I'm deep into several big projects at the moment, and it's preventing me from finishing up some reviews. So herewith a few mini-reviews (any updates are after the bolded recommendations):
- Coolpix P300. I'm not sure what Nikon's thinking is here. The camera comes across a lot like a very quick project to try to match Canon's S90/S95. And it falls way short. No raw. Some questionable decisions (the Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde nature of the fast/slow lens). No separate battery charger. Mismatching dials (horizontal and vertical aligned command dials). It does have a nice solid metal outer body and the Mode dial doesn't dislodge as easily as on some other small cameras. But one has to wonder if Nikon is really in touch with the user seeking this type of camera, especially given that I know of three companies that are executing the small, fast lens compact idea better. Image quality is decent but not outstanding. Swing and a miss, Nikon, swing and a miss. Skip. Nobody has taken to me to task for this recommendation ;~).
- Samsung TL500. Samsung is getting a lot of the things right that Nikon is missing. While the TL500 is a bigger camera than the Nikon P300, it's a better camera than the P300 in most respects, especially the ones that serious photographers will find of interest. Not sure about the dueling dials on the top plate, both of which stick out where they're more easily dislodged in handling, but the bright positionable and flippable AMOLED LCD is a nice touch that makes up for a lot of the small complaints I have. Samsung is very close with this camera. It only needs a few tweaks to make it a top choice in the serious compact game. Consider.
- Olympus XZ-1. Olympus got most everything right except for one thing. The lens on this camera is superb, and the image quality is very good in raw (less so in JPEG). So what did Olympus miss? The same thing they've been missing on virtually every camera they've made in the serious realm lately: controls get reset too easily while handling the camera. The Mode dial has never been the same spot as I left when I grab the XZ-1 out of my bag or jacket pocket. The "quick menu" settings also seem to get changed about as much as they do on my m4/3 Olympus bodies, which is to say a lot. Thus, you absolutely have to look at the camera settings and verify them every time you pick up the camera. Other than that it's a winner. Recommended (with reservations).
- Fujifilm X100. I've got to be a little careful here as I had a strong sense from the Photokina demonstrations of this product that Fujifilm would botch the buttons and menu options. In other words, I am predisposed to a finding now that I have the finished camera. This is a gorgeous camera that'll appeal to anyone that remembers the rangefinder cameras of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Hefty and solid metal body, an aperture ring, a shutter speed dial, an exposure compensation dial, a strong optical finder, and even a shutter release with threads for a mechanical remote. Can you say retro? Image quality is quite good due to the excellent 12mp APS-C sensor and good Fujinon lens (23mm f/2). But the camera has an incomplete feel to it, and that mostly comes through the firmware, which means the buttons and menu system, as well as the underperforming focus system. The viewfinder, which is the center of attention on this camera, is good, but I have to admit I'm a bit disappointed in practice: the optical side isn't nearly accurate enough and the EVF side is good but not outstanding. It does have some strengths, including an excellent virtual horizon feature. Still, the camera has some near fatal flaws: for example, if it powers down due to inactivity, pressing the shutter release doesn't bring it back to life. So you cycle the On/Off button and the power-on sequence is not fast to begin with. So much to like. So much to dislike. Oh, and a proprietary US$130 lens hood? Stinkaroo on that. Shame on Fujifilm for playing that game. Skip for now. It seems that those that don't agree with me seem to think that Fujifilm will just fix the problems with the camera in future firmware updates. One would hope so, but there's a difference between functional changes and bug fixes. We can certainly expect the latter, but companies often save the former for future models. That's why I wrote "skip for now." Until it becomes clear if Fujifilm will put more work into the firmware, I just can't recommend the camera.
- Panasonic GH-2. So much different, so much the same. I'm still trying to get my head around the GH2. While we've got a new sensor, touch control, and a host of other "changes," what I'm getting out of it in images and video looks a lot like a GH1. (Of course, I hacked my GH1 to get better video out of it.) Given the low clearance prices of the GH-1 these days, I'm very tempted to say "just buy the GH-1." In short, the GH-2 doesn't feel like a "2" to me. More like a " 1.1" or "1.2." But that's okay, because Panasonic's distribution and sales in the US is so screwed up you're not going to find one on your dealer's shelves anyway. And if you do, something else you want with it will be missing (hey Panasonic, where's my AC adapter?). As much as I like the GH-1/GH-2, especially for video, I can't recommend it to anyone here in the US. Maybe it's different overseas somewhere, but here Panasonic has moved from stepping on their own feet to something of a self-inflicted gut punch. Skip. I got compared to Yogi Berra on this advice. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. ("Basically, Thom’s saying: 'If you find one, don’t buy it, because they’re too hard to find.' Sounds a bit like Yogi Berra’s famous aphorism: 'Nobody goes there anymore; it’s too crowded.'”) That's not quite what I'm saying, and the problem isn't demand, it's supply. Panasonic here in the US has been going backwards with users. Supply has gotten worse with each new release since the LX-3. Batteries change with every iteration, then aren't available. Ditto other accessories. The manuals are insanely unhelpful, as is Panasonic's US support system. One thing that I didn't mention that I should have is that the GH2 does indeed have a better AF system than the GH1, easily the best of any mirrorless system yet. Still, I just can't recommend you get into this system until Panasonic gets its act together (at least here in the US; maybe in Japan everything is hunky-dory).
- Sony VG-10. I've been doing more video work lately, trying to rebuild my filmmaking and video skill sets back up (I have two degrees in filmmaking and video, plus I taught filmmaking for several years at IU and have been invited back to teach some special classes). One project I'm working on right now is being filmed on a VG-10, and, you know, it's not a bad video camera at all, even though it's a kludge of a still camera (it's basically a NEX-5 thrown into a camcorder body with a few extra video features thrown in). The downside to this camera is the inflexibility of its video formats. Hope you like 1080/60i. You'll probably need some lens adapters to get the large-sensor look you want, as the Sony E-Mount is still very much under-lensed. I'm not blown away with the VG-10, but I'm also not dissatisfied with it, either. It'll suffice until my large sensor pro video body shows up. But here's the bummer: it's way overpriced for what it is. About double, in my estimate. That means that I can't recommend it except to people who are willing to prop up Sony stock. Skip.
Next up: some quick lens opinions.