Comparison between G15 and P7700 image quality
Jan 23, 2013
I used so many enthusiast compacts beginning from Canon S5is, Panny LX3, to G12, XZ1, P7000. I use Nikon DSLR, bu used to prefer Canon compacts but Nikon P7700 is changing the game. The lens is exquisite, sharp all through the range, and fast enough to be used in most lighting conditions, and wide and long enough to fit many situations . The new 12 MP CMOS sensor is considerably better than the 10 MP CCD that was in P7000, it has cleaner shadows, and it gives crunchy results with lots of details even at ISO800 in low light. Autofocus is snappy enough to grab shots of moving subjects in the streets, and in low light it's accurate enough to get some keepers even if AF is slowish.
I won't speak about the excellent ergonomics, the screen true to life colours, the improved JPEGs... what I can't get is why most reviewers are missing this awesomeness? Why Dpreview are always mentioning XZ2 as a benchmark? I'm experiencing a leap with P7700 that should be noted to the masses, yet P7700 is remaining a hidden treasure.
So I decided to compare P7700 image quality to the Canon flagship of the moment the appealing G15 , and RX100 too since everyone is praising it. Comparison is done thanks to imaging-resource.com samples. I'll show side by side crops comparing P7700 to G15 and RX100 in JPEG and RAW, in similar conditions and with similar settings: F4, ISO800 (the upper limit in my view for compacts today), focus on the doll face.
P7700 G15
View: original size
P7700 G15
View: original size
P7700 G15
View: original size
I wouldn't have thought I'd say it a day, but Nikon JPEG is striking a really better balance between noise and detail. G15 has more pop, but that's something you can adjust in the camera, boosting contrast and saturation.
Maybe one of the most praised cameras in recent times is the small Sony RX100. Kudos to Sony for squeezing so much in so little space, but once again you'll be surprised.
P7700 RX100
View: original size
P7700 RX100
View: original size
This is insane, but the 12 MP of the 1/1,7 inch sensor are holding more details than the 20 MP of the 1 inch sensor. More is not better. We don't get here at least the lovely Canon colours, Sony colours seem always off. The edge integrity of hair in the first crop is shockingly better in P7700 crop.
Low light samples are not available yet for XZ2 in imaging-resource, but I used the standard lighting samples to compare the latter to P7700 (at ISO800 too).
P7700 XZ2
View: original size
P7700 XZ2
View: original size
Look at the red clothe, look how the thin writing is readable in P7700, but turned to mush in XZ2.
I really can't get how professional reviewers like Dpreview team can miss this awesomeness!
You want to see more? I downloaded Raw files and I'm comparing crops in the next post.