I’ve been keeping my eye on the compact market for some time. While I’m not about to give up my SLRs, I have been on the look out for something smaller to use when I don’t really need or want to carry around all the major gear—like that will ever happen.

In the last few years the “serious” compact market has been moving increasingly towards compact interchangeable lens cameras, i.e. Sony’s NEX and Olympus’ digital PEN line. I’ve never been a huge fan of that format largely because it eschews an optical viewfinder for compactness, and compactness for interchangeable lenses.  Never mind the platforms are awash in confused design decisions, trying to reach both the P&S user and the serious photographer.

Don’t get me wrong the compact interchangeable lens cameras can be fine cameras for many people, but they compromise in all the wrong ways for what I want in a smaller counterpart to my SLR.

Canon Powershot G1 X – The Huge Sensor Compact

Canon, has so far been pretty hostile to the idea of an compact interchangeable lens camera, at least that’s been my feeling of their comments. I have, so far, agreed with them. So far, many of the mirror-less systems, make tradeoffs in terms of size and controls that leave me wondering what they were thinking.

There was some speculation that Canon would make the next PowerShot G into an EVIL, and while it would be the most “apt” compact camera to re-image, that’s not what they’ve done.

Instead, Canon has elected to continue with the compact camera design, only now they’ve crammed a comparatively huge sensor in it. The G1X’s sensor is it’s only 20% smaller than the APS-C sensor in their SLRs, and considerably bigger than both Olympus’ µ4/3rds or Nikon’s CX format.

Likewise, the G1X has a fixed 28-112mm equivalent (15.1-60.4mm) f/2.8-5.6 image stabilized zoom. The integrated lens gives the camera the ability to fold the lens into the body. The real genius of the design is probably most evident when you look at DPReview’s comparison to the Panasonic GX1 (see here). The Powershot G1X, while slightly bigger than the GX1 packs a lot more into the package.

• The lens covers a wider range (28-112mm equivalent compared to 28-84mm) and does it at a faster aperture on the wide end (f/2.8 v. f/3.5).
• There’s an optical viewfinder
• There are 2 control dials (+ the ev comp dial)
• The G1X has an articulated rear display.

If anything, I kind of wish Canon could have ditched the sub-par OVF. Without it, the G1X would have been nearly the same height as the Panasonic GX1. Which while I like being able to put the camera to my eye and shoot, I can’t say I’ve ever done that a lot with the Canon compacts I’ve had in the past—at least not with any regularity.

The promise is that the G1X should perform about as well as the 7D in low light situations. Couple with the fixed lens, the G1X should be a compact, solidly performing camera on the high end of the compact space.

The only real question left in my mind, is whether the G1X is a stopgap measure in their line until they can roll out a mirror-less interchangeable lens camera, or if it’s really the direction they’ll be taking their high end compact for the future.

Canon PowerShot G1X (Canon USA)

DPReview’s Canon PowerShot G1X Preview

Fuji X-Pro1 – The Digital Rangefinder that isn’t a Leica

Last year, FujiFilm released the X100. What I would call a digital rangefinder, in a sense that the Leica M9 is a digital range finder. Granted they aren’t exactly comparable, but the X100 offered the first really nice optical viewfinder—though not as nice as a Leica M—with the cool capability to switching over to being an EVF if needed. The problem, it was a fixed lens design.

Enter the Fujifilm X-Pro1.

The X-Pro1 takes the X100’s dual mode viewfinder and packages it up neatly with a interchangeable lens mount. What it intelligently doesn’t try to do is be everything to everyone. The X-Pro1 is clearly aimed at serious photographers, in fact it’s size and design aims it squarely at Leica’s $7000 M series range finders.

Only compared to an M, the X-Pro1 buys a lot of modern convenience, most notably that it’s fully electric lens mount means auto focus, auto aperture, and possibly image stabilization.

As much as I like the look of the X-Pro1 on paper, I have two big problems with it.

First it’s another system. Okay there’s nothing Fuji could have done about this, but it means that you’re severely limited in options right now and will be for the next year or two. And that assumes that the 9 total lenses Fuji has announced actually come to market.

The other problem is that it’s unlikely the X-Pro1 will ever take off in the numbers that are necessary to really get some good 3rd party support for it. Which is too bad, the X-Pro1 really looks to be the poor-man’s Leica M9.

Of course, DPReview is suggesting that there will be mount adapters, and that Leica’s M mount will likely be high on the list. Then again, even with mount adapters, you run in to the small issue that the X-Pro1 is an APS-C camera, meaning you’re 1.5x cropping those Leica lenses. A Leica 18mm f/3.8 (which may not even be able to be mounted due to it protruding into the lens mount) would only give the view of a 28mm lens, and costs considerably more than the X-Pro1 costs to start with.

The real problem I have with the X-Pro1 is the price. It really does look like the body alone is going to run for $1700. At that price point, it’s competing with Canon’s 7D, Nikon’s D300s, and Sony’a SLA-77. Granted they aren’t targeting the same market, but when the choice is between a limited (at the moment) rangefinder and either a 18mm f/2, 35mm f/1.4 or 60mm f/2.4 lens, or a Canon 5D-2 with a 24-105 f/4L IS, it at least warrants some time thinking about it.

FujiFilm X-Pro1 Product Page

DPReview’s X-Pro1 Preview

Exciting Times

Suffice to say, things are really starting to get good. Aside from the increasingly ridiculous prices of these cameras, we’re really starting to see hardware the can do incredible things.

Canon’s 1Dx and Nikon’s D4 take shooting in the dark to new heights.

Canon’s Powershot G1X makes for a really impressive compact camera that should be able to really shine in the high end compact space.

Finally FujiFilm’s X-Pro1 has the potential to bring back the “range finder” form factor and be a serious alternative to Leica’s M cameras, at least if it makes it. And I hope it does, because I’d love to have one in my bag.