Recommend a Good Manual Mode non-DSLR?

Have a look at the Panasonic LX-2

It can even shoot RAW!

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Panasonic/panasonic_dmclx2.asp


Rob-L

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 >> Stay informed about: Recommend a Good Manual Mode non-DSLR? 

On Fri, 27 Apr 2007 20:06:29 -0400, BRH <> wrote:
> I'm interested in learning to use manual mode effectively and would
> appreciate recommendations for a good non-DSLR camera for this purpose.
> Features I'm looking for are built-in optical zoom and large, clear LCD.
>
> I'm not interested in a DSLR at this point due to overall cost, the need
> for multiple lenses, etc.
>
> Most interested in shooting nature, landscapes, etc.

There are plenty of models that will do the job. Since you mention
landscapes, you'll want something with as wide a wide-angle lens as
possible. Going to the handy DP Review feature search page:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare.asp
and plugging in the following fields:
Budget: < $600
Zoom wide: 28mm or less
Aperture priority: Yes
Shutter priority: Yes

9 hits come back:
Canon: S60,S70
Fuji: E510, S6000, S9100
Olympus: SP550
Panasonic: LX1,LX2
Samsung: Pro815

This is probably not an exhaustive list; sometimes, their database
misses things (such as the Canon S80, which should have also met the
search criteria), but it should give you a starting point for models to
look at. Relaxing the zoom wide condition to 35mm or so will give a much
large selection of models.

-dms
 >> Stay informed about: Recommend a Good Manual Mode non-DSLR? 

In article <9KednW6zIu0KE6_bnZ2dnUVZ_sSmnZ2d RemoveThis @comcast.com>, BRH <BRH>
says...
> I'm interested in learning to use manual mode effectively and would
> appreciate recommendations for a good non-DSLR camera for this purpose.
> Features I'm looking for are built-in optical zoom and large, clear LCD.
>
> I'm not interested in a DSLR at this point due to overall cost, the need
> for multiple lenses, etc.
>
> Most interested in shooting nature, landscapes, etc.

Sony R1, which due to its large sensor offers some control over the
depth of field. All cameras with a compact sensor essentially have a lot
of DOF at all apertures and you can't experiment with low DOF settings.
It's however a quite big and heavy camera (compared to compact cameras).
--

Alfred Molon
------------------------------
Olympus 50X0, 7070, 8080, E300, E330, E400 and E500 forum at
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/MyOlympus/
http://myolympus.org/ photo sharing site
 >> Stay informed about: Recommend a Good Manual Mode non-DSLR? 

On Fri, 27 Apr 2007 20:06:29 -0400, BRH wrote:

> I'm interested in learning to use manual mode effectively and would
> appreciate recommendations for a good non-DSLR camera for this purpose.
> Features I'm looking for are built-in optical zoom and large, clear LCD.
>
> I'm not interested in a DSLR at this point due to overall cost, the need
> for multiple lenses, etc.
>
> Most interested in shooting nature, landscapes, etc.
>
> Thanks!

Kodak P series has full manual mode. Also shoots raw, tiff, jpeg - has
most of the other features you'd expect on a DSLR and a long zoon. When I
last checked, the P850 was available refurb on Kodak's online store for
$225.
 >> Stay informed about: Recommend a Good Manual Mode non-DSLR? 

<BRH> wrote in message news:9KednW6zIu0KE6_bnZ2dnUVZ_sSmnZ2d@comcast.com...

> I'm interested in learning to use manual mode effectively and would appreciate recommendations for a good non-DSLR camera for this
> purpose. Features I'm looking for are built-in optical zoom and large, clear LCD.

More useful than a rear panal LCD is a good eyepiece electronic finder
(you can actually see it in bright light, and it can give you more feedback
on exposure, color balance, and composition).

> I'm not interested in a DSLR at this point due to overall cost, the need for multiple lenses, etc.
>
> Most interested in shooting nature, landscapes, etc.

I have liked the Sony DSC-F707 (available used only, and I may sell
mine in perfect condition to get a dSLR...). It is very easy to hand hold
steady at slow speeds due to its double-handed grip and soft shutter
release, the body articulates for viewing up or down, and the zoom is
a very sharp *f2*-f2.6 Zeiss design, which with an Olympus WA works
well to give a speedy and sharp 28mm to 180mm equivalent in 35mm terms.
The camera is described here - www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydscf707
--
David Ruether
d_ruether RemoveThis @hotmail.com
http://www.donferrario.com/ruether
 >> Stay informed about: Recommend a Good Manual Mode non-DSLR?