Pointless and Shoot?

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Monday, 01 June 2009 10:32

An photo insight highlighting my return to compact point and shoot cameras. Having last shot with a 1.5mp Samsung some ten years ago, a review for Ephotozine and Park Cameras pushed some considerations slightly left field of the pre order frenzy. Points to consider if you are looking at a high end compact to fill a space in your camera bag where a lens should be.

G10 Bluebells With point and shoot cameras now seeming ever so compelling to DSLR photographers, many of us are considering carrying a ‘quality’ pocket camera as an alternative to the ‘bag of iron’. Whether it’s for recording compositions, ideas or just for plain fun, the sleek design and feature packed compact looks so very tempting. Some have even hailed that with features such as RAW and super wide angle lenses becoming standard, the quality could even be agency worthy. With one camera in each leg pocket, I spent the last month undertaking a compact experience rather than yet another pixel peeping test. Would I find these cameras enriching my photography, with and without my DSLR?

The last compact I owned was 1.5mp and that was in the late 90’s. Who could have imagined that within ten years such advancements would have been made. I took this pencil case size Samsung everywhere I went and I thoroughly enjoyed using it. Instantaneous and cost free, the benefits were very welcomed and I disgarded my film camera. I found that by recording my long distance hiking at the coast and moors, or my best mates midnight slurring over another unnecessary glass of homemade vinegary red, that there was an enjoyment in photography, both socially and creatively, long before I ever considered I would shoot for a living.
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So ten digital years later, what has changed? The answer is everything almost, including me; camera size, quality, operating systems, movie modes, responsiveness, focal length, but most of all my own mindset. On a quest for dynamic composition, my thirst for quality wide angle lenses could only be quenched by full frame digital. Four years of frustrating foray in slide film got certainly me hooked, so as all compacts started at a rather blinkered 35-40mm at the wide end I kept away. I coined a new phrase - ‘pointless and shoot’. Still watching from the wings, new compact cameras harbour exciting features that I hold dear, like wide angle lenses and RAW. I considered it time for another look.

The Cameras

Canon G10 - it feels so wonderful and responsive with longer reach

I was sent a Ricoh GX200 and a Canon G10 for review from Park Cameras and I have to admit I was very keen to get using them. With bright view finders, bold colours and sleek design, both ooze potential. They sure make you feel like you are going to take good pictures and I could imagine myself somewhat spellbound, reaching for my wallet without persuasion. With the G10 being significantly larger than the Ricoh, I was hoping that this little compact GX200 would be my favourite. Small, light and with a 24mm (35mm equivalent) lens, I could see myself reaching for this camera every time over the more restrictive 28mm wide angle of the Canon. The Canon’s retro styling was a nice touch and although a little bulkier, the extra weight was hardly inhibiting.
I couldn’t help myself. First look at the RAW files and I was in for a big shock. The Ricoh was significantly worse than the Canon – noisier, flatter and uninspiring. In JPEG, both cameras were an improvement. Colours were more vibrant as the operation system took the helm, but here was the trade off – detail was lost, as onboard noise reduction kicked in and sharpening took hold. Smearing and smoothing are the Achilles heel of both cameras, but as my opinion of ‘sharp’ is coming from large sensors and top glass, it was important to initially try to cast this elitist snobbery aside and go looking for the enjoyment.

Ricoh GX200- smaller and slimmer, its a great looking camera with a 24mm lens, but troubled with noise issues.

Over the next few weeks I tried to make myself get over this uninspiring situation and use the cameras creatively as if I didn’t own a digital SLR, but it never took hold. Just like the Ferrari kit car I used to own, despite its impeccable looks, there was something very lacking under the bonnet. All the shots I took seemed great at 2500px but deeper I looked the worse things got. Days out with just a compact turned me back into a complete novice. Without my DSLR I was just lackadaisical, shooting erratic and uninspired pictures. As the quality would never be there, I completely discarded my creative eye. I would literally forget to use them, as though I didn’t even have a camera on me. Unfortunately they became as pointless as my 2mp camera phone. That has been in my pocket for the last three years and all I have is a photograph of my girlfriend eating a cream tea. It was happening all over again.

Agency Claims

Now one notion that always concerned me is online forum claims that some pro-photographers had submitted pictures to agencies from these 12mp and higher compact cameras. The pre-order delierium and pre-release day dreaming, of pros romancing their compacts aloft mountain tops, relieved of the bag burden at last, or the dog walkers shooting stock, were surely fuelling advance sales. After submitting test shots to two separate agencies with the EXIF data stripped, both picked up on the inadequacies immediately. My main picture editor Richard at OSF gave an enlightening insight into other G10 submissions he has other photographers try to ‘sneak in’ over the past year, explaining that “if the subject is uncomplicated, like a flower head against a blue sky shot at low ISO with perfect exposure, then the G10 is near acceptable. For landscapes and other images that rely on fine detail, it’s considerably inadequate. We can never accept these cameras until the sensors become far bigger, or our reputation for high quality imagery would severely compromised. All our images are meticulously checked at 100% and no compact camera images can withstand client demand. Micro-stock agencies like IStockphoto that require lower size images for entirely different uses, would be more than happy to accept the images it produces.”

Surprising to find that the G10 sensor is twenty times smaller than a full frame camera, I am sure many thought it was far larger. Still the pictures are very good in bright conditions.

Sensors

Read this quote from Emil Martin, a respected technical forum poster on Naturescapes.net - “Anyone considering a P&S would do well to remember that the sensor is at least 16x smaller in area than FF. It is gathering 16x less light for the same exposure. Therefore properly exposed ISO 100 on the P&S is like properly exposed ISO 1600 on FF, or worse. Anybody expecting better performance than that needs to think again; ain't gonna happen, not enough photons. Sorry.”

No Peeping!
OK, I said I wouldn’t pixel peep, I am sorry too, but I just can’t get excited. I am not going to put comparisons alongside some DSLR images and point the finger. Many photographers who use DLSRs have side stepped my obvious hang up and are happy to let go of the quality argument and shoot away without comparison. They are enjoying the capturing process, the spontaneity and forgetting everything else for the love of photography, good on them. I just can’t let it go, I just can’t. After my Zeiss, Leica and Olympus Zuiko adaptations onto my Canon DSLRs, by unlocking the potential of the 21mp sensor since last summer, just try and get me down off my geeky, hypercritical horse. It runs very much against the grain now I am sorry to say. Buy a G10 and you're over halfway to a second hand 5D, you could even get a 30D for less. I find it difficult to justify.

So here’s my compact conclusion in a ten bullet point nutshell. It’s not based upon a stand alone argument, but from a DSLR owner’s perspective. I'm still on the wings for now –

They are magnetic, they convince you that you can’t help but take incredible images, almost willing you to spend your money, but they will disappoint if you like the quality and ISO flexibility of DSLRs.
If you see them as a quality backup camera for a good DSLR, you will be happy to a certain extent. Make sure the exposure is absolutely spot on or you will introduce noise very quickly if you try to rescue poor exposures in RAW software. Unlike a DSLR, there is little or no forgiveness .
They seem to be far more pleasing at reduced resolution, when the image size is actually set to around 2500px on the longest side.
Although I do feel the goal is closing in, they still remain somewhat unflexible at anything other than the base ISOs used in bright light.
If you see them as fun cameras for socialising, shooting images on the way home from work, opportunistic phototgraphy with features similar to those you like using on a DLSR, then you will love them.
No compact camera imagery can be used to submit to agencies other than micro stock agencies like Istockphoto (they accept 1600 x 1200)
Think of the cost - £400 buys you a lot of DSLR camera in second hand world. The brand new G10 is more expensive than a second hand 30D. Consider a Canon G3 perhaps if point and shoot photography is for you. It's also got the discontinued rotating screen and will cost 75% less second hand.
If you want a camera to take location shots, keep the money and start using your phone – it’s also far more convenient.
The love affair can end pretty quickly with compacts unless it’s your main camera. This is possibly one of the reasons why there are so many models on the market.
Take a flashcard into a reputable shop and shoot outdoor test comparisons at base ISO in good bright light to help you decide whether it’s the format for you back home on the computer.

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Point & Shoots

Thought provoking - I have been through a similar process - a search for a suitable camera when I didn't want or couldn't take a DSLR. I settled on a Canon G9 in late 2007 before an island hopping sailing trip. I bought back many pleasing images but missed many more. Fiddly controls and slow autofocus frustrated. Sometimes the lens cover would stick [I had to take the first one back- fortunately in good time before the trip ] I suspect the G10 was a step down from the G9 and the G11 may be much better.
I've now settled on the Panasonic GF-1 + 20mm pancake. [Before I saw your review!] It seems to be the answer at least for me and Apple have just updated their Raw files for Aperture so life seems to be complete in this respect, at least for now...

John A H Jones , 12, Feb, 2010

pointless and shoot

Hi David,

I have to say I love the website , the blog and your very informative posts, however I do take exception to your findings regarding the rich et al..

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