sigma dp-1

sigma dp-1

my choice as well. a minimalistic PS-Cam with a leica-style handling.

pure understatement!

The Canon G1 originally came out in 2001. So in the last seven years, there have been eight revisions of the G line. The T3 has been a badass for as long as it's been out. Go with film! :)

ok, i want the sigma dp-1 also. but it's too new! i have a need to buy things at discount prices. and mr. bush's aid will not cover it.

you forgot to look into the ricoh gr! half the price of a t3, fixed 28mm, magnesium body, fast 2.8.

comes also in digital flavor as the Ricoh GRD 2!!

however, the film one is only available in the used market as it's now discontinued. i got mine used for $100 and spent $100 in service/cleaning.

http://www.robgalbraith.com/imgs/fog/ricoh_gr1s.jpg

The G9 is a great camera in a million ways, but one thing barely mentioned in the glowing reviews is that the noise is miserable. I would say it's a great camera as long as you don't plan on ever setting it above ISO 400, where the noise becomes pretty unacceptable for my taste. Also, it's a little too big to be pocketable, which is something to consider in a point-and-shoot.

On a related note, I feel like my long-forgotten Canon Elph has become relevant again now that I'm using the hack that lets me save images as RAW files instead of just jpegs. And it definitely fits in my pocket. True, it doesn't have the manual control or resolution of the G9, but it has less noise. So when I want something really lightweight that fits in my pocket, it's a great carry-around.

More info about the hack and what cameras it works with can be found at http://chdk.wikia.com/

in line with your eco friendly posts, put your money where your mouth is and go digital...

I'd love to recommend the G9 as it has a lot going for it: great file size, manual controls, and a cool retro design. But I definitely agree with David, the noise is really bad.

I bought the G7 typically right before the G9 came out. I wish I had waited a month.

The G7 is almost the same body and functions as the G9, and I like it a lot. Of course with more MP and RAW, I expect the G9 to be even better.

One thing I like a lot about this camera (besides the nice files it produces) is that it is very well built for a "point and shoot". Sturdy and very well finished. And that black is very nice. Kind of an old school look. The G9 also has aperture priority and all-manual controls...

RH

Gotta go w/ the G9.. Straightforward manual controls, lotsa pixels, hot shoe for flash or pocket wizards, video, <$500., dandy unit whose positives outweigh the negatives. Highly recommend.

Later,
Ziv

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Rachel, I have the G9 and I'm not all that happy with it. Granted, I haven't used it much, but some of the reason I haven't used it much is it doesn't make me very happy. It isn't just the noise, which I think is a hazard with many (all?) cameras with small sensors. It's also the extreme contrast, where it drives tones out of the midrange and all too easily into under- or overexposure. Or even when not technically out of range like that, the tones just don't flow in a nice graduated continuum. My previous P & S was a Canon S70, and I loved it. The colors and tonalities seemed much more pleasing. I'd be happy to mail you my G9 for a try if you'd like.

Go with the T3... way more quality. Probably bigger prints too, if you're into that sort of thing.

by the time you buy the G9, it will be replaced. go for the T3. a timeless classic that will kick the crap out of the G9.

film every time - save digital for McPhotograpy shoots for coorperate clients i say :o)

I've got to put in a push for the Ricoh GX100. Wider at the wide end than the Canon (24mm EFL). Faster lens. Great handling. Not so good with the noise, but what digicam is?

Even though I recommended the T3 yesterday, now that others have mentioned the Ricoh digitals, I have to chime in and say the GR Digital 2 is as close to a film P&S as I have used and I own the Contax T2 (film), Olympus Stylus Epic (film), and the Ricoh GRD 2 (digi). The noise that people complain about looks fantastic in print (I've run spreads in my magazine) and mimics a film scan better than anything I've seen. I only use the camera on ISO 100, since that is the film speed I typically choose.

As Clayton mentioned, it is nice not to have to scan, especially the hundreds of snapshots I take during the week. BUT, if asked to choose between my Contax and Ricoh, I'd go with the Contax. The exposure and focus results are 99% spot on everytime, night or day, indoors or outside.

I'm about to pick up a G9. The issues mentioned above can all be dealt with in post to some extent. It's tough, good looking, produced great files when handled properly and has great video, I gather.

As a multimedia tool the G9 is a gem and that's why I'm fetching one next month.

Forget about film. It's very 20th century. Go with the cleaner option and be digital.

have the Contax...the TVSiii version, same quality lens, same super sharp negatives. Tried the G7, like the G9 but no RAW, returned it.

Bought the DP1, yes it's more...sell some blood, it's worth it.

About the same size as the TVSiii. Takes about the same time to start as the contax did opening that funky trap door. Sharpness of the lens is amazing.

The G9 is a great camera, well made, full of features, flawed in that the sensor is miniscule. Many pro's that I know have bought, and returned one.
The DP1 is a great sensor, flawed by the lack of easily usable features. I suspect it will be more difficult to part with than the TVS.

T3.

Brilliant camera--the pinnacle of quality P&S cameras--and should you ever tire of it, sell it for as much as you paid (if not more).

It loves Velvia and Elitechrome, but underexpose 2/3 stop outdoors (metering is biased towards negatives).

G9 is nearly a good camera, but ultimately disappoints. And like all mass-produced digicams, will be worth doodly squat in two years (if that matters).

Happy stimulating (the economy)