Nikon's large sensor compact.

I like that.... a lot. I think I've just found my next compact.
 
Disappointed was kind of hoping it would be styled like an fm.
 
It doesn't look too bad to me and these fixed prime compacts can attract a following if the image quality is good enough. A few things catch my eye...

It has ISO 100, that's a good thing.

It has a 18.5mm f2.8 lens. I'd have been more impressed by a f1.8 lens but then again these cameras are usually limited to a max shutter speed of 1/4000 sec which makes shooting at the widest apertures impossible in good light without the use of ND's, which are a PITA IMVHO.

But then I spotted that this camera has a max shutter speed of 1/2000 sec. so in quite normal light it could be limited to f4 or even f5.6 or smaller? (Just pointed my G1 out of the window and even though it's not exactly the middle of a Mediterranean summers day here in north eastern England the best I could manage at under 1/2000 sec was f5.6. Downer Dude. And limits its use and sexiness IMVHO.
 
Steve Smith said:
I don't see what the problem is.


Steve.
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The problem is that at 18mm your DoF is going to be deep so if you want to limit it you're going to need a wide aperture and you're going to need to reduce your camera to subject distance.

If limited to a max aperture of f2.8 you can still do the latter but you're limited with the former and doubly so if you're trying to do it in reasonable light.

Maybe selective DoF isn't your thing, and if you don't see a problem with 18mm APS-C, f2.8 and 1/2000 sec then it probably isn't, but personally those specs would almost certainly rule this camera out for me and that's before thinking about the lack of a VF or anything other feature or quality it may or may not have.

Yes, you can use ND's but IMVHO and for me personally they're a PITA because you need them on for one shot... and off for the next... = PITA.
 
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Price should be around £400 - 500 though shouldn't it?

Similar in spec to X100 but without the expensive viewfinder and a more generic body. They could have just borrowed the RX100 moulds...
 
ernesto said:
Price should be around £400 - 500 though shouldn't it?

Similar in spec to X100 but without the expensive viewfinder and a more generic body. They could have just borrowed the RX100 moulds...
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Well if the pricing goes a la Nikon 1 series it soon will be!:)

Good to see more choice though - would have preferred a 35/40mm f2:'(
 
I was fooled by the thread's title 'Large Sensor Compact'. Really, it's a small sensor.


Steve.
 
Of course it is a large sensor compact, what is your definition of large?

Take the average compact, check the size of the sensor and then compare with this one. It is larger, yes? (in fact the largest bar the RX1)
 
ernesto said:
Of course it is a large sensor compact, what is your definition of large?
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5" x 4" film and larger.

There are a few mirrorless cameras with 4/3 and APS-C sized sensors now so when I saw 'large sensor' in the title, I thought it was going to be full frame 35mm size.


Steve.
 
Your definition of large sensor is 5x4 film, confusing definition. Also not sure how would you get a 5x4 sensor into a compact camera? (not even taking into account for the sensor costing £20K)

For a £1000 compact (which will reduce in price to probably £600) wanting a full frame sensor is moon on a stick territory :)
 
I think this will make a great landscape in a coat pocket solution. lens will no doubt be sharp and lack of aa filter will only help. As for depth of field, well I for one don't buy a wide angle lens for shallow depth of field shots so 2.8 is actually overkill, F4 would have been fine:)

Ouch for the price though!!!
 
Brazo said:
I think this will make a great landscape in a coat pocket solution. lens will no doubt be sharp and lack of aa filter will only help. As for depth of field, well I for one don't buy a wide angle lens for shallow depth of field shots so 2.8 is actually overkill, F4 would have been fine:)

Ouch for the price though!!!
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Hmmm. Dunno. I have pretty much zero interest in a large sensor camera that's such a front to back DoF one trick pony.
 
Yes I would prefer a lens at that price point as its easier to sell on. Yes a one trick pony but if you are that pony then....
 
Madness how much they expect us to pay nowadays, think of a number and times it by three.
 
early adopters will pay through the nose for the privilege. I can't see anything wrong with that as long as the price will eventually noise dive to D3xxx levels where it belongs.

The design as such has it's place in the market (at a sensible price) and can be seen as a copy of Sigma DP series and some of the Fuji's. Too little, too late? We'll see.
 
Oh I don't know. I bought the Fuji X10, and found it too 'chunky' to be really 'compact' so sold it on and got the RX100 - which is truly compact, and still great quality. That's how these things should be, otherwise you're as well off with a 4/3 prime set, or a small dslr and some juicy lenses for the prices you pay! If it doesn't fit comfortably in a jeans pocket, I say it's not really compact enough. You'd get a bridge cam into most jacket pockets.
 
Cagey75 said:
If it doesn't fit comfortably in a jeans pocket, I say it's not really compact enough. You'd get a bridge cam into most jacket pockets.
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:lol: I really struggle fitting Nexus 4 in my trousers pocket. If I can fit it into my briefcase, or small backpack for lunch that is entirely satisfactory. EOS-1D with 24-70mm won't go into either :lol:
It would need to get a lot cheaper before I consider it a semi-disposable toy that can be thrown around with other things
 
I can't get my head round this. Really can't see the point at that price. Agreed with Alan on every point.
 
it is Nikon's answer to the Fuji X100s. Very similar indeed although I do prefer the Fuji but both at £1000 I think is too much. The Fuji X100 can be had for almost half the price
 
architectfadi said:
it is Nikon's answer to the Fuji X100s.
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Nikon must have misheard the question in that case!

The Fuji is a completely different approach. Much bigger, more traditional control layout and most importantly a brilliant viewfinder.

It shares more in approach with the Sony RX1 but the doesn't compare with the sensor.

If it was £500 it would be a camera that I would like as I like the focal length, like the sensor size and the main draw for me is it is actually a compact (the X100 isn't)
 
I think the price is completely bonkers, Nikon seem to want their own camera to rival the x100s but... the Fuji is a beautifully well made camera with a niche hybrid viewfinder and F2 aperture, and the fuji will be £650 in a years time.

If I had to guess the price of the the Nikon I honestly would have thought £400-500, dropping to £300-£400 after the frenzy. But £1000! Crazy
 
People keep mentioning the Fuji but the focal length is quite different (equiv 28mm v 35mm right?)
Meh, the Nikon at 18mmF2.8 is boring and you might as well get a real compact for the job, or the Lumix 14mm on any m4/3rds body.
Maybe this'll boost RX100 sales, or those boxy little Sigma DPs.
 
It does make you think that the Sigma DP cameras were ahead of their time and the Nikon is a more direct comparison with a DP1 than a Fuji X100 (although DP is still larger I would think)
I had a DP1 a few years back and while the images were great, the camera was painful to use.
 
daugirdas said:
:lol: I really struggle fitting Nexus 4 in my trousers pocket. If I can fit it into my briefcase, or small backpack for lunch that is entirely satisfactory. EOS-1D with 24-70mm won't go into either :lol:
It would need to get a lot cheaper before I consider it a semi-disposable toy that can be thrown around with other things
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Fitting in a pocket is a bit different to being thrown about ...

my iphone5 lives in my jeans pocket, not a scratch on it.

But yeah, price is the main issue with these fancy-schmancy "compacts"

I don't see the huge deal about them tbh.
 
28mm is the exactly same length on the current iPhone . If is often considered the perfect Len length for environment stuff.
 
Would have made it onto my personal to-buy list had it not been for the mental price. Looks like i'll be keeping my LX5 for a few more months. There are some nice examples of what it can produce (taken by Doug Menuez) on Nikon's Flickr pool.
 
adrianday said:
Would have made it onto my personal to-buy list had it not been for the mental price. Looks like i'll be keeping my LX5 for a few more months. There are some nice examples of what it can produce (taken by Doug Menuez) on Nikon's Flickr pool.
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Indeed, missed the release somehow but if it has been say £400-500 I could have seen myself being tempted as a compact landscape/street alternative.

Can't see Nikon having too much sucess at this price, Sony had the advanatge that there was nothing similar on the market with the RX1 besides an even mroe expensive Leica were as theres a good few similar alternatives at ASPC that look like better value.
 
architectfadi said:
Nikon has done before with the Nikon 1 range priced so high, not sure they have got right again
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The 1 series was at least at a more affordable level and had no real direct competitors in terms of sensor size, I really can't see someone looking at this and say the X100s and thinking its great value. Personally I'd preffer 28mm to 35mm for a fixed lens but I'd guess I'm in the minority there.

Generally I suspect that the pricing tactic of starting high and then dropping very quickly isnt going to be viable in the long term, people(espeically higher end buyers) will surely wise up to it and hold off after the likes of the 1 series and the D600.
 
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