Optio’s ‘replacement’ goes for a test spin
Posted on December 30, 2006
Filed Under All, Photos |
Optio, actually my old Pentax Optio X camera, has been dispatched to Pentax repair for the 3rd time. Readers may recall that I liked it’s small size and swivel viewfinder that made it easy to quietly capture scenes for the N Judah Portfolio.
Last couple times, we received prompt response and quote for repairs, but it’s been a bit slower this time. Might just be the holidays, or, the news that Hoya has proposed acquiring Pentax in the rapidly consolidating digital camera industry makes me wonder if Pentax will be exiting consumer cameras to focus on scientific applications, as one press report suggested.
In any case, I have been searching for a camera with the same finder technology that lets the photog work heads down, as if using an old Rolleicord or Hasselblad. It’s amazing how that posture takes the photog out of the scene: subjects are at ease, not looking at the photog.
Roger suggested the Lumix DMC LZ50 as a possible, because of its swivelling rear LCD viewfinder. The Lumix is larger, more conspicuous, really a mini-SLR in size vs. the slender Optio X. It was also $600 (vs $400 for the Pentax) before Christmas at best prices (ignoring the $900 Leica-branded version), so we looked over the camera, saw that it had Leica optics on a 10.1 MP sensor and was generally well thought of, with the exception of a sensor noise issue. Of course, old analog me likes noise, the right kind anyway: think ‘grain.’ But we decided to hold off.
That is, until we noted the sudden post-holiday price plunge from $599 to $469, I ordered one, which arrived yesterday. Cassie and I tried it out on our walk this AM, and its imaging appears impressive at the price point. The 35mm minimum focal length (35mm camera equivalent) is a bit tight, but quite usable. Not too sure how often I’ll use the 420mm zoom, but I did like using focal lengths in the 70-200mm range this AM. The auto-stabilization, at first glance, is pretty good (I was juggling dog and camera, shooting one handed). Anyway, pic above with detail gives some idea of the camera’s capability - it’s a very small piece of the 10.1 MP pic, and it’ s pretty good… I’m also curious if the FZ50’s very nice Elmarit optics and dynamic range might work well copying old 11×14 B&W prints faster than a scanner…
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Crikey! At the current exchange rate, that $469 translates to about £230! That’s a fair bit less than I paid for my Lumix LZ7 not even a year ago. Want to swap?
PS Loved your photos from NM!
Thanks Roger… just email if we can, um, er arrange favorable transatlatinc prices, shipping etc… good excuse to come to London, IMHO…