Mini SLR Camera

Posted by: Tango61

Mini SLR Camera - 01/24/09 09:35 PM


I ran across this in this month's issue of PopSci and it looked interesting for backpacking purposes.

http://www.popsci.com/node/30632

Combines the interchangeable lenses of an SLR with the compact body of a point-and-shoot.

Kevenonia or any of you other pro or semi-pro photographers care to comment?
Posted by: scottyb

Re: Mini SLR Camera - 01/25/09 10:02 AM

The way I read, the Oly is only a concept and the Panasonic is a reduced sensor 18mm x 13.5mm, using the 4/3's format. It can be used with other 4/3 lenses via an adapter ring, but may/may not be compatible with it's autofocus. It has no reflex mirror and images have to be composed using the LCD. Here are the conclusions from DP Review for the Panasonic G1.

Posted by: kevonionia

Re: Mini SLR Camera - 01/25/09 11:08 AM

Missing the mirror means that you aren't looking through the viewfinder but at the LCD screen, meaning the only option is "live view," not the way I like to take pix outside in bright sunlight, and especially if there's any "action" in the shot.
Posted by: Paddy_Crow

Re: Mini SLR Camera - 01/25/09 11:30 AM

Technically speaking, without the mirror wouldn't it just be an SL as opposed to an SLR?
Posted by: scottyb

Re: Mini SLR Camera - 01/25/09 01:24 PM

A "SL" or a P&S with a lens mount and a larger sensor. The review gives them cudos for breaking away from the "60 year old SLR mindset", since Panasonic never built a film SLR. Then they made it look like an SLR for marketability, including the faux reflex hump.

The question I have, is it compact enough and that much lighter weight, to justify the compromises. There are P$S's out that have the functionability of a DSLR (RAW, manual exposure, hot shoe) that are indeed compact and very light weight, that may come closer to the justication.
Posted by: kbennett

Re: Mini SLR Camera - 01/25/09 02:03 PM

It's an "EVIL" camera -- Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens.

The micro-4/3 sensor is only slightly smaller than the APS size chip in the basic digital SLR. It's much bigger than any point and shoot camera sensor. It's the same sensor that you'll find in the professional Olympus cameras (E1 and E3), along with the regular 4/3 system cameras. (The "micro" refers to the lens mount, not the sensor itself.)

All in all, the G-1 is an interesting little camera. "Little" being the operative word. The two zoom lenses are tiny, and cover a focal range equivalent to 28-400mm on a 35mm film camera. The lenses feature built-in stabilization, which is a great feature (and one I get a lot of use out of with my Canon lenses.) Sure, there are issues with using an EVF for everything, and the camera may be too small for some hands, but the camera body is about 12.5 ounces, compared to 17 ounces for a Canon Rebel, so the weight savings may be worth it for lightweight backpackers who want to carry an SLR, er, EVIL camera.

I'm quite interested to see what will come out of this format. A good online review is at Luminous Landscape:

http://luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/panasonic-g1.shtml

Posted by: TomD

Re: Mini SLR Camera - 01/25/09 02:14 PM

The concept of the Olympic is fine, but here is the problem-try holding a camera in your hands with a long lense on it without a tripod. I used to be able to hold a Leica with a 90 mm lense on it still enough at 1/8 of a second not to see any induced motion. I could do the same thing with a Nikon SLR. The reason was that I could hold the camera in my hands with my elbows pressed against my body-essentially making a tripod.

With a digital camera with no finder, you can't do that. You have to hold it far enough away from you to see the screen. Plus light washes out the finder.

Olympus does make a fairly small real SLR.
Posted by: Rick_D

Re: Mini SLR Camera - 01/25/09 02:54 PM

Its the future.

Seriously, as EVFs improve there's less compelling argument for the whole pentaprism-focus screen-mirror and mirrorbox route. dslrs aren't going away but they're now as small as they're ever going to be, and eliminating those bits opens the door to shrinking both camera and lens without giving up performance. Hence, µ4/3.

A shoutout here to digital interchangable lens rangefinders, but since the $8000 M8 is the only one sold at present (lens extra) they're not exactly setting the world on fire. The fixed lens Sigma DP1 is another nice backpacking option, but that fixed lens is a big shortcoming for a nearly thousand dollar camera.

The Panny G1 has been very well received, and Oly is rumored to be releasing two µ4/3 bodies and an unknown number of lenses later this year. One body should be similar to the one pictured (a mockup from last summer's Photokina) and one will be a more complete camera that will include a viewfinder of some sort. A remaining question is whether Oly will offer in-body IS or make it lens-housed. I'm hoping for in camera, like most of their dslrs.

Panny's µ4/3 lens roadmap shows great promise, especially the ultrawide angle 7-14, which will be miniscule compared to its slr counterpart. Tiny, fast primes could come as well.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/PanasonicDMCG1/images/features/roadmap.png

Video fans will rejoice, as it's much easier to put video into these cameras than into dslrs.

If the economy doesn't torpedo these efforts at birth, I fully expect large numbers of lightweight backpackers to abandon their dslr kits for µ4/3. They're game-changers.
Posted by: Tango61

Re: Mini SLR Camera - 01/25/09 06:55 PM

Thanks for all the feed back guys. I knew I could count on you all to provide the good scoop.

I realize that this new format will have it's strengths and weeknesses (lcd screen vs view finder, ability to hold steady) but I think it will be interesting to follow. I don't take many action shots and will probably continue to carry my GorillaPod or get me a click-stick to take self shots.

I currently use an Olympus SP-350, not the lightest but it fits my hand well. I'll definitely have to check out that Olympus SLR that was mentioned.
Posted by: scottyb

Re: Mini SLR Camera - 01/26/09 10:46 AM

I recently read where DSLR's only hold a 7% share of the digital photo market, where SLR's had a much higher share of the film market. I don't see EVF's or EVIL cameras attracting any of the 8 fps guys. It seems to me they will have a very small niche.
Posted by: kevonionia

Re: Mini SLR Camera - 01/27/09 05:28 PM

Tango61:

Forgive me for apparently living in a cave but what's click-stick? confused
Posted by: Rick_D

Re: Mini SLR Camera - 01/27/09 06:07 PM

Guessin' here, but I think he's referencing a stick you can mount the camera to and shoot back at yourself from greater than arm's length. "As seen on 'Survivorman.'"

That's all I've got :-)

Originally Posted By kevonionia
Tango61:

Forgive me for apparently living in a cave but what's click-stick? confused