I've always wanted a fast compact camera and I recently acquired one (a Canon ML35AF with a 40/1.9 - it was dirt cheap). It's a nuisance to always carry an SLR so I only usually bring one when I know I'm going to photograph.

What sort of camera are you using to fill this role (if you are indeed filling it) and what kinds of photographs are you taking?

This Canon I bought can take filters so I think I'll shoot a lot of black and white with it.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

-- Jim MacKenzie (photojim@yahoo.com), December 01, 2000

Answers

I've used a Yashica T5 (35mm f/3.5 lens), a Nikon Light Touch (28mm f/3.5 lens), and a Ricoh GR1s (28mm f/2.8 lens). I liked them all, but the one I have and use now is the Ricoh. I mainly do street photography, and casual photography with friends and relatives. I take it everywhere. It's not fully automatic as you can select aperture, exposure compensation, on/off flash, focusing, etc. I like it's viewfinder as it has a 28mm frame that shows you what's going to enter or exit your frame. It also has passive focusing, similar to what AF SLR's use.

The fastest lens I know on a Point & Shoot is the 40mm f/2.4 Summarit on a Leica Minilux (non-zoom). I've shot with this and it is truly an excellent lens (SLR like). It has a nice function showing you the shutter speed and aperture setting in Program Mode. It has manual functions as well, but the viewfinder is basically what you'd find in a typical P&S. However, I didn't buy it because I cannot justify its price and its bulk.

-- Ron Gregorio (gregorio@ksc.th.com), December 01, 2000.

Dang! I also forgot to mention my Canonet QL17 (70's classic camera), which has a 40/1.7 lens. This I take along with my Ricoh GR1s for street photography using available light. Nice lens, but not as contrasty or sharp as the Leica Minilux, which is possibly the best lens I've seen on a P&S. Lately, my SLR's are left at home.

-- Ron Gregorio (gregorio@ksc.th.com), December 01, 2000.

When looking for a family point-and-shoot recently, I bought a copy of the UK magazine "Which Camera?" (www.whichcamera.co.uk). In the past, I've often found such magazines disappointing, but my heart went out to a report on getting good results from a 35mm compact which assumed that good results meant using a fixed-focal-length lens.

The messages I picked up from that article were:

• For good results with print film, you need at least the Olympus Mju II (35mm, f/2.8, alias Olympus Stylus Epic in the US) or the Yashica T5 (35mm, f/3.5, alias Yashica T4 Super in the US).
• For good results with slide film, you need at least the Ricoh GR-1S (28mm, f/2.8).
• The Leica Minilux (40mm, f/2.4) is better than the Ricoh ... and more expensive. Whether it is worth the money is up to you.

Later,

Dr Owl

-- John Owlett (owl@postmaster.co.uk), December 02, 2000.

I have had no trouble at all using my Olympus Stylus Epic (MJU II) with slide film.

-- Mark R. Wilkins (mark_wilkins@yahoo.com), December 08, 2000.