New G7x II - macros ugh ugh ugh Locked

The G7X is the wrong camera for close-up work.

You get a shallower depth of field because of the larger sensor / longer focal length. That makes handholding more difficult if you need a precise focus plane.

And you might not be able to get close enough.

Has something to do with how lenses can be designed to keep an acceptable sharpness over the whole zoom range and size and complexity / cost.

I took a look at the images. There’s nothing wrong with them. One of the eyes is always sharp enough for a wide open aperture.

You have to stop the lens down to 4 or 5.6 to get a deeper depth of field and to get the lens into its sweet spot, where it performs better at close ups. Sorry, but this are just the laws of physics.

Next thing is, did you turn the IS off when shooting from tripod? IS on can induce slight blur when the camera is stable.

And did you use the selvtimer to avoid camera shake when pushing the shutter button? The last looks like there is some camera shake.

Still, even if you do everything right, a camera with a smaller sensor is better suited for the work you want to do.

When my G11 died, I replaced it with a Nikon P7800 for product photography and close-ups. Same sensor size, superb lens and better suitable for work with studio flashes than the new Canon G series.

A last remark - my G7X is sharper than my G5X and my old S90 beats those two new cameras when you need to count bricks at a building, which is 100 m away.

I don't own a GX7 II yet, but I placed my order and I intend to perform casual macro (or at least close-up). So I looked for information before buying.

Firstable, you should read https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/54597516 :

• the max magnification is not at wide angle (WA) but mid range (42mm FF equivalent, where the lens is sharp). Here, the magnification is 0.25:1, which is no "macro", but rather a decent "close-up" starting point, especially given the camera format.
• WA, you only reach 0.15 even if the focussing distance is shorter here.

Importantly, you should avoid large apertures. In the macro world, DOF is really tiny and usually, what you want to do is closing your lens as much as possible, rather than the opposite.

And if you want to play a little more, you should invest in a small close-up filter. With a Raynox 250 (+8 D), you reach a magnification of 0.4:1 while keeping an equivalent FL of 40mm ! With a +10D filter, you reach 0.45:1. See here for a simple calculator.

First post on DPR and its nothing but a complaint about the wrong tool for the job...

Perhaps instead of blaming the tool.. you should blame the tool USER... a quick search on here or Google would have provided you with the correct camera for the job.

Good luck.. want to sell me the G7x?  I'll take it off your hands!!

Yannis1976 wrote:

And if you want to play a little more, you should invest in a small close-up filter. With a Raynox 250 (+8 D), you reach a magnification of 0.4:1 while keeping an equivalent FL of 40mm ! With a +10D filter, you reach 0.45:1. Seehere for a simple calculator.

And how will you attach the filter to the lens?

Magfilter or Lensmate .

Thank you for all of your replies!

And to you who complain that I complain about wrong tool, I did write:

Have I bought wrong camera for my needs, even if I thought it would be perfect by reading the specs?

I was indeed fully aware when I wrote this post that it was all about user error.

And for one person that is not 100% on the cameras function it is hard to buy. I went on that I was happy with my G9 that I thought a new G camera would be good replacement.

Ok now enough there with my defense.

I think I am going to attempt a swap at the shop if I am able to do so. But I have to do it until tomorrow or it is too late! It is for an unused box but I hope if I say I am going to not ask for refund but for a swap that they will be lenient.

As I have a lack of time, I need to decide quick.

I will tell you.

I use camera mostly in the range from 10 cm to 60-70 cm, but 80-90% of the times on the 50-70 cm range. (that's my full size dolls size, these are 30 cm high and I want to catch the entire doll in frame)

Daylight only, no artificial lights, no flash.

Not too terribly much larger than the older G9.

It is a plus if I can use same camera/lens for outdoor photographing of same motif and also maybe touristing. (there I imagine this G7x MKII would be good, hahaa but no that's not what I was buying for)

But if it is like "want too much and get bad lens" then please only for the large doll photography part.

The shop has only Eos M3, with kit lens 18-55 mm. Damn there goes my hopes to swap-a-roo.

Now I can conclude this thread with saying that we have managed to return this camera - happy ending!

So now I will try to research better for better camera for my uses.

HelenaH wrote:

Hello!

I bought myself a new camera to replace my old G9 (10 years old and bouncing around).

My main idea is to photograph miniatures and toys for my sales. Indoors in daylight, handheld. G9 was good until now, I feel it is losing the focus /which I verified it was random, so I thought better replace it.

I read G7x mark ii has good big sensor - yay good picture I thought, low noise. Nice big lens yay for depth of field I thought and to let light in. Mark II has better noise handling, yay I thought. So it looks like a good camera for my needs.

But maybe I was wrong?!

The photos I take at F 1.8 to 2.8 are crap. It looks like someone smeared something on the lens. No I have checked. At 2.8 the old G9 is better!

I am talking about taking photos in from 10 to about 30-40 cm range.

I am so disappointed and unhappy because we bought this through the company = no replacement. But if it is bad for real I can go the guarantee route.

Have I bought wrong camera for my needs, even if I thought it would be perfect by reading the specs?

I have a Canon Service center just in my city but I do not want to go there and they say "we have checked and no this works good, thank you now here's a bill of $250"

Here's five photos of my dolls, all taken on tripod, jpgs straight from camera (Av mode, focused on one of the eyes, small rectangle autofocus): http://www.funnybunny.se/files/dollsfocustest.zip

If it is supposed to look like this then I think it is bad.

The larger sensor in your new camera means apertures aren't comparable to your old one. Try f4 and see how it goes. Use macro or manual focus. There will be a learning curve, but keep at it and you will get good results.

that said, canon really pushed the envelope to put a big sensor and fast lens into a tiny camera on the g7x, so I'd agree that the lens is only so-so.