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is it true - gf-1 iq better than ep-1?

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JLacan

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They didn't make a big deal of it, but their testing does show the gf-1 has better resolution in raw. Is this really true? They attribute it to a different filter setting.
 
any differences are nothing to worry about. And if you shoot JPEG, other than punch black and white, the Pen is better.

--
Raist3d (Photographer & Tools/Systems/Gui Games Developer)
Andreas Feininger (1906-1999) 'Photographers — idiots, of which there are
so many — say, “Oh, if only I had a Nikon or a Leica, I could make great
photographs.” That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard in my life. It’s
nothing but a matter of seeing, and thinking, and interest. That’s what
makes a good photograph.'
 
I've compared both pixel to pixel and I see no technical difference in resolution.
What's different between the two is subjective from person to person.
For me there is a tonality in the EP1 that I preferred over the GF1.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluelemonphoto/
Olympus EP1
Nikon D700 & D200 | 70-200mm VR | 24-70 2.8 | 50mm 1.8 | 14-24 2.8 | Tamron
90 |
35mm f2
 
I see a difference as does DPR (noted by OP)...

"Given our experience with every other Olympus and Panasonic camera it comes as no surprise that this raw comparison reveals the GF1 to have a slight resolution advantage over the E-P1 (thanks, presumably, to a slightly lighter low pass filter) - in fact the amount of detail you can capture with this body / lens combination is simply stunning."

As for tonality, this is more personal preference. And I find that I can tweak in-camera GF1 settings to get tonality close to the E-P1, or vice versa, so this isn't much for me to put an emphasis on.
d2mini said:
I've compared both pixel to pixel and I see no technical difference in resolution.
What's different between the two is subjective from person to person.
For me there is a tonality in the EP1 that I preferred over the GF1.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluelemonphoto/
Olympus EP1
Nikon D700 & D200 | 70-200mm VR | 24-70 2.8 | 50mm 1.8 | 14-24 2.8 | Tamron
90 |
35mm f2
Click to expand...
 
I'm glad we agree on the tonality being a personal preference, as I stated. Although i think our definitions slightly differ. It's more than color.

But the same shot, enlarged 100%, comparing pixel to pixel looked the same to me... IQ wise.

I read the review and based on personal experience I don't agree with that part. And keep in mind that I really wanted to find something that made the GF1 look better than the EP1. On paper, my brain said keep the GF1. Pics said keep the EP1.

So in response to the OP, no I don't believe you can make a blanket statement that the GF1 IQ is better. Or that the EP1 is better.

I'm glad you like the GF1. It's a fine camera. To each his own.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluelemonphoto/
Olympus EP1
Nikon D700 & D200 | 70-200mm VR | 24-70 2.8 | 50mm 1.8 | 14-24 2.8 | Tamron
90 |
35mm f2
 
Really? are you speaking of their shots? Looking at the pictures that they posted - it does seem to me on the raw they are getting better results on the gf1, quite clearly.

I'm not interested in which camera is 'better' - i think both are good - but i'd like to know the iq differences between the two for future purchases and what the best way to process on the ep-1 is.

oddly, the review says they got better resolution from the ep-1 using c1 rather than adobe - i have compared both methods of getting the raw file and once fiddled with i can spot no difference. there's the odd pixel difference, but equivocal, and not in favor of one or the other.
so that's one thing in the review that doesn't quite fit.

one question i have - did they turn the ibis off in the ep-1 in their macro tests? i wonder - if both cameras are tripoded will IS on the macro cause that tiny bit of vibration and loss of resolution?
d2mini said:
I'm glad we agree on the tonality being a personal preference, as I stated. Although i think our definitions slightly differ. It's more than color.

But the same shot, enlarged 100%, comparing pixel to pixel looked the same to me... IQ wise.

I read the review and based on personal experience I don't agree with that part. And keep in mind that I really wanted to find something that made the GF1 look better than the EP1. On paper, my brain said keep the GF1. Pics said keep the EP1.

So in response to the OP, no I don't believe you can make a blanket statement that the GF1 IQ is better. Or that the EP1 is better.

I'm glad you like the GF1. It's a fine camera. To each his own.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluelemonphoto/
Olympus EP1
Nikon D700 & D200 | 70-200mm VR | 24-70 2.8 | 50mm 1.8 | 14-24 2.8 | Tamron
90 |
35mm f2
Click to expand...
 
JLacan said:
Really? are you speaking of their shots? Looking at the pictures that they posted - it does seem to me on the raw they are getting better results on the gf1, quite clearly.
Click to expand...
To me, and contrary to the reviewer's opinion, the images look better on the E-P1, even in raw, and even though the GF1 has a slightly higher resolution. Here are the Bailey's shots next to each other for you to judge:
GF1:



E-P1:



Cheers!

Abbazz
--
The 6x9 Photography Online Resource: http://artbig.com/

 
That's the thing, I don't care about their shots. I never evaluate a camera (especially two cameras this close) by someone else's shots posted on the internet. I bought both cameras and tested them out for myself and came to a decision on which one I liked better. Which one was more appealing to me, worked better for me, and in my eyes produced the more pleasing image.

YMMV.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluelemonphoto/
Olympus EP1
Nikon D700 & D200 | 70-200mm VR | 24-70 2.8 | 50mm 1.8 | 14-24 2.8 | Tamron
90 |
35mm f2
 
I'm E-P1 user. From this, I see that GF1 pic is darker and thus look higher resolution. Probably optical illusion lol
Abbazz said:
JLacan said:
Really? are you speaking of their shots? Looking at the pictures that they posted - it does seem to me on the raw they are getting better results on the gf1, quite clearly.
Click to expand...
To me, and contrary to the reviewer's opinion, the images look better on the E-P1, even in raw, and even though the GF1 has a slightly higher resolution. Here are the Bailey's shots next to each other for you to judge:
GF1:



E-P1:



Cheers!

Abbazz
--
The 6x9 Photography Online Resource: http://artbig.com/

Click to expand...
--
Tools: Olympus E-P1, 14-42mm, 17mm, VF-1
 
If DPR says the GF1 has slightly better resolution, it's a good bet it has slightly better resolution.

Resolution is only one aspect of Image Quality.
 
The OP asked if IQ was better. That's the question I was answering originally.

If a number or something says the resolution is higher, then so be it. But examining the pics for myself didn't show anything while pixel peeping and for sure nothing that would show up in prints.

Again... get both cameras and do the tests for yourself rather than relying on dpreview, me or anyone else. Only you can decide which is better in your eyes.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluelemonphoto/
Olympus EP1
Nikon D700 & D200 | 70-200mm VR | 24-70 2.8 | 50mm 1.8 | 14-24 2.8 | Tamron
90 |
35mm f2
 
Sorry D2, I was just adding to the thread, not replying specifically to you. Yes the OP asked about IQ and about resolution as if they were one in the same. They aren't and the measurements of resolution are fairly well defined.
 
Thank you all. Anyone has any thoughts on whether the IBIS in the ep-1 if not turned off could cause this slight reduction in resolution due to vibration.

As the camera was on a tripod I assume they would turn IS off but i dint see that in the review.
Again that may be the difference between real world shooting and lab results.
 
JLacan said:
Thank you all. Anyone has any thoughts on whether the IBIS in the ep-1 if not turned off could cause this slight reduction in resolution due to vibration.

As the camera was on a tripod I assume they would turn IS off but i dint see that in the review.
Again that may be the difference between real world shooting and lab results.
Click to expand...
Naturally, yes, we turn IS off for studio shots on a tripod. We've been doing this camera testing stuff for a while now ;-)
SJ
--
Simon Joinson, dpreview.com
 
If you look at the actual resolution tests where they use the line patterns, the G1 and GF1 have better fine resolving power. It's a minor advantage and I can't see any real life applications for this where the difference will matter much.
 
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