I've been looking for a decent compact lately. Among S100, G12, XZ-1, X10, LX-5 etc, none seems to be particularly outstanding for macro regarding max magnification and image quality. There are also important handling issues to consider. For example, my old S60 is next to useless in the macro mode because:
- its AF fails up close (at magnifications where G series Canons work)
- its MF is awfully slow
- its display is not sharp enough to let you focus carefully with thin DoF, despite a magnifier window.
rjlittlefield wrote:The issue about DOF is really a red herring. A small sensor P&S will give no more DOF than a large sensor DSLR set to the proper aperture. The P&S also does not necessarily provide a wider view of the environment. What the P&S can do, given commonly available lenses, is to provide a wide view of the environment while simultaneously providing a close view of the subject.
Agreed, compacts do not seem to provide any more DoF when both are stopped down to somewhere around the diffraction limit (which is where most macros are made because DoF is mostly thinner than you'd wish). Notice the F number will be larger with the DSLR, because the crop factor of the sensor size must be considered. But when using available light only, one mostly needs to bump ISO high but still needs longer exposures than with the compact. The small sensor alone is not a problem for macro.
The wide view makes a deeper impression of sharpness due to less relative background blur, since a larger frame of the background is included in the image (despite practically the same DoF and absolute background blur). However, a wide view can also be obtained on the DSLR using a short lens (for example 20mm) on a short extension tube (like 6mm to 12mm). Mind that a longer extension tube sets the focus point inside the lens, and that the achievable magnification before this occurs is limited, similarly as with the compact cameras. The same wide-angle effect works with short lenses mounted in reverse at higher magnifications. But there is a gap around 1:1 magnifications where short lenses do not work.
Charles Krebs wrote:If the camera close up range is not adequate (or at higher magnifications you find yourself too close to the subject) you can outfit it with something like the Raynox DCR-250. Check out this page to see what I am referring to:
http://www.lensmateonline.com/G12macroSamples.php
If you take this route you will notice the angle of view when at equiv 100mm gets similar as with a short-to-midrange DSLR macro lens. The compact should have zoom range long enough, otherwise the diopter does not magnify much (or you need a stronger one, which typically degrades quality more). Additionally, the aperture must be wide enough at that zoom position, otherwise diffraction makes everything blurry.
Generally I think compacts aren't that great for macro, except if price or extreme pocketability are the main concerns. The EVILs are a good idea size-wise and should produce good quality, but entry-level DSLRs are cheaper (in both cases you need a good lens).
I've got no clue about the microscope part.