DP1–not dead yet

[Rick Dreher]

But not off lifesupport either. Sigma has humored us with a press release, explaining the >yearlong delay and advising interested parties to not be in a great hurry. (At least I think that's what "alpha testing" means.)

http://www.sigma-photo.co.jp/english/news/DP1_UpdateMessage_071130.htm

If you can't stand the wait for this admittedly niche camera, Ricoh has released the GRDII, which improves several aspects of the GRD, noteably the file-write times.

For anybody who wants uncompromising image quality in a compact landscape digicam, it's one of a very few choices at present.

[Franco Darioli]

Today I went to town to take some test shots to compare the Panasonic FX36 (FX35 ) 25-100mm with the Ricoh G100, 24-74mm. When I got there I found out that the Sigma DP1 had arrived, so it turned out to be a three way test.
Please keep in mind that there are much better "scientific" test on the NET, however this is my impression.
The Sigma DP1 is indeed closer to "SLR" quality than it is to a compact camera. By that I mean that it has a better dynamic range and more detail.
It looks and feel like a cheapish compact, but it delivers. The downside: fairly slow and it does have a somewhat strange color cast that changes from purple to green from the center to the corners( some have reported cyan..) but it is only noticeable (to me) if you take a monochromatic shot, like a gray wall. In other words, I cannot see it on my real life shots. The built in flash is almost useless.Apart from that it is the best compact camera I have tested so far.
The Ricoh picks up more detail than the Pana, however on some shots it's hard to tell on a computer screen. I would guess that you will need a bigger than 8"x10" to see the difference. My advice : if you are after full manual control, get the Ricoh. If you like a very clever Auto mode, get the Pana. The new Intelligent Mode works well (it chooses the ISO,focus point "scene mode" and even boosts the ISO level in the shadow areas to get a more even exposure)
Frankly, I am amazed at the quality of the 25mm wide end of the FX36: straight lines with almost no loss of detail and exposure from the center to the corners.In low light the Pana still cannot match the Fuji F series, but it is much better than last year's models.
I have decided that my next camera will have at least a 28mm lens, but I love the 24/25 mm versions.
Now Panasonic have announced the FX500 with a 24-125mm lens. From 100mm to 125mm it's not a big deal.
Anyway here are a couple of shots. First the Sigma and then the Pana. I did not have the Ricoh there, but it is somewhat in-between but much closer to the Pana.
As a comment, this is a fairly difficult shot with mix lighting and a lot of detail. It has been the standard shot that the retail shop I used to work for has used for years.
Franco

[Rick Dreher]

Franco, thanks for your reactions and samples. The Panny sounds like a nice (and rare) WA option–too bad they can't see fit to offer a viewfinder even as an accessory :-(

DP1s really are shipping worldwide now, and I've seen some dazzling shots. Here are a couple 100% images from an outdoor photographer:

http://www.panodrom.de/SDIM0113.jpg

http://www.panodrom.de/SDIM0181.jpg

He has some stitched panoramas and HDR experiments as well.

The DP1 is definitely not for everyone, and at nearly a grand for a complete kit costs more than any entry-level dSLR, but its weight-for-performance sets a new standard we can all hope the other makers will try to emulate.

[Roger B]

Thanks Franco, for the reminder of my home town, now if I could just remember the name of the passage in the photo. There are a number of wonderful passages in Melbourne as there are in many other cities. I think this one runs from Bourke Street to Little Collins, but its name escapes me.

Great photos and now I need to learn a lot more about the use of the GX100 in manual mode.

[Franco Darioli]

Roger
That is the Royal Arcade, soon to be re-named The Autonomous Republic (not so far from China) Arcade.
Rick
The Pana has a much brighter screen than most, (it adjusts to the ambient light), so it is very usable outside. Of course if you like the camera at eye level….
Here is a shot from the FX36 I took this morning. The Ricoh would have taken a very similar shot.
Franco
Camera Action Camera House have the Ricoh GX100 with the V/F and the 19mm lens for $799 (AU)……

[Roger B]

Thanks Franco, yep I read the papers and your comments certainly had me smiling this morning.

[Franco Darioli]

DPReview have come out with the full review on the DP1 and it looks bad news, but it's not…
I don't read minds, but I understood that the point of this camera was to have a near SLR quality compact (IE "pocketable")
DPReview gave it their lowest mark (above average) cause they don't deliberately test crap anyway. So the lowest mark still does not mean bad.
Verdict at a glance :

Great for: Landscape photography in daylight
Not good for: Low light, indoors (social snaps), movies, anything that requires speed
Do you see my point ?
Sure the JPEGS are a bit flat and it is slow,the movie clips are so so and the flash is almost useless, so what ? I would hope that a keen and lean hiker aims at getting a few great shots not hundreds of snapshots.
On the positive side, reviews like that will push the price down and make some enthusiasts that are not after a one camera that does it all, very happy.
Franco

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