High Drive rate Images; is this the quality i can expect from the LX 100 ?

[azeg]

This is really to be seen as a neutral question. My other camera is a Sigma DP2 Quattro which really produces tac sharp images.

I bought the LX100 to be the alternative for all things the Sigma can´t do well (high speed, high ISO´s).

I have to admit, the task is quite challenging (a black dobermann running towards you with 15-20 km/h) for the AF System but as stated in the

review the AF system should be one of the fastest on the market for compact cameras. This creates desire.

Combined with the 6 frames per second, when refocusing is used for every shot, i expected a hit rate of +50% for tac sharp images of moving objects.

I used several combinations of Drive Mode+ AF-Mode+ AF Area Mode and ended up in Drive H Speed, AF Area Single Field and Constant AF.

I shot several series, changing ISO, Aperture and Focal length. The results were all nearly the same regarding AF lock and sharpness.

With the lack of comparison i don´t know how to judge over the image quality especially regarding image sharpness.

What do you think ?

I took 2 pics out of 2 series shot within 5 Minutes.

Those are out of the cam JPEG, Natural Colors, Sharpening +1, NR -2, AFC, Single Area AF

The "sharp" picture (right in the crop) was from a burst with F11, 1/400s, 800ISO, 28/42 mm

The "unsharp" picture (left in the crop) was from a burst with F7,1 1/1000s, 1000ISO, 34/54 mm.


Unsharp image

[ATTACH alt=""Sharp" image"]1448579[/ATTACH]
"Sharp" image


100% Crop, left unsharp

Is the "sharp" picture the quality i could expect from the LX100 ?

Did you make similar experience according the useful (sharp) pictures from a burst ?

Shooting in High Drive Mode on moving objects i get 1 out of 10 pictures that can be rated as AF lock and therefore sharp, 7/10 are more like the unsharp image and 2 are totally

out of Focus.

Also with stills i do have lots of pictures that are not tack sharp but only 95% sharp.

The two 100%crops of the roof top are shot within a series. Nearly the same parameters (A 4,5, 1/100s, ISO 200, Single AF, OIS on).

Additionally the sharper, right one has been shot with 1/80s which is more prone to shake effects.

In general i am happy with the LX100, the build quality, the direct dials, the usability. Also with IQ from near distance images. But i am in a doubt if maybe got a lemon when looking at the results of distance stills and burst images.


100% Crop of still, left unsharp

 

[curiosifly]

This is really to be seen as a neutral question. My other camera is a Sigma DP2 Quattro which really produces tac sharp images.

I bought the LX100 to be the alternative for all things the Sigma can´t do well (high speed, high ISO´s).

I have to admit, the task is quite challenging (a black dobermann running towards you with 15-20 km/h) for the AF System but as stated in the

review the AF system should be one of the fastest on the market for compact cameras. This creates desire.

Combined with the 6 frames per second, when refocusing is used for every shot, i expected a hit rate of +50% for tac sharp images of moving objects.

I used several combinations of Drive Mode+ AF-Mode+ AF Area Mode and ended up in Drive H Speed, AF Area Single Field and Constant AF.

I think Drive H means 8 FPS with focus locked at the first frame. Drive M would allow refocus while shooting burst.

F11 is really small (it is more than F22 in 35 equivalent). Would you get something like diffraction?

LX100 only has 12 MP. So, when you crop heavily like your example, there won't be much detail

Just some general comments. None of the above may be related to your question. I don't have a dog. The most challenging situation I tried with my LX100 is when my kid is swinging fast. The keeper rate with AFC depends on a lot of variables such as lighting condition or DOF used. A 50% keeper rate is about average what I get and that includes some focus that is soft.

--

ciao

 

[azeg]

Thanks for sharing your thougts.

Settig AFC will refocus every shot in L, M, H Modes with 2FPS, 6,5 FPS, 6,5 FPS . Only the SH Mode does not refocus between the shots.

Agree with the aperture; interestingly the picture with F11 gets the sharper result; so i think it´s an issue with the AF. At F11 the DOF should be fairly high,

Did you experience soft AF pictures in stills like my last sample ?

Thanks

 

[curiosifly]

Thanks for sharing your thougts.

Settig AFC will refocus every shot in L, M, H Modes with 2FPS, 6,5 FPS, 6,5 FPS . Only the SH Mode does not refocus between the shots.

Thanks for correcting me on that. I always use M because it gives live view and the same FPS, to the point that I forgot that H also allows refocus. Another advice I was given was to set shutter mode to focus priority.

Agree with the aperture; interestingly the picture with F11 gets the sharper result; so i think it´s an issue with the AF. At F11 the DOF should be fairly high,

As I mentioned, I do get soft focus images often when shooting burst mode on fast moving objects. But I think I can get ~50% sharp ones. Of course, your shooting condition is very different from mine, and thus it's difficult to say if there is difference in the two cameras. My experience is that S-AF may work better but of course it won't allow you to shoot long burst.

Did you experience soft AF pictures in stills like my last sample ?

I seldom shoot completely still objects, and I usually don't review at 100% for sharpness (unless that's people's eye or face). With my portrait, I do sometimes get soft focus even if my subject is just standing or sitting there. But since it's never really still, I can't be sure if it is because the relative movement between the camera and the subject or it is because camera focus error. It does not happen very often and only when I use very shallow DOF. So I tend to believe it's more user error than anything else. I heard some people complaining about LX100 front or back focus. But if I try to do a controlled test (with tripod and completely still subject with small single AF area), my focus is always 100% on.

Thanks