in relation to bigger cameras. The Q does not easily fit in many pockets.
As to the RX1rii:
The perfect should not be the enemy of the good. It is an incredible camera. Period. It is the best compact camera ever made by anyone bar none. In fact there is nothing else remotely close. It has probably the sweetest 35 lens ever made. I have 6 35s. 4 for the M9 and 2 great famous SLR 35s. None I prefer to this one. And close focus is 14cm. You are not going to do that with an 8 element cron v1 LOL, not that would not like a copy of that lens
Yes the MF could be done better, and it should be weather proof, and the lens is stupidly large in outside diameter, and the batteries are eaten like popcorn. It is not perfect.
But it is way beyond good.
No edit here from uncompressed RAW ISO 6400 and no noise reduction.
DSC00801 by unoh7, on Flickr
The files are huge like 80mb. The payoff is unbelievable ability to deal with highlights and shadows. I've never seen anything like it.
I was struggling with using the various AF modes and methods and getting input on how to use them. Jeff Kott at FM came to the rescue and boiled it down:
"I have a very simplistic approach to focusing my RX1Rii.
If I'm going to be shooting people, focus area is set to wide with Face Detect on with continuous AF. Done.
AEL button is set to Eye AF and when I'm at portrait distance I use Eye AF. If it can't lock on an eye, it defaults to Face Detect.
For shots without people, I use AF-S, flexible spot medium for all distances short of infinity. For infinity, I switch to Manual Focus and use focus magnification to nail infinity focus.
That's it. "
5 days in, with Jeff and other's help the RX1rii is much more fun to use, and absolutely deadly. There is no better digital 35 at any size, let alone a compact, in terms of image quality.
My hair dresser snapped this, using Jeff's method:
DSC00758-2 by unoh7, on Flickr
Could the RX1rii be better? What camera could not, and especially, what ground breaking camera could not?
For all the imperfections, this is the real thing, and the only digital "real thing" in compact form. Take a lesson, Leica. Improve it.
Barnack would have one of these, were he alive today, I promise you.
Oh, and did I mention: you cannot hear the shutter? That and it's very small size means the camera is disarming to it's subjects who have no idea the amount of technology pointed at them
I sort of wish all this were not the case, as I must return the camera at some point and do not have the money for one.
It's a luxury I can't afford
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
Well, yes and no.
Lots of words have different meanings but I think that the context is what decides the meanings. And here we are talking about a tool used for a specific job.
So if the tool does the job it's OK and if it's gold plated and encrusted with diamond and emeralds it's the silly luxury version.
The trouble is that some equate luxury with expensive and so the wicked shopkeepers encourage them and others equate luxury with doing the job properly when compared with the mass market version of the tool/camera.
I'm quite happy with a lens that produces an accurate image without any distortion, I don't call that luxury but a lot do. Perhaps we should say properly designed and made instead of luxury and second rate instead of normal quality.
But that's just my 2d worth.
Regards, David