Canon G15 vs Sony RX100 shooting Landscape.

[thierrylegros396]

When making a new profile for my old G10, I've noticed that it had problems with some colors and the corrections were very strong.

Being slightly deceived with the RX100 in some cases, I've bought a new Canon G15.

Today, I've compared them in wide angle and in HDR mode.

Results are really incredible !!!

1. Although the RX100 is far better in the center, the G15 is really better in the corners, less chromatic aberrations and less softness.
Noticed that some CA are very difficult to remove in the corners with the RX100, it's not the case with the G15.
The lens of the G15 clearly outresolve the sensor.
Sadly the lens of the RX100 is so soft in the corners especilly when shooting in 3:2 format.

2. The HDR mode of the G15 is realy crappy, the RX100 does far better, see attached photos.
Some place are darker, some are highlighted, a lot of ghost, Canon has to learn from Sony !!!

Hopefully, G15 DR at ISO80 is good enough to shoot underexposed and to highlight darker areas in postprocessing with LR4.3.
Please note that the lens of the G15 seems to attract dust more quickly that the lens of the RX100.

Any ideas to prevent that problem ?!

Have a Nice Day.

Thierry

[thierrylegros396]

Two impossible shots with the RX100, but realy good with the G15 and it's excellent image stabilizer, about 4.5 f-stop !!!

1. 0.6 second, 50mm equivalent, handheld !!!
2. 0.5 second, 85mm equivalent, handheld !!!

But of course I have to take 6 shots and keep the 2 best, but all were acceptable.

Thierry

[KevinA]

Two impossible shots with the RX100, but realy good with the G15 and it's excellent image stabilizer, about 4.5 f-stop !!!

1. 0.6 second, 50mm equivalent, handheld !!! re acceptable.

Thierry

Thierry,
I'm wishing I had gone the Canon route right now. I read so much good about the little Sony I got one. Beautiful little camera and yes it does fit in a shirt pocket, early days for me using it but I'm seriously underwhelmed by the picture quality so far.
 I had a G12 for a short time, I'm thinking it was a better camera in every way other than size. Maybe if Photoshop or Aperture could open the Sony raws (I've looked for updates) it might tell a different story. But so far it's falling far short of the hype, even low iso looks noisy to me.
In the days of the little Rollei it got compared with, the film it used was exactly the same as in a top end Nikon or Canon so the results were within operational limits every bit as good, this Sony does not look any better to me than all the other P&S and leagues below a FF Canon or Nikon in any condition. So no it's not a decedent of that little Rollei, no I can't see me using it for anything other than family events and my iPhone did that well enough.
Maybe in a week or two I will have changed my mind, first impression an over priced under performer.

[KevinA]

Typical no sooner than I write it and I find there is a problem with the laptop which is why I can't open the raws.
I find on my Desktop they open just fine and its looking a different ball game in Aperture without me touching a thing.
So much happier now, other than finding why the laptop (same version updated) says it's unsupported.
Phew..

[speedyk]

If you're using a Mac, try Graphic Converter, it seems to open raw files from anything I try. Free download, just shareware if you can't wait 30 seconds when it opens.

[armand]

Thierry,
I'm wishing I had gone the Canon route right now. I read so much good about the little Sony I got one. Beautiful little camera and yes it does fit in a shirt pocket, early days for me using it but I'm seriously underwhelmed by the picture quality so far.
 I had a G12 for a short time, I'm thinking it was a better camera in every way other than size. Maybe if Photoshop or Aperture could open the Sony raws (I've looked for updates) it might tell a different story. But so far it's falling far short of the hype, even low iso looks noisy to me.
In the days of the little Rollei it got compared with, the film it used was exactly the same as in a top end Nikon or Canon so the results were within operational limits every bit as good, this Sony does not look any better to me than all the other P&S and leagues below a FF Canon or Nikon in any condition. So no it's not a decedent of that little Rollei, no I can't see me using it for anything other than family events and my iPhone did that well enough.
Maybe in a week or two I will have changed my mind, first impression an over priced under performer.

Not sure why you cannot open the raws, support for them is out for several months now. At least on the Adobe route, Lightroom/Camera Raw opens them just fine.

[KevinA]

Not sure why you cannot open the raws, support for them is out for several months now. At least on the Adobe route, Lightroom/Camera Raw opens them just fine.

I'm not sure either, the desk top is coping, same software same version but the laptop (new retina) just does not want to know.I'm going to re-install some stuff.
I'm feeling a lot happier about the camera now. I could not get on with the Sony software, any attempt at noise reduction destroyed the image, colours were blown out. I was really worried. Now I've seen them in Aperture I'm thinking it's more of what I had hoped for.

[thierrylegros396]

More tests yesterday and today.

Now I can confirm that the dynamic range at ISO80 is really as good as DR of the EOS400D.

It counteracts the fact that G15 HDR mode is really poor handheld, RX100 does a far better job.

Have a Nice W-E.

Thierry

[mac_paolo]

Honestly, given the huge tech gap between the sensor, I wonder how ii would be possible to prefer the G15 over the RX100. 
It's another league.

[BernardLanguillier]

Honestly, given the huge tech gap between the sensor, I wonder how ii would be possible to prefer the G15 over the RX100.  

Same here... there are several years between the technology used in these sensors, and the RX100 sensor is significantly larger too.

I believe Thierry had problems with the VR in his RX100 which drove him to the G15. I shot images in a cathedral in Ghent 2 days ago in very dark situations and am amazed at the quality I could get out of the RX100.

Besides, the problems I have had with my G10 (loose element in lens/sensor module) and S90 (quick death following extremely light water exposure) and the way Canon proposed to handle them from a cost standpoint has convinced me that their compact cameras were not a credible option, at least in Japan. Hope Thierry will be luckier with his G15.

Cheers,
Bernard

[mac_paolo]

I agree on the fact that the stabilization is not enough on the RX100. I often get quite blur pictures.
Times are set as reciprocal of equivalent focal length. Apparently, not enough. Maybe a 1/1.5*FL would have been somewhat an improvement.
About IQ nothing to complain, just a little less DR than my Nikon D300. Difference is hard to tell in some shots.

[thierrylegros396]

Same here... there are several years between the technology used in these sensors, and the RX100 sensor is significantly larger too.

I believe Thierry had problems with the VR in his RX100 which drove him to the G15. I shot images in a cathedral in Ghent 2 days ago in very dark situations and am amazed at the quality I could get out of the RX100.

Besides, the problems I have had with my G10 (loose element in lens/sensor module) and S90 (quick death following extremely light water exposure) and the way Canon proposed to handle them from a cost standpoint has convinced me that their compact cameras were not a credible option, at least in Japan. Hope Thierry will be luckier with his G15.

Cheers,
Bernard

Let me explain some things

I've had a G10 for 4 years and NO PROBLEMS with it, so really happy, except for noise above ISO200 :-)
And I still have a S90 with an early problem, but no more trouble after it was repaired.

Let me explain why I find the G15 better than the RX100 in most situations.
The response is the lens which is far more luminous as soon as you are above 28mm.

So yes if you shoot mostly at 28mm, the RX100 is really better, especially at high ISO.

But as soon as you zoom, the G15 becomes interresting especially with it's excellent optical stabilizer.
Shooting here in winter requires more light.

Of course, I keep the RX100 (whole lens replaced, but Optical stabilizer still not good) for summer

Thierry

[mac_paolo]

My home made OS is a burst of at least 3 shots for more important ones. I do the same for my DSLR, though the VR/IS/OS/whatever for bigger lenses seem to work much better.
Less than stellar f-stops for longer focals are often required no matter what since the larger sensor.
However, when shooting videos, the IS works really well.

[thierrylegros396]

I will soon post a more complete comparative test because there is no winner, each has drawbacks and advantages.

That's why I will keep both