On Jan 4, 2007, at 1:27 PM, John Francis wrote: > > a friend of mine is in the market for a new camera. > He doesn't need a DSLR, but will occasionally want > to print at A4 or larger. > > Money isn't a big factor in the deal (although I > don't think he's ready to spring for a Leica :-); > > I remember one or two of you (Godfrey?) seem to be > pretty satisfied with a non-Pentax model in your > bag - either a Sony or a Panasonic, IIRC. > > What would people recommend for good image quality?
I have used several non-DSLR cameras that make satisfactory A3 Super sized prints. From smallest to largest: Fuji F30 - my current compact, Rollei 35S sized, good lens, excellent quality at ISO 100, extraordinary quality for a compact at ISO 400-800, pretty limited otherwise (JPEG ONLY, etc). I've only printed one large scale print from it, but I use it more as a snapshot camera than anything else. 4x5 and 6x8 prints are very very good. Panasonic LX1 - Excellent lens, selectable format proportions, RAW capture, image stabilization. Excellent quality at ISO 80, modest quality at ISO 200, too noisy above that. Fully auto to fully manual control. A little smaller than the F30. Konica Minolta A2 - Excellent lens, amazing range of features, buffered IO, many pro-class control options, a wee bit smaller overall than the *ist DS with an FA35 fitted. ONe of the best EVFs of any camera in the class. Image quality at ISO 64-200 excellent (JPEG or RAW capture), up to 400 if you use RAW but a bit noisy. 800 useable in a pinch. Manual zoom control very precise. A camera capable of pro-quality results. Sony R1 - large sensor, superb lens, excellent controls, excellent exposure system, JPEG and RAW, sensitivity/noise only about 1-2 stops behind Pentax DS, manual zoom control. A bit slow in operation, a bit on the bulky side. A camera capable of pro-quality results. My A2 and R1 are for sale. I'm concentrating on the Pentax K10D as my standard camera now. Godfrey -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
