@ adamz & AcquaCow : Actually that Faveon sensor that the Sigma uses is weird. Its not actually 14mp in the conventional sense. in terms of actual sensors its 1/3 of the 14mp so the receptors are actually 4X larger than the nikon or canon sensors. Nikon uses 4 different colour sensors side by side per "pixel" the Faveon uses 3 sensors layered / stacked one on top of the other. both systems then re interpolate back out to 12/14 MP on the JPG/RAW. all smoke and mirrors(maths)..

Why do you think less photoreceptors would be better?

Photons are small, man... ;)

-- Dave

"...But the sigma packs 14mp into that, while Nikon is only packing 12..." - and I think that's the biggest problem with this camera, 10MPx would do the job better

Hold on a minute—does the DP2 have a bigger sensor than Nikon DX format cameras? The brochure says that 41mm will give you the look of a normal lens on a full frame sensor.

Not quite... DX is 23.6 x 15.8 mm sensor.
Sigma DP2 sensor is 20.7 x 13.8mm...

But the sigma packs 14mp into that, while Nikon is only packing 12...

-- Dave

What's a Sigma SP1 and 2?

How about a Panasonic Lumix LX3? I picked one up at a store, I thought it was relatively quick in a somewhat dark room. My only gripes about it was that the buttons were way too small and the zoom range was limiting. But, the lens is pretty fast- it goes 2.0 to 2.8 apertures, max.

Hold on a minute—does the DP2 have a bigger sensor than Nikon DX format cameras? The brochure says that 41mm will give you the look of a normal lens on a full frame sensor.

My hopes are that Nikon, and maybe Canon, will see the popularity of both the Sigma SP 1 & 2 and Olympus EP-1 and introduce their own version of a compact full-size chip camera. I think the market is limited, but maybe there is a niche for such a camera.

Snaketail

Oh come on... this many posts and no recommendation for the Sigma SP2?

http://www.sigma-dp.com/DP2/index.html

-- Dave

I would kill for a full frame sensored rangefinder from Nikon. I've wanted to buy one of their old film ones for a long time, but they sell for quite a bit on the used market.

more olympus pictures are on dpreview, and from this what I've seen it's gonna be a really nice camera, considering the fact that You can use both olympus and panasonic (leica) 4/3 lenses. I think that olympus finally found a niche on the market and that this camera will be a huge success for them - IQ is really good for this size of camera (usable iso up to 800, at least from this what I've seen on pictures), small (like a bigger compact camera), retro design (it looks like old analog rangefinder)

Here are some test shots made with the Pen: http://www.photographyblog.com/articles/olympus_e-p1_photos/

i like the lumix ft1/ts1 it will be ok if someone pushes you into the pool in a party!

The EP-1 looks like a close fit - would like to see some images. I have a workshop next month with the John Knaur (Mr. Olympus - perhaps he'll bring one). The interchangeable lens feature is nice - hadn't thought of that. With changable lens the sensor coverage problem would go away - right bmxdad? I would be happy to go back to fixed focus lenses.
Snaketail

The Olympus EP-1 is the only camera that you can get with some of your requirement when it is out. Now the larger zoom will make it bigger like the pics on reviews will show you. To get a camera with fullframe sensor and app 8 power zoom would be a very large camera even if it was made the same way as the olympus EP-1, you have max angles that light can hit the sensor that would result in a certain minimum thickness of camera body

pete

I'd give the new Olympus EP-1 a look (announced just earlier this week, so its not available yet. It's not cheap, but otherwise it fits all of your criteria above.

Check it out here: http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/16/olympus-e-p1-digital-pen-gets-official-so-does-our-lust/

Hopefully Nikon will come out with something in the Micro Four Thirds space soon.

OK, I love my big full frame Nikon DSLR. It makes wonderful photos, but it has a couple of drawbacks: (1) Its big - can't comfortably carry it on a casual outing (2) I worry about it - I use my DSLR to make a living and don't want to lose it/damage it/or otherwise compromise it and (3) I've found that if I leave it in my hotel room...I can't make photos...so I have to carry around a large, heavy, expensive camera. I want a new camera.

I want a new compact, rangefinder, with a fixed zoom-lens camera and a big chip!

I want JPEG and RAW, I want 12+meg, 16-120mm on an APC size chip - or - 24-180mm on a full frame chip. I want a hot shoe, I want a lens hood, a threaded lens barrel, a real lens cap, I want an electronic cable release socket, I want autofocus, I want to expose with M/P/A/S (Green Square if you must), an ISO range of 200 to 1600 and a nice size screen that comes on only when I ask it to. It should fit the cargo pocket of my shorts, have a normal camera strap and above all – be something I’m proud to have others see me use.

I don't want GPS, a pop-up flash, a wrist strap, or a plastic body. Absolutely no built-in lens cap. Don’t want all the redundant setting like party, fireworks, baby, flowers, food…

I want professional grade small camera that I can carry with me all the time. I used to wear my Leica M4P like a piece of jewelry…now I want a digital version.

This might be too much to ask for.

Snaketail