Ghiom
Established
Earlier this year, I sold my Hexar AF, and later on bought a GRD-1... played with it for 2 months and sold it too...
And I finally got myself another Hexar AF !
No regrets
The X-1 might do pretty well in many ways, but for the time being, I think that if you like the hexar AF, you'd better keep it, use it... enjoy it !
And I finally got myself another Hexar AF !
No regrets
The X-1 might do pretty well in many ways, but for the time being, I think that if you like the hexar AF, you'd better keep it, use it... enjoy it !
nightfly
Well-known
I had a GR D and frankly I thought the image quality sucked. I love grain but the sort of blotchy, pixelated stuff that the GR D put out wasn't really like grain to me and I felt like the dynamic range was pretty poor. However some people use them successfully. I bought and sold one and a GX 100 and am back to my film GR 1 and my M4-P.
Not sure how the new EP1 and the Panasonic competitor are in use but the 5D is pretty big. In another thread we were discussing mounting an Olympus lens on it with an adapter which gets it's smaller but you can't get away from the big body. You definitely should go check one out. I think image quality wise/speed etc it's probably what you want but the size might be too much.
With the new Olympus and Panasonic I think things are moving in the right direction but probably not quite there yet. In B & H yesterday though it really hit me that film is on it's last legs. The film department has been moved to the rear and cramped into a little corner and stock of things like negative sleeves is really poor.
Not sure how the new EP1 and the Panasonic competitor are in use but the 5D is pretty big. In another thread we were discussing mounting an Olympus lens on it with an adapter which gets it's smaller but you can't get away from the big body. You definitely should go check one out. I think image quality wise/speed etc it's probably what you want but the size might be too much.
With the new Olympus and Panasonic I think things are moving in the right direction but probably not quite there yet. In B & H yesterday though it really hit me that film is on it's last legs. The film department has been moved to the rear and cramped into a little corner and stock of things like negative sleeves is really poor.
gavinlg
Veteran
Well, the 5d is large, but not massive. Go and try one... It's not more uncomfortable than an M body, but it's larger.
NDAv
Member
I use an Olympus C-7070, probably the last great digital point-and-shoot. The camera is over 4 years old and I have yet to find a suitable replacement. This belongs to the series of cameras that Alex Majoli used in Iraq: C-5050, C-5060, and C-8080. At the time, Alex Majoli claimed that these cameras were the closest equivalent to digital Leicas.
It has optical viewfinder. Using for panning and continuous shooting, but too inaccurate for anything else. The LCD tilts up and down and swivels - very useful. It is a little small and grainy though, but still usuable in most situations. There is even an old-fashioned LCD information panel at the top, which allows the other LCD to be uncluttered for composing.
For manual focus, it shows a focus distance scale, which is very precise. You can focus in 0.1 metre increments outside of the macro modes. The focus distance scale means you can set the hyperfocal distance easily. I set my the custom mode up so that the camera automatically sets focus to the hyperfocal distance as you switch between different focal lengths, using the method described here: http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/c/c7070.html
If focus and exposure are both preset, and shutter half-pressed, lag is non-existent. The camera can be a little slow saving files though, especially when shooting RAW, which takes around 6 seconds.
The C-7070 has an excellent macro capability, probably the last fixed lens digital camera to have a good built-in macro mode. The super macro mode uses the 55mm focal length instead of wide angle, giving you some extra working distance.
The lens has wide-angle capability of 28mm, which is very important to me. I think it is too dark at telephoto (F4.8) but for most of the range, the brightness is decent. The max is F2.8 at wide angle and F3.2 at 55mm so it is not that bad actually. The lens has a filter thread (40.5mm), which is very rare on this type of camera.
The body is very rugged made of metal and made in Japan, if that is important to you. I like the design of the grip, it is the perfect size for me, not too excessive. It is not pocketable camera, but still very compact, at least for me.
The problem? As you might have already guessed, this camera is discontinued and it has historically fetched absurd prices on Ebay, close to a thousand dollars at one point, well above the retail price, though thankfully the prices seem to have relaxed recently.
It has optical viewfinder. Using for panning and continuous shooting, but too inaccurate for anything else. The LCD tilts up and down and swivels - very useful. It is a little small and grainy though, but still usuable in most situations. There is even an old-fashioned LCD information panel at the top, which allows the other LCD to be uncluttered for composing.
For manual focus, it shows a focus distance scale, which is very precise. You can focus in 0.1 metre increments outside of the macro modes. The focus distance scale means you can set the hyperfocal distance easily. I set my the custom mode up so that the camera automatically sets focus to the hyperfocal distance as you switch between different focal lengths, using the method described here: http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/c/c7070.html
If focus and exposure are both preset, and shutter half-pressed, lag is non-existent. The camera can be a little slow saving files though, especially when shooting RAW, which takes around 6 seconds.
The C-7070 has an excellent macro capability, probably the last fixed lens digital camera to have a good built-in macro mode. The super macro mode uses the 55mm focal length instead of wide angle, giving you some extra working distance.
The lens has wide-angle capability of 28mm, which is very important to me. I think it is too dark at telephoto (F4.8) but for most of the range, the brightness is decent. The max is F2.8 at wide angle and F3.2 at 55mm so it is not that bad actually. The lens has a filter thread (40.5mm), which is very rare on this type of camera.
The body is very rugged made of metal and made in Japan, if that is important to you. I like the design of the grip, it is the perfect size for me, not too excessive. It is not pocketable camera, but still very compact, at least for me.
The problem? As you might have already guessed, this camera is discontinued and it has historically fetched absurd prices on Ebay, close to a thousand dollars at one point, well above the retail price, though thankfully the prices seem to have relaxed recently.
amateriat
We're all light!
NDAv: I use the Olympus C-8080, and I still think it's one of the best digital cameras Oly has made to this date. Great, reasonably-fast lens, usable EVF (far more accurate in terms of framing than the OVF on the 7070, at least), nice size, good feel in the hand, and Not Huge. I think a bit about what a 4/3 version of this would be like.
Olympus C-8080, minus hood
In some ways, digital has come damned far. But, IMO, it has a quite some way left to go.
- Barrett
Olympus C-8080, minus hood
In some ways, digital has come damned far. But, IMO, it has a quite some way left to go.
- Barrett
ampguy
Veteran
The 5050 with f1.8 seems like the interesting to me, fast, and small, uses AAs. Not really wide though, starts at 35.
bdeyes
Established
I have a Hexar AF, and once contemplated the C8080, but not as a companion or replacement camera to the Hexar. Although the C8080 is great is all the respects you stated, it did have a little bit of a "shutter" delay IIRC.
rui
M2&IIIf user
Well, the new Leica X1 might fit the bill. Large sensor, 35mm equivalent lens (24mm), "analog"manual controls and a nice look... Other options are the Olympus E-P1 with the 17mm/2.8 lens (also equivalent to 35mm) & finder or the Panasonic GF1 with the 20mm/1.7 lens (40mm equiv.).
Three compact options with large enough sensors and more or less affordable. I have the E-P1+17mm+finder and I'm quite happy with it. Check these photos taken with it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ruigrilo/sets/72157622192717815/
Three compact options with large enough sensors and more or less affordable. I have the E-P1+17mm+finder and I'm quite happy with it. Check these photos taken with it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ruigrilo/sets/72157622192717815/
user237428934
User deletion pending
just a quick comparison shot between 5d+35 2.0 and Hexar AF
I don't like the Canon 35 wide open: strong vignetting and not very sharp in the corners.
ampguy
Veteran
hmm, I like the HAF wide open, there is distortion, vignetting, and at times weird bokeh, but none of those as severe as a Nokton wide open, IMHO. Also, you get .5m close focus, but the distortion can be exacerbated at that distance.
I shot a few rolls with the HAF last week, processed at Walgreens. The sharpness and color makes one want to go back to film (used Walgreens (fuji) 200, and Portra 100, and Portra 800 C41 films).
I shot a few rolls with the HAF last week, processed at Walgreens. The sharpness and color makes one want to go back to film (used Walgreens (fuji) 200, and Portra 100, and Portra 800 C41 films).