Sony Z1 Compact is the iPhone migration choice

Sony have really landed one square on the chin of Apple with the Sony Z1 Compact. Its clear that the size and form factor of being close to the iPhone 5 size is no accident, as really there is no natural competitor to Apples flag ship until now.

While many other OEMs are hell bent on making the biggest screen, everyone seems to have forgotten about the iPhone 5 from Apple which still sells in the buckets. Most of the minis on the market are an underwhelming version of its big brother - HTC and Samsung have been guilty of making a mini in spec, mini in price policy which hasnt really worked out well for either of them.

Making the footpath to Android more accessible to something that is really needed to be addressed, sure Apple are making a bigger screen iPhone but the hearts and minds of those who accuse Fandroids of carrying a TV in their pockets needs to be won. I think the Z1 Compact is the handset to do just that.

The size is very pocket-able, the specs have remained the same, and the screen is arguably better than its big brother regardless of the lack of pixels but it has more than the iPad 3, and everyone loved that. I hold both the iPhone and Z1C in my hands and cant help but think the Z1C is much better quality to feel and looks better than the iPhone - the battery life is also better then the iPhone.

Now the trick is, can Sony get anyone to listen ? I fear it will take a huge Samsung-esq assault on the media to get many to take note and with MWC round the corner the other OEM voices will become deafening.

If you have a friend sat in Apples walled garden who is looking to kick down the fence gate, then send them to the Sony Z1 Compact to investigate, its so close in many ways with the dimension and spec wont have them running back to repair the gate. Lets kick down those walls !

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Olympus E P1 Compact Interchangeable Lens Camera

Has someone come up with an acronym for the compact cameras with interchangeable lens? Maybe, say, DILC? Because the world has now another of such product in the market. Olympus PEN E-P1 follows Panasonic Lumix G1 and GH1 to be the next compact camera using the Micro Four-Thirds lens mount.

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Generally, it feels like a compact camera, with the advantages of manual lens control and faster AF and shutter response, no different from the Lumix G1 that I reviewed extensively a few months back. The E-P1 supports up to 6400 ISO, and the highlights look rather clean. Whats lacking is the articulated screen and built-in flash. What I like is the Art Filter mode which you can select effects like Pop Art, Soft Focus, Pale & Light Color, Light Tone, Grainy Film or Pin Hole to capture great arty images. It makes image capturing a lot more fun.

I think compact interchangeable lens camera is the way to go. You get the compactness of a digicam and the responsiveness of a DSLR. The price may be prohibitive since a compact digicam costs half the price, and the E-P1 is priced not any lower than the lowest-end DSLR. So for now, such format camera will be a companion for the serious photographers and early adopters.

Quick specs:
- 12.3 megapixels Live MOS sensor
- 3" LCD screen
- HD (720p) video recording
- 3 fps

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