Re: resurrecting old thread - image quality G15 vs G16
Pretty amazing that a post from 7 years ago can get revived and not only that, generate an interesting discussion.
I bought two G16’s late last year (one turned out to have problems). I took the better one on a trip to Japan In January 2020.
I was looking for a very lightweight zoom and I was interested in what a small sensor camera with relatively fast lens could do. I also took a Fuji x100S. I tended to alternate which camera I used on a daily basis.
I am trying to decide what the appropriate conclusion on the G16 is. Did I enjoy using it? Yes. Could it take the images I wanted to take? 99% of the time. Was the image quality good? I would say it was what could reasonably have been expected about 75% of the time - but my expectations may have been a little ambitious. Some images were excellent. Of course, operator error and the learning curve on a new camera plays a role. Favorite features? Exposure bracketing with 2stops + and -. Perfect for HDR processing in Lightroom. The lcd is also pretty good and the zoom had a good range. Viewfinder? I used it about three times. Problems? Landscape images were a bit noisy despite limiting ISO to low levels. Plus some areas of the image on the landscapes showed some type of distortion or noise. I put it down to problems with the lens. Images of scenes where the majority of the subjects (buildings, people, shrines etc) were within 25 feet were very good and showed the deep DOF you can get with a small sensor and fast lens.
So the bottom line is, would I take it on another trip? Answer: only if I had another camera with me that I could use for landscapes and other images where IQ was a priority. Right now that would be a Canon RP with a 20mm lens. But no full frame zoom would make the cut on size or weight for a long distance trip by air. So a small zoom could definitely play a role.
Maybe taking out the G16 and playing around with it could be another quarantine distraction. It has a potentially useful macro mode.
Kevin
ps: Buy with a warranty and check out the features of any unit you buy thoroughly.