Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/01/10

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Subject: RE: [Leica] [LEICA] Do you like your P&S?
From: "Vozeh, Colin" <colin@longitude.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 09:01:12 -0500

If you can deal with always having a wide-angle lens, then check out the
Ricoh GR-1.  It has lots of manual controls including aperture priority,
exposure compensation between -2 and +2 in half-stops via a dial on top of
the camera (not the stupid button system on the minilux), and it even tells
you the shutter speed and focus distance in the viewfinder display. Very
nice 28mm F2.8 lens, too.  It's got a unique film loading system, too - when
you load the film, it unwinds it all the way.  This way, when you take a
shot, it's automatically sucked back into the canister and won't get
destroyed if you accidentally open the back.  Also, this camera has a
genuine spot-meter, as well as center-weighted metering.  The physical size
also has to be seen to be believed.  It's extremely compact.  

My only gripe about this camera is the same gripe I have about every P&S
camera, which is the slow top shutter speed - 1/500s.  On a sunny day in
Puerto Rico two weeks ago, I maxed out the shutter even with 100 speed film.
This makes it tough to use slides.  

You can't buy them in the USA anymore, but they're easy to come by on *bay.
Should cost you between $300 and $500 depending on how and where you get it.
There's also the slightly more expensive GR-1s model, which has a lens hood
and accepts filters.  My only other suggestion is to try the Minilux
non-zoom, which has aperture priority and manual focus.  It's tough lugging
SLR's around all the time. :)

C. 


 -----Original Message-----
From: 	Ray Moth [mailto:ray_moth@yahoo.com] 
Sent:	Wednesday, January 10, 2001 5:27 AM
To:	LUG
Subject:	[Leica] [LEICA] Do you like your P&S?

Hi, LUGers

I've owned a reasonably well-featured P&S for the past 3 years: a Leica
Mini Zoom. This camera has a particularly good 35-70mm lens, for
sharpness and contrast, although it can be very prone to flare. It has
auto-focus and auto-exposure program mode only, with absolutely no
feedback on anything the camera has decided for itself. It's got some
override features (flash off, flash on, infinity & no flash, +2ev,
pre-flash to avoid red-eye, etc.) but I find the degree of control
inadequate. The built-in flash has the usual problems of being fixed
and underpowered. The viewfinder is good but not great.

My problem is, I think I'm developing an aversion to this camera! Even
though its results can be very good, I don't feel confident using it.
I'd much rather lug my R7 with a few extra lenses in a bag than use the
Mini Zoom. It's uncomfortable, fiddly, unfriendly and uninspiring. 

Do others have similar feelings about P&S cameras? 

Regards,

=====
Ray

"The trouble with resisting temptation is
 you never know when you'll get another chance!"

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