Author Topic: any compact camera good enough for stock (Read 24000 times)

mtkang · « **on:** August 19, 2013, 02:02 »

Hi guys,

I know stock photos needs a good quality camera..and walk around snapshot aren't really stock photography.

But I wonder anyone using a compact camera which quality is good enough to submit for stock agencies?

give some model suggestion..

thanks.

plrang · « **Reply #1 on:** August 19, 2013, 02:18 »

I use G12 as a walk around camera and with the right settings it produces great stock images, for example http://stock.imagerion.com/search-images/Dreamliner/
So you might look for something similar, there is M, RAW, ISO 80, 2.8~4.5, 5x zoom and more interesting features

Pauws99 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 19, 2013, 02:19 »

If conditions are right i have had the odd sale with a Canon s95 but conditions have to be very good. You really need a DSLR I think to produce volume.

mtkang · « **Reply #3 on:** August 19, 2013, 03:20 »

i know LX-7 got some good review too.. how about RICOH GR and sigma DP?

sharpshot · « **Reply #4 on:** August 19, 2013, 04:40 »

I've used a few compact cameras. Used to think a pocketable camera was ideal but it takes too long to get it out of my pocket, so I'm getting a Canon G1 X that I can hang around my neck like a DSLR. There's some less than half the original price on Ebay. The cameras not as compact as some but it has a viewfinder and that makes a big difference for me. The sensor size is closer to DSLR cameras than compacts. Focus could be a bit slow but that doesn't bother me. Looks like they'll have a new version out soon, as the price has fallen a lot recently.

If you want to spend more, the new Panasonic G7 could be good. If you want a smaller camera, the Sony RX100 is good but I found the lens a bit soft on the right side at the longer end of the zoom and that became annoying.

gostwyck · « **Reply #5 on:** August 19, 2013, 06:49 »

From my experience I would say not. Obviously you can take a decent stock image with a P&S ... but it is much harder to do so and usually only possible in near-perfect conditions.

Apart from the noise, the shutter-lag and the crappy lenses the worst thing is that view-finders on P&S cameras are mostly designed to be used at arms-length nowadays ... and you can't take good sharp images like that.

My walkaround (or in my case mainly 'cycle-around') camera is the smallest, lightest, cheapest DSLR I could find at the time, the Canon 500D. As far as I'm concerned it is 10x better than any P&S camera I've tried. I've wasted tons of money (and lost stock opportunities) on the latest super-dooper, "just as good as a DSLR" P&S cameras ... only to be disappointed and invariably selling them on, for a fraction of what I paid, with barely 100 shutter-operations registered. My family and friends appreciate it though!

Xanox · « **Reply #6 on:** August 19, 2013, 07:08 »

any good compact camera will do, but is it worth it ?

if your goal is producing PRO images you can only do it with pro gear or at least with an entry level DSLR, anything else is wasted time and money in my opinion.

yeah, many locations and situation where we would love to keep a low profile but what the he-ll ... grow some ba-lls and shoot, dont care about what people think ... shoot first and eventually ask later !

Xanox · « **Reply #7 on:** August 19, 2013, 07:15 »

Quote from: gostwyck on August 19, 2013, 06:49

From my experience I would say not. Obviously you can take a decent stock image with a P&S ... but it is much harder to do so and usually only possible in near-perfect conditions.

Apart from the noise, the shutter-lag and the crappy lenses the worst thing is that view-finders on P&S cameras are mostly designed to be used at arms-length nowadays ... and you can't take good sharp images like that.

My walkaround (or in my case mainly 'cycle-around') camera is the smallest, lightest, cheapest DSLR I could find at the time, the Canon 500D. As far as I'm concerned it is 10x better than any P&S camera I've tried. I've wasted tons of money (and lost stock opportunities) on the latest super-dooper, "just as good as a DSLR" P&S cameras ... only to be disappointed and invariably selling them on, for a fraction of what I paid, with barely 100 shutter-operations registered. My family and friends appreciate it though!

exactly.

you CAN do great images with modern high-end P&S but it's still frustrating and price-wise it's not cheap too.

they're small but they're slow and they're good only in daylight.

i mean a 500$ D5200 with kit lens 18-55 beats the many Sony NEX / panasonic/ Nikon 1/J1 hands down in any department.

i would love a pocket mirrorless pseudo-DSLR as fast as a real DSLR with small lenses etc but so far i see nothing worth the hassle.

Fuji had the balls to launch the X series, but nikon and canon will never follow the same path, too conservative and scared about low sales.

the next killer camera can only come from companies like Fuji, or maybe Pentax, Sony, who knows, but never ever from Nikon/Canon in my opinion.

mtkang · « **Reply #8 on:** August 19, 2013, 07:53 »

maybe i should re phrase like a compact camera that i can bring around when i don't want to bring DSLR?

and if i happen to have a shot i like, i know it can get accepted in quality too..

shotupdave · « **Reply #9 on:** August 19, 2013, 11:52 »

I am considering the X-e1 for walk about type shots, so I will look less "photographer".

WarrenPrice · « **Reply #10 on:** August 19, 2013, 12:04 »

http://www.kenrockwell.com/fuji/x100s.htm

Not sure if you would consider this "compact" but it certainly gets good reviews; it and the x100.
And, not just from Ken Rockwell.

fotoVoyager · « **Reply #11 on:** August 19, 2013, 12:43 »

Ricoh GR. Fantastic lens, great chip, superb light, pocketable camera. Highly recommended if you're happy with a 28mm fixed focal length. Otherwise go for a Sony RX100 if you want zoom. Not quite as good lens or chip but still remarkable.

sharpshot · « **Reply #12 on:** August 19, 2013, 14:22 »

Quote from: Xanox on August 19, 2013, 07:15

Quote from: gostwyck on August 19, 2013, 06:49
From my experience I would say not. Obviously you can take a decent stock image with a P&S ... but it is much harder to do so and usually only possible in near-perfect conditions.

Apart from the noise, the shutter-lag and the crappy lenses the worst thing is that view-finders on P&S cameras are mostly designed to be used at arms-length nowadays ... and you can't take good sharp images like that.

My walkaround (or in my case mainly 'cycle-around') camera is the smallest, lightest, cheapest DSLR I could find at the time, the Canon 500D. As far as I'm concerned it is 10x better than any P&S camera I've tried. I've wasted tons of money (and lost stock opportunities) on the latest super-dooper, "just as good as a DSLR" P&S cameras ... only to be disappointed and invariably selling them on, for a fraction of what I paid, with barely 100 shutter-operations registered. My family and friends appreciate it though!

exactly.

you CAN do great images with modern high-end P&S but it's still frustrating and price-wise it's not cheap too.

they're small but they're slow and they're good only in daylight.

i mean a 500$ D5200 with kit lens 18-55 beats the many Sony NEX / panasonic/ Nikon 1/J1 hands down in any department.

i would love a pocket mirrorless pseudo-DSLR as fast as a real DSLR with small lenses etc but so far i see nothing worth the hassle.

Fuji had the balls to launch the X series, but nikon and canon will never follow the same path, too conservative and scared about low sales.

the next killer camera can only come from companies like Fuji, or maybe Pentax, Sony, who knows, but never ever from Nikon/Canon in my opinion.

Might of been true 5 years ago but there's lots of compacts around now that are as good or better than many DSLR's. The Sony RX1 is probably overkill but there's lots of cameras with sensors as good as APS sensors now. I really like using compact cameras, sometimes a DSLR isn't practical and its a choice of not having a camera or using a compact. The newer Olympus and Panasonic camera focus fast. The Nikon 1 does things that DSLR's can't, like 60 frames per second at full resolution. Some of the recent larger sensor compacts handle noise as well as the APS DSLR's

The outdated comments about compacts are a bit like the medium format photographers that used to look down on people using 35mm cameras. Times change, there's no need to lug around that bulky DSLR now.

tab62 · « **Reply #13 on:** August 19, 2013, 15:17 »

Story (Based on a true one) time- Just last month I took my daughter fishing and decided to leave the monster 1D Canon with 70-200 lens at home an brought a long my Oly Pen 4x3 mirrorless. We had fun and caught a lot of wild trout- I fired away with the mighty pen and uploaded them to the agencies- fotolia basically stated' no thanks' along with a few other MS companies that said the same thing-

Now, I wondered what if I had brought my 1D Monster Canon? Well, I decided to do a test- I had my daughter change her clothing from that past fishing session and we went to the exact location and time of day. Well, guess what? The MS companies took over 90% of my pics including FT! And they are selling well...

The End

tickstock · « **Reply #14 on:** August 19, 2013, 15:21 »

sharpshot · « **Reply #15 on:** August 19, 2013, 16:23 »

Quote from: tab62 on August 19, 2013, 15:17

Story (Based on a true one) time- Just last month I took my daughter fishing and decided to leave the monster 1D Canon with 70-200 lens at home an brought a long my Oly Pen 4x3 mirrorless. We had fun and caught a lot of wild trout- I fired away with the mighty pen and uploaded them to the agencies- fotolia basically stated' no thanks' along with a few other MS companies that said the same thing-

Now, I wondered what if I had brought my 1D Monster Canon? Well, I decided to do a test- I had my daughter change her clothing from that past fishing session and we went to the exact location and time of day. Well, guess what? The MS companies took over 90% of my pics including FT! And they are selling well...

The End

You must be doing something wrong with the 4x3 or have a poor lens. I have very low rejections with my Panasonic G3 and the photos sell as well as DSLR photos. I took a Canon G9 on holiday one time and had no problems with photos from that on the micros and that has a much smaller sensor than the 4x3 cameras. Saw a big poster from my little compact and it looked great. Unfortunately, some photographers think that size matters when its more to do with the way you use what you've got

jcpjr · « **Reply #16 on:** August 19, 2013, 17:10 »

My wife and I went on our first cruise in April this year. I didn't want to bring my heavy Nikon D300 for fear of theft/damage and the salt air etc. I did see a few people with their heavy DSLR's taking snaps at the pool which made me feel glad that I picked up a Canon G15. I did a lot of research and found it to be the best buy for the money and compactness even though I've been a Nikon guy since the earlier 70's. I get very few rejects. It is now my "walk-around" camera, and it slips into my pocket with ease. The D300 is still my pride and joy, at least until I upgrade though.

cascoly · « **Reply #17 on:** August 19, 2013, 17:12 »

i use a sony HX 200V since I can carry it around my neck while acrive, and a sony a65 dslr otherwise w 18-270 f3.5

no problems getting images from either accepted at any agencies, even alamy

s

shiyali · « **Reply #18 on:** August 19, 2013, 21:25 »

Stick to ISO 80 or 100 and any decent compact will do. Once in a while I submit images from my old Canon Powershot A640 and they get accepted at the major agencies. Just scale them down to 4MP.

mtkang · « **Reply #19 on:** August 19, 2013, 22:50 »

it seems Ricoh GR like a popular choice for street photography, reminds me of something like olympus mju II film camera..

Quote from: fotoVoyager on August 19, 2013, 12:43

Ricoh GR. Fantastic lens, great chip, superb light, pocketable camera. Highly recommended if you're happy with a 28mm fixed focal length. Otherwise go for a Sony RX100 if you want zoom. Not quite as good lens or chip but still remarkable.

fotoVoyager · « **Reply #20 on:** August 20, 2013, 03:15 »

Quote from: tickstock on August 19, 2013, 15:21

Quote from: fotoVoyager on August 19, 2013, 12:43
Ricoh GR. Fantastic lens, great chip, superb light, pocketable camera. Highly recommended if you're happy with a 28mm fixed focal length. Otherwise go for a Sony RX100 if you want zoom. Not quite as good lens or chip but still remarkable.
so you ended up with that? Did you try the nikon too?

For the op a lot of compact cameras will work. I've used the sony nex ans samsung mirrorless ones but leica makes a nice mf. I personally wouldn't use anything less than aps sensor though.

It seemed the Nikon and Ricoh were essentially the same camera, but the Ricoh was cheaper.

Amazing the difference removing the AA filter makes - it seems much better than my big Nikons and zooms at 100ISO.

The RX100 is the only other camera that I considered at this size. Very nice, but the APS chip and lens of the GR swing it. Not much point in having a compact camera if it doesn't fit in your pocket. I also have a X100 but it's not pocketable, so never gets used.

LesPalenik · « **Reply #21 on:** August 20, 2013, 04:30 »

Foveon-based, big-pocket Sigma DP2M (or DP3M). Best IQ after D800.

sharpshot · « **Reply #22 on:** August 20, 2013, 04:37 »

Quote from: LesPalenik on August 20, 2013, 04:30

Foveon-based, big-pocket Sigma DP2M (or DP3M). Best IQ after D800.

Superb image quality but isn't the camera horrible to use? I have the DP1 and like the IQ but it was slow to write raw files to the memory card and was generally not as nice to use as the other compacts I've had.

If they put that sensor in the Canon Powershot G series body, it would be great.

sharpshot · « **Reply #23 on:** August 20, 2013, 04:40 »

Quote from: fotoVoyager on August 20, 2013, 03:15

Quote from: tickstock on August 19, 2013, 15:21
Quote from: fotoVoyager on August 19, 2013, 12:43
Ricoh GR. Fantastic lens, great chip, superb light, pocketable camera. Highly recommended if you're happy with a 28mm fixed focal length. Otherwise go for a Sony RX100 if you want zoom. Not quite as good lens or chip but still remarkable.
so you ended up with that? Did you try the nikon too?

For the op a lot of compact cameras will work. I've used the sony nex ans samsung mirrorless ones but leica makes a nice mf. I personally wouldn't use anything less than aps sensor though.

It seemed the Nikon and Ricoh were essentially the same camera, but the Ricoh was cheaper.

Amazing the difference removing the AA filter makes - it seems much better than my big Nikons and zooms at 100ISO.

The RX100 is the only other camera that I considered at this size. Very nice, but the APS chip and lens of the GR swing it. Not much point in having a compact camera if it doesn't fit in your pocket. I also have a X100 but it's not pocketable, so never gets used.

I found the camera never got used when it was in my pocket. I like a nice case with a neck strap, doesn't feel awkward when I'm cycling or walking like a DSLR does and it can be used quickly.

Xanox · « **Reply #24 on:** August 20, 2013, 10:42 »

Quote from: LesPalenik on August 20, 2013, 04:30

Foveon-based, big-pocket Sigma DP2M (or DP3M). Best IQ after D800.

i've read several reviews about that camera and there are many drawbacks :

- slow software
- slow writing RAW files
- battery lasting just 100 or 200 photos ?
- slow autofocus
- noisy above ISO 400
- need tripod even in good conditions ??
- no cable release !
- max shutter = 30 seconds, no bulb mode

i mean for 1000$ it doesnt look like a bargain ... the Sony RX100 is just 650$ and comes with a zoom (24-100mm equivalent)

i've seen a few samples images, they all look good but if they've all been shot on a tripod well i'm not that impressed, even an old D40 would do it and probably better when paired with a 100$ prime or with the 18-55 kit lens.

then again they all rave about great colors and sharpness, what the he-ll ... you can get even better colors using PS or LR properly, as for sharpness well they're using a good prime lens, i would be surprised if it wasn't sharp.

by the way, it's sharp but not tack-sharp as a 2000$ lens.

so what's the point of this camera, i don't know.

i'm excited to see many companies pushing this market niche but so far i see too many drawbacks, maybe in a few years it will become mainstream, we'll see.

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Author Topic: any compact camera good enough for stock (Read 24000 times)

mtkang

plrang

Pauws99

mtkang

sharpshot

gostwyck

Xanox

Xanox

mtkang

shotupdave

WarrenPrice

fotoVoyager

sharpshot

tab62

tickstock

sharpshot

jcpjr

cascoly

shiyali

mtkang

fotoVoyager

LesPalenik

sharpshot

sharpshot

Xanox

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