Compact

A long time ago, on the search for a perfect compact, I mused as to whether the Sigma DP1 was the answer. It wasn’t. A year plus later and the perfect camera still isn’t here, but why?

There have certainly been some excellent candidates. The advent of Micro Four Thirds with the Pen E-P1 (and P2) from Olympus, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1;  together with cameras like the Samsung NX10 and Ricoh GXR which also boast larger sensors with a corresponding lower pixel density and offer support for interchangeable lenses, have made 2009 a very interesting year for those waiting for a pocket-able cameras without wanting to compromise on image quality.

Looking back at the criteria I had – pocket sized, great photographers control, superb image quality, cheap reasonably priced – I can see that a couple of the examples above fit the bill, so why aren’t any of this current crop sitting comfortably alongside the keyboard as I type this? Two reasons: first I wasn’t complete in defining my requirements: I’d now add fast accurate auto-focus, accurate exposure metering and be more precise about defining image quality (great resolution, good dynamic range, low noise at higher ~800 ISO). Second is feature creep. With these cameras now offering HD video capture, something that was never previously a requirement for me, I find myself marking them down for things like poor audio support.

I guess there’s two lessons here:

1. We really do judge things relatively – my requirements have increased because what’s on offer has got better.
2. If you wait, something better comes along.

So I’m still happy with the little Canon, because having a half-decent camera in your pocket is better than having no camera (or “the best camera is the camera you you actually use”). Here’s a recent pic to prove it:

I’d also note that the Sigma which was ~$800 is now around $530 which brings me to:

3.  If you wait, consumer electronics, including cameras, get cheaper