Jon_T
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Veteran Member
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Posts: 6,393
Re: Well, it's all how you look at it
1
toomanycanons wrote:
...However, in my experience, small sensor Canons can do great in good light. Great colors, great exposure but don't try cropping them and don't try working with the files much in post, there's just not that much there....
...I just got back from a trip where if I told myself I was just going to be taking snapshots on some hike I took my 330 HS. The pics looked great! And they were what they were, just great colorful snapshots...
Agree -- especially the cameras with the 1/2.3" 12 MP sensors. IMHO the 12 MP seems to be the optimum pixel density for the 1/2.3" size sensors as to overall IQ and sensor image noise.
I had the SX130 IS and in good daylight lighting at base 80 ISO it provided good quality images (FYI also have the G1 X).
Hence knowing the IQ the SX130 IS "can" provide, and the small MP difference between the SX130 IS 12.1 MP vs G1 X II 12.8 MP, can understand possibility of the OP's comments comparing OOC JPGs taken in good daylight conditions with lower ISO's -- especially if images are from each camera in the Auto or P mode.
As a very simple/ quick example, below are two screen shots, each with four-image comparison. All images from Imaging-Resource.com Comparometer.
With each screen shot four-image comparison:
• the Top Left the SX130 IS at 80 ISO and Bottom Left the SX130 at 400 ISO.
• the Top Right the G1 X II IS at 100 ISO and Bottom Right the G1 X II at 400 ISO.
For general photos can understand OP only noticing a "incremental improvement". However its quite different at 400 ISO, and would be more significant difference with lower lighting conditions.

With a images with more finer details as below, the differences at 100 ISO more apparent, and even more so at 400 ISO.

As to the OP's RAW experiences, quite obvious due to "my first experience with RAW", and possibly the RAW app used.
With JPG+RAW images I've obtained noticeable IQ improvements with RAW (far better nose reduction/ highlights & shadows recovery) with my 1/2.3" sensor cameras compared to OOC JPG.
Three main reasons I got the ZS50 to replace my SX130 IS (for pocket size super-zoom) was for the newer CMOS Sensor (SX130 IS has older CCD sensor), RAW and the EVF. I have the FZ200 so I knew the RAW PP possibilities with the Panasonic 1/2.3" CMOS sensor.
Cheers,
Jon