Small cameras for the field

High-end compacts

I've been working with a high-end compact digital camera since 2001. 
It was a Canon Powershot G-1.
The pocket camera worked for me and was also one of the very few cameras in its class to offer RAW capture.
Today, I lug the Canon Powershot G1X around my neck.
Wherever I go, I use it to capture snapshots of my travels and its been a faithful bicycling companion.
The G1X yields some really amazing captures.
And it has features that allows you to post-process in-camera.
This is a far cry from the G1 that came out 13 years ago.
Paving the way, is the smaller Powershot G16 which was announced sometime in August this year.
It has Wi-Fi image transfer capabilities.
This means that when you go touring, all you need, is a smartphone or a tablet or a phablet (big-assed smartphones).
I don't think any high-end compact cameras from other manufacturers would come close to Canon's Powershot G-series cameras in terms of image quality, features and value for money.
Compared to camera makers like Panasonic, Nikon and Olympus, I prefer the Canon compacts for its ease of use and user-interface.
On a Canon, there's very few steps to access the features and menu pages.
And as a result-orientated person, I am very pleased with the image quality of my Powershot G1X.

Powershot G1

Powershot G1X

Powershot G16

Moisture: your compact's enemy

I've cycled through three Powershots with issues on moisture.
When I go cycling, sweat from my face trickle down onto the camera's body.
It seeps onto the circuit board and corrodes the internal wiring which is pretty sensitive.
So, given that issue, the average lifespan of a compact camera that gets physically-abused in the field is about one and a-half years.
Even my Powershot G1X is now showing signs of degrading.
More than often, I get the "Memory Card Error" warning and after rebooting it a few times, it was back to normal.
I've considered waterproof cameras like the Olympus TG-2, but it's image quality was aweful.

Micro Four-Thirds and Mirrorless cameras..

Some say compact camera with interchangeable lenses like the Olympus Pen, Panasonic G-series Lumix cameras, Sony Alphas and Nikon 1s are worth a look.
And certain gurus even claim that it can replace the D-SLR.
I don't agree with their views although a compact camera with interchangeable lenses can be very convenient to lug around.
I won't bother with the Panasonic cameras as they are really expensive. Even the lenses are exorbitantly priced.
The only good ones are from Olympus. Their Pen-series are worth looking at.
But, again, only the high-end lenses from the Zuiko Digital series can yield some really good images.
I left out the Sonys because to me, they are really awful.
Recently, Nikon had introduced the Nikon AW-1, an all-weather waterproof camera.
It has all the bells and whistles for you to bring it into places even I won't go.
But for Nikon, the apparent dislike I had is the user-interface. It simply sucks.
And the AW-1 is not cheap either. It comes with a hefty pricetag of RM3K for a body and kit lens.
At the end of the spectrum, was the Canon EOS-M.
Which turned out to be a major disappointment.
Its Auto-Focusing sucks.
And if you shoot a lot, power management is an issue with Micro Four-Thirds and Mirrorless cameras.
They drain your battery like a thirsty camel..
Well, the EOS-M may be a turkey, Canon had introduced an upgraded version of the camera called the EOS-M2.
Said to be faster in terms of focussing, much is left to be desired.
This camera is also not available for the North American market and is sold exclusively in Asia..

Canon EOS M-2

Nikon AW-1

Choices, choices, choices..

Well, I didn't mention the Fuji mirrorless cameras and Leicas because they are ridiculously expensive.
From the image quality output perspective, it yields some really good shots. But you won't be mad enough to lug it around on your bicycle.
Speaking of producing some kickass shots, I think the Micro Four Thirds and Mirroless cameras deserve a chance, its the optical elements on the lenses that are going to give some really good shots. But the letdown is pricing, battery life and weight.
Nothing can beat a compact camera with a built-in zoom lens. 
And if you are willing to pay, there are a few models that comes with a fast lens that allows excellent low-light captures. 
But again, the saying always goes: "Cheap thing no good, good thing no cheap.."

The OM returns..

It's back!
After making an exit in the early 90s, the Olympus OM system is back.
Re-incarnated as a micro four-third system, the new OM boasts of weather-sealing while it maintains its compact size.

A noteworthy camera..
I remember the OM system when I was a kid.
A camera shop at the Koperasi Supermarket in Jalan Raja Bot, Kuala Lumpur used to sell a full-range of the OM system.
As a matter of fact, the OM-1 was a favourite camera among students in the 70s and 80s.
The most sought-after OM was the OM-4ti, which was complemented with a full-range of Zuiko lenses.
Sadly, when film was outdated, so did the entire OM system.

The Olympus OM-D

A new beginning..
There's a lot of excitement about this new camera and it will be launched in Malaysia on Feb 09 (tomorrow).
This new SLR-styled camera will be competing directly with the micro four-thirds from Panasonic.

First impressions: Olympus EP-3

A good impression..
I managed to meet up with the public relations people for Olympus Camera Malaysia and talked them into loaning one of their micro four-third system for my food walkabout.
To test it out, I brought the Olympus Pen EP-3 for a spin.
It was my second century ride to Bagan Lalang and I tested this camera which was equipped with a 14-42mm lens.
Now, unlike Panasonic and Samsung, the Olympus micro four-third system is well-backed.
You don't have to worry about lenses and accessories.
Compared to the Pana-retard's Lumix series cameras, the Pen series cameras are never short of surprises. Which is impressive.

My loan camera: the Olympus EP-3

Image quality
On a scale of 1-10, the picture quality on an Olympus Pen would rate at 5.5.
The lens that came with my loan camera is an entry-level piece.
In short, its a coke-bottle lens.
I don't have high expectations on the 14-42mm lens, which makes a really cool 'walkabout' lens on the compact EP-3. 
Truth to be told, there are high-quality lenses made by third-party manufacturers that you can use to snap better images with the EP-3.
But the 14-42mm lens is a good start.
With a price tag of RM3.19K, the EP-3 is not for the beginner. 
It complements your D-SLR system on sets that don't require all the extra bells and whistles.
Most of the shots taken on the EP-3 was point-and-shoot. So, I don't really expect a lot.
Its a departure from using an 'enthusiast' compact camera like the Canon Powershot G12 which I've gotten so used to.


One tough mutha!
All good things said and done, I am pretty impressed with the overall built quality of the EP-3. Even though its made entire in China.
The QC on the body was really good.
I am not used to the controls and could not find an exposure lock and many of the self-timed shots were underexposed.
The pop-up flash on this camera is also too weak to fill-in for simple snapshot images.
Compared to the G12, the EP3 is flawed with its built-in flash.
Other than that, I don't have much to complain about the overall image quality as 70% of the captured shots were decent.
With the zoom lens, you can actually shoot with dept-of-field.
There are eight shooting mode including movie, I only used three at the most.
The preset shooting mode was some funky art filter. I had to re-set the camera to its factory settings to get the most out of it.
And when it comes to testing this baby, I took it out for two trips.
First was to Bagan Lalang and the second outing was to Tanjung Piai. 
The battery life on the EP-3 exceeded my expectations and I must say that it pretty much held up to the continous shooting and review on the LCD screen. It took some effort to wear down the battery.


Sample shots

Summary
The EP-3 is a fun and pretty nippy camera to play with.
It has a range of lens you can acquire to enhance your range of photographic angles. From landscape to portraiture, the possibilities are endless.
My only beef with this camera is the touch-screen snapshots, which is unnecessary (it clicks when it comes to contact with your body).
Otherwise, the Olympus Pen EP-3 is a worthwhile system to consider if you want something small and un-intrusive for your work.
As for shooting food photos for my Food Trail column, the Pen cameras are a good choice.

The micro four-turd

How reliable are the micro four-third cameras?Late last year, I was contemplating on trying out the Panasonic Lumix GF-1 system, but was not convinced with its practicality.I think of the lot who produces the micro four-thirds, Panasonic has the worst representation in Malaysia when it comes to media relations.They suck in every aspect.Anyways, I went asking around about the GF-1 and learned that a basic system with two kit lenses covering wide angle and medium-telephoto has an asking price of RM4.5k.This is not including its external flash (small guide number) which is priced at RM800.I wouldn't give Panasonic a single sen for selling Indonesian-made accessories although their camera body and lenses are made in Japan.With the fridge and television maker out of the equation, the next best thing is Olympus.Now, despite what they have done about three decades ago with their OM system, Olympus had lost out to giants like Canon, Nikon and Pentax.The micro four-thirds are jointly developed by Panasonic and Olympus and till now, I don't see folks like Canon and Nikon following suit.I know for a fact that Sony had showed their prototype micro four-thirds, But then again, Sony is a failure in selling their A-series D-SLRs and having micro four-thirds would further sink them.Now, back to the Olympus, I was impressed with their latest offering - the EP-L1 camera.This is the more compact little brother of their EP-1 and EP-2 'pen' cameras that are heavily promoted.I don't know if they are effective, but seeing as it is -- the EP-L1 is more of a lifestyle camera.I am yet to see any superb images produced by the GF-1 or the EP-series cameras.And since it has a point-and-shoot kind of feel, the micro four-thirds are good as a back-up camera.One of the factor that is preventing me from sinking my claws is price.They are expensive and if you factor in accessories and after sales service, both Panasonic and Olympus suck big time.Anways, this is just my opinion on the micro four-thirds. They might improvise the system further by leap and bounds.