Which digital camera brands have best lenses / optics?

Are certain camera manufacturers of digital cameras known to have
really good lenses?

Can anyone provide insight on this -- especially in different
categories. For example, are there any point-and-shoot digital cameras
that have especially good optics? What about for the more advanced
models?

Thanks.

-Shelly

"Shelly" wrote in message
m...
Are certain camera manufacturers of digital cameras known to have
really good lenses?

There are a lot of good ones. Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Zeiss lenses on
Sony...

Signs of a good lens:

- Modest zoom range. A really good lens isn't going to try to zoom 20x. If
the optical zoom range is something like 3 to 1, or less, you know you have
a more conservatively designed lens.

- Low f-ratio (to pick up more light). f/2.8 is better than f/8. This is
not equivalent to image quality, but lenses with lower f-ratios tend to be
more sophisticated designs.

- Some lens information (e.g., true focal length and f-ratio) are written on
the lens.

For cameras with interchangeable lenses, of course, you have a choice. It
is common for interchangeable-lens digital SLRs to come with a modest zoom
lens, which you can replace with a much better lens if you want. For
example, Canon's Digital Rebel comes with a modest-quality zoom lens which
you can replace with a $600 lens that is reportedly much better.

Shelly wrote:
Are certain camera manufacturers of digital cameras known to have
really good lenses?

Can anyone provide insight on this -- especially in different
categories. For example, are there any point-and-shoot digital cameras
that have especially good optics? What about for the more advanced
models?

Thanks.

-Shelly

Well the more advanced digital SLR's generally accept the same lenses
that work on the company's line of film 35mm so cameras like the digital
Canon or Nikon have some very fine lenses.

For those that have a single fixed lens, I suggest looking up
comparisons of the resulting images. After all you will end up with the
results of the whole camera not just the lens. A really great lens on a
camera that does not focus properly or has a second rate imaging device is
no better than one with a lesser lens.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

Subject: Which digital camera brands have best lenses / optics?
From: "Joseph Meehan"
Date: 10/27/2004 4:05 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

Shelly wrote:
Are certain camera manufacturers of digital cameras known to have
really good lenses?

Can anyone provide insight on this -- especially in different
categories. For example, are there any point-and-shoot digital cameras
that have especially good optics? What about for the more advanced
models?

Thanks.

-Shelly

Well the more advanced digital SLR's generally accept the same lenses
that work on the company's line of film 35mm so cameras like the digital
Canon or Nikon have some very fine lenses.

For those that have a single fixed lens, I suggest looking up
comparisons of the resulting images. After all you will end up with the
results of the whole camera not just the lens. A really great lens on a
camera that does not focus properly or has a second rate imaging device is
no better than one with a lesser lens.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math



How about Panasonic or Leica cameras with Leica lenses or Kodak cameras with
Schneider lenses or Sony's with Carl Zeiss lenses? Any good?


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

Subject: Which digital camera brands have best lenses / optics?
From: "Joseph Meehan"
Date: 10/27/2004 4:05 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

Shelly wrote:
Are certain camera manufacturers of digital cameras known to have
really good lenses?

Can anyone provide insight on this -- especially in different
categories. For example, are there any point-and-shoot digital cameras
that have especially good optics? What about for the more advanced
models?

Thanks.

-Shelly

Well the more advanced digital SLR's generally accept the same lenses
that work on the company's line of film 35mm so cameras like the digital
Canon or Nikon have some very fine lenses.

For those that have a single fixed lens, I suggest looking up
comparisons of the resulting images. After all you will end up with the
results of the whole camera not just the lens. A really great lens on a
camera that does not focus properly or has a second rate imaging device is
no better than one with a lesser lens.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math



How about Panasonic or Leica cameras with Leica lenses or Kodak cameras with
Schneider lenses or Sony's with Carl Zeiss lenses? Any good?


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

"ArtKramr" wrote in message
...
How about Panasonic or Leica cameras with Leica lenses or Kodak cameras
with
Schneider lenses or Sony's with Carl Zeiss lenses? Any good?


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer


The Leica Digilux 2 and Panasonic DMC-LC1 share the same Leica lens, and it
is the best lens on any P&S camera, bar none.

The Leica Digilux 2 and Panasonic DMC-LC1 share the same Venus Engine LSI,
which processes the video into JPEGs and RAW. Unfortunately, this engine is
relatively noisy and doesn't produce as good of pictures as the other fine
P&S cameras at ISO 400 and above.

It's like having a BMW with a Chevy Vega engine. I would focus on Nikon,
Canon and other great cameras.

Clyde Torres

Sure. I did not mean to suggest that only two brands were any good.
Even those two brands have a few loosers. There are many good lenses out
there.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math


"ArtKramr" wrote in message
...
Subject: Which digital camera brands have best lenses / optics?
From: "Joseph Meehan"
Date: 10/27/2004 4:05 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

Shelly wrote:
Are certain camera manufacturers of digital cameras known to have
really good lenses?

Can anyone provide insight on this -- especially in different
categories. For example, are there any point-and-shoot digital cameras
that have especially good optics? What about for the more advanced
models?

Thanks.

-Shelly

Well the more advanced digital SLR's generally accept the same lenses
that work on the company's line of film 35mm so cameras like the digital
Canon or Nikon have some very fine lenses.

For those that have a single fixed lens, I suggest looking up
comparisons of the resulting images. After all you will end up with the
results of the whole camera not just the lens. A really great lens on a
camera that does not focus properly or has a second rate imaging device is
no better than one with a lesser lens.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math



How about Panasonic or Leica cameras with Leica lenses or Kodak cameras
with
Schneider lenses or Sony's with Carl Zeiss lenses? Any good?


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

On 27 Oct 2004 23:20:36 GMT
(ArtKramr) wrote:

Sony's with Carl Zeiss
lenses? Any good?

I Dunno about the Panasonic or Kodak cameras, but only the more
expensive P&S cameras in the Sony range have a Carl Zeiss lens.
The cheaper ones just have a sony lens. I Know a few people who
have been caught by that, because they didn't read brochures
properly.

-Chris D

On 27 Oct 2004 23:20:36 GMT
(ArtKramr) wrote:

Sony's with Carl Zeiss
lenses? Any good?

I Dunno about the Panasonic or Kodak cameras, but only the more
expensive P&S cameras in the Sony range have a Carl Zeiss lens.
The cheaper ones just have a sony lens. I Know a few people who
have been caught by that, because they didn't read brochures
properly.

-Chris D

Shelly wrote:
Are certain camera manufacturers of digital cameras known to have
really good lenses?

Can anyone provide insight on this -- especially in different
categories. For example, are there any point-and-shoot digital
cameras
that have especially good optics? What about for the more advanced
models?

Among P&S, the Panasonic FZ1/2/10/15/20 series have Leica 12x
stabilised zooms with a constant 2.8 aperture throughout the zoom
range. I doubt any other P&S matches these lenses. But this lens only -
as other posts indicate, electronics is different ballgame.
Cheers,

Siddhartha