Camera Labs

Hello! This is my first post. I am new to photography so please forgive me if some of my questions are lame.

Basically, I am looking for the "best" compact available in terms of potential creative possibilities. I want as many features and functions as possible. Am I right in thinking that the most important features to look for are
1) RAW
2) Manual Focus
3) Aperture and Shutter priority

If so, that narrows it down to
Canon S100+S95+G12
Fuji X10
Panasonic LX5
Nikon P7100
Olympus XZ-1

I am not obsessed with paper specs, so for example although many sites are currently suggesting that the S100 is the best on the basis of it's specs on paper, I have read lots of bad things about it's lens/focus/sharpness etc, and I am not impressed by the images compared to the other models. I am trying to decide which is the best tradeoff compromise. The main area where I see they differ, is aperture and shutter specs. From what I gather the lower the aperture number, the brighter it is, which is a good thing, right?! But does the range matter? Do you want to have the biggest range or just the lowest number? For example, the LX5 is F2.0-F3.3 and the S95 is F2.0-F4.9. Is the S95 better for having that extra range/is it needed? The S100 seems to have the biggest range starting at the lowest number, but is this needed, and is F2.0 an absolute must or is F2.8 sufficient?

In terms of aperture, again, I don't know if a larger range is more important or just a smaller/faster time. Is 1/4000 an absolute must or will the 1/1600 of the S95 suffice?

So between largest shutter range, largest aperture range, lowest aperture number and lowest shutter number, which are the most important things to look for? For instance, would you go for a G12 with a faster shutter time or a S95 with a brighter lens? Or go for the LX5 which has the best of both, but a smaller aperture range but a larger shutter range?

I would be very interested to hear which order you would put these cameras in.

Many thanks.

It's a good thing if you need it.



Yes and no. The range isn't largest capable aperture to smallest capable aperture; it's largest capable aperture at the shortest/widest focal length ("zoomed out") to the largest capable aperture at the longest focal length (zoomed in).

To build on your example, both the LX5 and S95 can do f4.9 at 90mm, but only the LX5 can do f3.3 at that focal length.



Again, it depends on whether or not you need f2.0 In other words, how often do you shoot in conditions that require a larger aperture than f2.8?



Similar answer here. How often do you shoot in conditions that require shutter speeds faster than 1/1600?



Again, what are you shooting? Are you trying to freeze the wings of a hummingbird in flight? Or are you trying to take a picture of a kid blowing out candles on a birthday cake?

Mark

Hello! This is my first post. I am new to photography so please forgive me if some of my questions are lame.

Basically, I am looking for the "best" compact available in terms of potential creative possibilities. I want as many features and functions as possible. Am I right in thinking that the most important features to look for are
1) RAW
2) Manual Focus
3) Aperture and Shutter priority

If so, that narrows it down to
Canon S100+S95+G12
Fuji X10
Panasonic LX5
Nikon P7100
Olympus XZ-1

Do you want to have the biggest range or just the lowest number? For example, the LX5 is F2.0-F3.3 and the S95 is F2.0-F4.9. Is the S95 better for having that extra range/is it needed? The S100 seems to have the biggest range starting at the lowest number, but is this needed, and is F2.0 an absolute must or is F2.

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For f-stops, you want the lowest number. Lx5 has narrow fstop number throughout their zoom range that means it will be more bright("faster") when it zooms in f3.3 than s95 at f4.9.

I would choose btwn Lx5 and s95/s100. If size and portability really matters, go with canon. If you have a slightly bigger pocket, go with lx5.

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Olympus OM-D E-M5, Panasonic GF-3, Canon SX40HS

Panasonic Pancake 14mm f2.5, Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4, Olympus Zuiko 75mm f1.8
Panasonic 14-42mm