Photo-John of PhotographyReview.com and I were talking about point-n-shoots recently and we agreed that perhaps the most interesting things in the camera world right now are happening with that high-end segment formerly known as “prosumer.” You don’t hear that term anymore (at least I don’t) and I think the manufacturer’s marketing departments have let it drift off the radar because they’d rather sell you a DSLR and all the extra lenses and flash accessories your bank account is able to handle. Well hey, don’t they know everyone already wants a DSLR *and* a do-it-all point-n-shoot? And we’d even pay a lot extra for the latter (at least I would)?!?
So, here’s hoping (going on about seven years now) we’ll get a real photographically usable tool *and* a camera that has a quality sensor+image processing firmware. Are you getting tired of reading this from me? Thought so. I’m tired of writing it too, but hope springs eternal.
If I’m lucky I may get my hands on a Sigma DP-1. However good ol’ Michael Reichmann has his
comparison/review online now so now I guess I don’t need to bother! Basically Michael sez “great image quality, terrible camera.” (Sigh…still waiting.) Control design, write speeds, etc. All those basic things you need to capture the moment, y’know?
Dear God: Please help somebody get this right. You know it’s not rocket science–compact camera design has been around, what, 50 some years now? Please help them see the light. Them being Leica/Panasonic or Ricoh or Sigma, or maybe even Pentax or Samsung, or one of them two gorillas…
But hey, enough complaining. I’m encouraged to see Sigma forging ahead with APS-C in a compact body and here’s to version 2.0, may it be a classic. And if you don’t need sports shooting AF and frame rates and usability, then the DP-1 may be just the ticket.
