Travel compact - DPChallenge Forums

06/27/2013 03:29:29 PM · #1

That is one hell of a camera. My ONLY concern is that it looks pretty soft at f/1.8 - but we'll wait for a release version.

06/27/2013 02:38:49 PM · #2

Originally posted by Neil:

Originally posted by Cory:

Hey, cool - I didn't know that it was so small. Definitely a good choice. Although, the S100 is admittedly half the price..

You know, I'd buy one today if only it had a blasted hot shoe.

That diagram made me start looking at the Olympus XZ1.. If I buy a camera today I blame you.

Your wish has been granted...

//www.dpreview.com/news/2013/06/27/just-posted-sony-cyber-shot-dsc-rx100-ii-first-look

Well, alright! Glad I didn't spring the other day.

06/27/2013 08:56:53 AM · #3

Originally posted by Cory:

Hey, cool - I didn't know that it was so small. Definitely a good choice. Although, the S100 is admittedly half the price..

You know, I'd buy one today if only it had a blasted hot shoe.

That diagram made me start looking at the Olympus XZ1.. If I buy a camera today I blame you.

Your wish has been granted...

//www.dpreview.com/news/2013/06/27/just-posted-sony-cyber-shot-dsc-rx100-ii-first-look

Message edited by author 2013-06-27 08:57:27.

06/26/2013 12:54:49 PM · #4

Originally posted by Spork99:

Originally posted by Cory:

Originally posted by Spork99:

Another bit of gear? How big and heavy is one of those hotshoe sync units compared to the radio triggers, multiple flash units, stands and whatever other gear you'd be toting around to do what you suggest anyway? Any radio triggered multiple light setup isn't going to be compact...period.

It's really about 10% more gear, and about 90% fear of fiddling with crap. :)

The idea of adding in an optical trigger does bug me from a 'one more bit of shit' perspective, but I think my biggest real world concern would be reliability and ability to place it easily.

My use-case scenario is a backpack loaded with gear, and used out on a hike - I've definitely found that fiddling with shit out in the field while dealing with rain, wind, sun, etc, is a bad thing - the idea of a hard-connected radio trigger just sounds so much safer and less of a hassle.

Dunno though, never used an optical trigger like these, so I might just be avoiding them without reason, since I suppose the could work perfectly. I just picture myself standing in the desert in full sun, fcking with this thing and being pissed after hiking 10 miles through Hades and not being able to get my shot. :)

That's why you test your gear before hiking 10 miles through Hades.

Most of the issues with these optical slaves are the result of them not seeing the preflash and then ignoring the main flash instead. Since your setup would not require the optical trigger to be placed away from the camera, you could potentially hold the trigger's optical sensor right in front of the camera's flash... you might need 3 hands to do that, but the point is that you could get it as close as needed. The Wein version of this slave are pretty much bombproof since the electronics are mostly embedded in solid acrylic.

:) Don't need three hands, that's what gaffer's tape is for. :)

I might pick one up and try it out. Heck it could even give me a 200+ yard increase in range for my triggers if I use it as a bridge.

06/26/2013 12:49:07 PM · #5

Originally posted by Cory:

Originally posted by Spork99:

Another bit of gear? How big and heavy is one of those hotshoe sync units compared to the radio triggers, multiple flash units, stands and whatever other gear you'd be toting around to do what you suggest anyway? Any radio triggered multiple light setup isn't going to be compact...period.

It's really about 10% more gear, and about 90% fear of fiddling with crap. :)

The idea of adding in an optical trigger does bug me from a 'one more bit of shit' perspective, but I think my biggest real world concern would be reliability and ability to place it easily.

My use-case scenario is a backpack loaded with gear, and used out on a hike - I've definitely found that fiddling with shit out in the field while dealing with rain, wind, sun, etc, is a bad thing - the idea of a hard-connected radio trigger just sounds so much safer and less of a hassle.

Dunno though, never used an optical trigger like these, so I might just be avoiding them without reason, since I suppose the could work perfectly. I just picture myself standing in the desert in full sun, fcking with this thing and being pissed after hiking 10 miles through Hades and not being able to get my shot. :)

That's why you test your gear before hiking 10 miles through Hades.

Most of the issues with these optical slaves are the result of them not seeing the preflash and then ignoring the main flash instead. Since your setup would not require the optical trigger to be placed away from the camera, you could potentially hold the trigger's optical sensor right in front of the camera's flash... you might need 3 hands to do that, but the point is that you could get it as close as needed. The Wein version of this slave are pretty much bombproof since the electronics are mostly embedded in solid acrylic.

06/26/2013 12:42:21 PM · #6

Originally posted by Spork99:

Another bit of gear? How big and heavy is one of those hotshoe sync units compared to the radio triggers, multiple flash units, stands and whatever other gear you'd be toting around to do what you suggest anyway? Any radio triggered multiple light setup isn't going to be compact...period.

It's really about 10% more gear, and about 90% fear of fiddling with crap. :)

The idea of adding in an optical trigger does bug me from a 'one more bit of shit' perspective, but I think my biggest real world concern would be reliability and ability to place it easily.

My use-case scenario is a backpack loaded with gear, and used out on a hike - I've definitely found that fiddling with shit out in the field while dealing with rain, wind, sun, etc, is a bad thing - the idea of a hard-connected radio trigger just sounds so much safer and less of a hassle.

Dunno though, never used an optical trigger like these, so I might just be avoiding them without reason, since I suppose the could work perfectly. I just picture myself standing in the desert in full sun, fcking with this thing and being pissed after hiking 10 miles through Hades and not being able to get my shot. :)

06/26/2013 12:33:57 PM · #7

Originally posted by Cory:

Originally posted by Spork99:

Originally posted by Cory:

Originally posted by Spork99:

Originally posted by Cory:

You know, I'd buy one today if only it had a blasted hot shoe.

There are plenty of options to allow off camera flash with a non-hot shoe camera

Yes, but I want to fire radio triggers.

Anything good you're aware of for that?

Sure. Take your radio trigger transmitter and put that in the shoe of an optical slave unit. When your pocket camera flash fires it will trigger the optical slave, which will trigger the radio transmitter and set off all the lights hooked to it. You'll probably want a trigger that can be programmed to ignore a pre-flash, but those are fairly common.

I figured that's what you'd say.

The thought had struck me, but really, carrying around another bit of gear when the whole point is to be as compact as possible does seem to kinda defeat the whole purpose of the exercise doesn't it?.

I've already got a G9 - so it wouldn't really help much in terms of size reduction from what I have already.

Nay, I fear that the only real solution is to eventually move to a newer compact.

06/26/2013 12:26:48 PM · #8

Originally posted by Spork99:

Originally posted by Cory:

Originally posted by Spork99:

Originally posted by Cory:

You know, I'd buy one today if only it had a blasted hot shoe.

There are plenty of options to allow off camera flash with a non-hot shoe camera

Yes, but I want to fire radio triggers.

Anything good you're aware of for that?

Sure. Take your radio trigger transmitter and put that in the shoe of an optical slave unit. When your pocket camera flash fires it will trigger the optical slave, which will trigger the radio transmitter and set off all the lights hooked to it. You'll probably want a trigger that can be programmed to ignore a pre-flash, but those are fairly common.

I figured that's what you'd say.

The thought had struck me, but really, carrying around another bit of gear when the whole point is to be as compact as possible does seem to kinda defeat the whole purpose of the exercise doesn't it?.

I've already got a G9 - so it wouldn't really help much in terms of size reduction from what I have already.

Nay, I fear that the only real solution is to eventually move to a newer compact.

06/26/2013 12:14:07 PM · #9

Originally posted by Cory:

Originally posted by Spork99:

Originally posted by Cory:

You know, I'd buy one today if only it had a blasted hot shoe.

There are plenty of options to allow off camera flash with a non-hot shoe camera

Yes, but I want to fire radio triggers.

Anything good you're aware of for that?

Sure. Take your radio trigger transmitter and put that in the shoe of an optical slave unit. When your pocket camera flash fires it will trigger the optical slave, which will trigger the radio transmitter and set off all the lights hooked to it. You'll probably want a trigger that can be programmed to ignore a pre-flash, but those are fairly common. Here's one

If you're feeling crafty, you could take something like this and modify the design to include a transmitter that communicates with your triggers, but that might be more electronics and less photography than you want to get into.

Message edited by author 2013-06-26 12:29:15.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

06/26/2013 11:46:45 AM · #10

Originally posted by Spork99:

Originally posted by Cory:

You know, I'd buy one today if only it had a blasted hot shoe.

There are plenty of options to allow off camera flash with a non-hot shoe camera

Yes, but I want to fire radio triggers.

Anything good you're aware of for that?

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

06/26/2013 09:20:58 AM · #11

FWIW, here's a couple of good deals on the Canon S100 and S110.

06/26/2013 09:13:04 AM · #12

More details on the RX1R and RX100MII are out...

//www.sonyalpharumors.com/

Looks the the price for the RX100MII will be even MORE than the RX100! That's crazy...since it's getting close to the price of the APS-C size compacts like the Sony NEX-6 and the Fuji E-1. In fact, it IS the price of the new Fuji M-1 I think. But that's just based on the prices in Japan (translated from the Yen, it comes to about $748! The RX1 may be coming down in price.

Surprisingly, the list doesn't really show any of the new features, except that it's now a backlit sensor. Sounds like it will have a tilting display as rumored though...and maybe a hot shoe (if I read between the lines in some of the remarks, or they could be saying that they still don't know about the hot shoe).

Release date in Japan is supposedly July 5.

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

06/26/2013 07:58:43 AM · #13

Originally posted by Cory:

You know, I'd buy one today if only it had a blasted hot shoe.

There are plenty of options to allow off camera flash with a non-hot shoe camera

mariahdc

Canon EOS-50D

06/25/2013 04:46:56 PM · #14

Another vote for the Canon S95.

tnun

Ricoh GR III

Pentax DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED AL [IF] WR DC

06/25/2013 01:59:31 PM · #15

those are fabulous pants. I can ride my horse, carry his lunch and mine, a bottle of wine for each - or wait, he doesn't drink wine so maybe a telephoto lens. damn, I forgot the camera.

06/25/2013 01:58:33 PM · #16

Originally posted by Neil:

This might keep you waiting:

//www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr5-confirmed-sony-rx100-mkii-to-be-announced-soon-end-of-june/

No reason to expect that to have a hotshoe is there? Not that I suspect the OP cares, but I do. :)

It's the only thing I don't like about my S95.

Message edited by author 2013-06-25 13:58:59.

06/25/2013 01:56:24 PM · #17

This might keep you waiting:

//www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr5-confirmed-sony-rx100-mkii-to-be-announced-soon-end-of-june/

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

06/25/2013 01:53:12 PM · #18

Originally posted by Strikeslip:

Originally posted by Cory:
...You know, I'd buy one today if only it had a blasted hot shoe.

The RX1 has a hot shoe. ;-)

Too damned expensive! And still too big really, that won't go in a pocket comfortably. Want it to be teensy, and inexpensive.

The Olympus XZ1 does look promising though, checking that out right now.

Message edited by author 2013-06-25 13:56:46.

Strikeslip

Canon EOS-5D

06/25/2013 01:52:03 PM · #19

Originally posted by Cory:

...You know, I'd buy one today if only it had a blasted hot shoe.

The RX1 has a hot shoe. ;-)

06/25/2013 01:50:36 PM · #20

Originally posted by Neil:

Originally posted by Spork99:

Originally posted by Neil:
The RX100 blows away pocket cameras with small or even the larger compact sensors.

It's not so great at fitting in a pocket...

Huh? I put it in my jeans pocket all the time. It's heavy, but it fits just fine.

The pants Slippy posted are where I carry my D600 and 70-200mm F2.8 lens. :)

Looks like it's just a bit bigger than the S100:

//farm9.staticflickr.com/8162/7344447900_b98f0c1451_b.jpg

(Thread about it: //www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3222940#forum-post-41820683)

My bad, I (and google) confused it with the RX-1

06/25/2013 01:50:10 PM · #21

Originally posted by Neil:

06/25/2013 01:38:46 PM · #22

Originally posted by Spork99:

Originally posted by Neil:
The RX100 blows away pocket cameras with small or even the larger compact sensors.

It's not so great at fitting in a pocket...

Huh? I put it in my jeans pocket all the time. It's heavy, but it fits just fine.

The pants Slippy posted are where I carry my D600 and 70-200mm F2.8 lens. :)

Looks like it's just a bit bigger than the S100:

//farm9.staticflickr.com/8162/7344447900_b98f0c1451_b.jpg

(Thread about it: //www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3222940#forum-post-41820683)

Message edited by author 2013-06-25 13:48:13.

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

06/25/2013 01:30:16 PM · #23

Originally posted by Strikeslip:

Hmm.. I'm thinking someone is either very very stupid, or incredibly smart.

Those are hideous - but if they've got a patent for "thigh tumor pants" they might be positioned just right for the next 20 years if all those doomsayers are right about us carrying our phones around in our pockets.

Seriously though, what sort of creature are those made for?

Strikeslip

Canon EOS-5D

06/25/2013 01:22:42 PM · #24

Originally posted by Spork99:

Originally posted by Neil:
The RX100 blows away pocket cameras with small or even the larger compact sensors.

It's not so great at fitting in a pocket...

These are Neil's pants: