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g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use

Started Sep 1, 2017 | Discussions
Juggernaut122
Juggernaut122 Contributing Member • Posts: 834
g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use
16

Hi,

I took my G7x mark ii to a combined concert with Eagles former lead guitar player, REO Speedwagon, and Styx. I didn't want to bring my Nikon D7200, so I did the best I could with the g7xii.
I had good seats but to frame things as I wanted, I relied heavily on digital zoom.
I am pretty impressed, especially if I don't zoom much into the image. I think that they are framed such that any images with digital zoom really wouldn't require zooming in anyway. I rarely print larger than 8 x 10 and I might print a few just to see how they come out.

 Juggernaut122's gear list:Juggernaut122's gear list
Olympus Tough TG-4 Canon G7 X II Nikon D7200 Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM +1 more
Canon PowerShot G7 X Nikon D7200
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eagereyes
eagereyes Forum Member • Posts: 57
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use

Amazing pictures! Why did you use the digital zoom though, rather than shoot normally and then crop later? You could have gotten somewhat better quality, I'd guess (or at least I wouldn't be able to zoom all that far in to see all those digital artifacts ;).

Great captures though!

damian5000 Senior Member • Posts: 1,948
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use
2

The look really good. Benefit of digital zoom is that it's exposing for what's in the frame. Smart move.

 damian5000's gear list:damian5000's gear list
Canon PowerShot G7 X
Steven Wandy Veteran Member • Posts: 5,634
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use

I have the G7X (first edition) and trying to decide to upgrade to Mark II or wait to see if and when Canon announces a Mark III. I have always loved concert photography and these really show off what the little guy can do. Even the ones with the digital zoom look amazing for a small camera. Also nice that the venue did not drive you nuts about taking photos during the show. Too many places are doing that nowadays. Well done.

 Steven Wandy's gear list:Steven Wandy's gear list
Sony RX100 V Canon PowerShot SX730 HS Olympus PEN E-PL1 Olympus E-M5 III Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm F1.8 +3 more
Juggernaut122
OP Juggernaut122 Contributing Member • Posts: 834
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use
1

eagereyes wrote:

Amazing pictures! Why did you use the digital zoom though, rather than shoot normally and then crop later? You could have gotten somewhat better quality, I'd guess (or at least I wouldn't be able to zoom all that far in to see all those digital artifacts ;).

Great captures though!

Thanks.

I agree with the concept of not using digital zoom.

I didn't realize that digital zoom would give me better exposure - I usually use spot metering - but I did notice the the exposure was much more accurate than when I used a different camera at a similar event (it kept underexposing the performers because the stage lights made the overall scene seem bright to the camera).

My experience with this particular camera is that the digital zoom effects vs cropping doesn't make a very large difference (although cropping is indeed slightly better as you said), and I don't have any plans to make a large print of these, so I figured I would go with the digital.  It would save me the time of having to crop later (I don't tend to post process except in special occasions).

When I look at these images on a large monitor (without zooming to 100%), they look completely fine, and I don't need to zoom into see closely into their nostrils 

Thanks,
Paul

 Juggernaut122's gear list:Juggernaut122's gear list
Olympus Tough TG-4 Canon G7 X II Nikon D7200 Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM +1 more
Chaplain Mark
Chaplain Mark Veteran Member • Posts: 6,539
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use

These captures are really nice; they speak volumes for what that little camera is capable of, and of your deployment of its features and power.

Good work..!

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Thank You,
Chaplain Mark
-----
'Tis better to have a camera and not need one than to need a camera and not have one.

 Chaplain Mark's gear list:Chaplain Mark's gear list
Canon G3 X Canon PowerShot G5 X Sony a7R III Sony a7C Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM +3 more
Yannis1976
Yannis1976 Veteran Member • Posts: 6,308
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use

They are great and I am surprised ISO was kept at such low levels!

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Fujifilm XF 35mm F1.4 R Fujifilm XF 70-300 F4-5.6 R LM OIS WR
papybenenuts
papybenenuts Regular Member • Posts: 428
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use

superb fotos

bravo

best regards

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Mohammed B.

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Chaplain Mark
Chaplain Mark Veteran Member • Posts: 6,539
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use

For me, these photos are what the Powershot cameras  are all about......real portability combined with real utility to produce real, usable captures of real life.

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Thank You,
Chaplain Mark
-----
'Tis better to have a camera and not need one than to need a camera and not have one.

 Chaplain Mark's gear list:Chaplain Mark's gear list
Canon G3 X Canon PowerShot G5 X Sony a7R III Sony a7C Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM +3 more
Greg OH Regular Member • Posts: 456
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use

Great photos! How much digital zoom did you use? All the way to 4x? The EXIF only reports the optical focal length.

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Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 Samyang 14mm F2.8 ED AS IF UMC Samyang 24mm F1.4 Samyang 35mm F1.4 Panasonic S 24-105mm F4 Macro OIS +4 more
(unknown member) Senior Member • Posts: 2,265
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use
1

Juggernaut122 wrote:

eagereyes wrote:

Amazing pictures! Why did you use the digital zoom though, rather than shoot normally and then crop later? You could have gotten somewhat better quality, I'd guess (or at least I wouldn't be able to zoom all that far in to see all those digital artifacts ;).

Great captures though!

Thanks.

I agree with the concept of not using digital zoom.

I didn't realize that digital zoom would give me better exposure - I usually use spot metering - but I did notice the the exposure was much more accurate than when I used a different camera at a similar event (it kept underexposing the performers because the stage lights made the overall scene seem bright to the camera).

My experience with this particular camera is that the digital zoom effects vs cropping doesn't make a very large difference (although cropping is indeed slightly better as you said), and I don't have any plans to make a large print of these, so I figured I would go with the digital. It would save me the time of having to crop later (I don't tend to post process except in special occasions).

When I look at these images on a large monitor (without zooming to 100%), they look completely fine, and I don't need to zoom into see closely into their nostrils

Thanks,
Paul

I would have thought with in camera digital zoom the camera's processor and jpeg engine would be dedicated to the actual image being recorded so in principal should be better than a crop in post where much processing overhead in camera of the image is just thrown away.

I would also think a much less compressed image could be output in the jpeg without hitting files sizes.

Difficult to prove in practice but these photos are very good. Plus this is a photographer framing pictures at that moment which is what it is all about. I always think if my computer wants to play around with images it can take its own.

Please do not be ashamed of using digital zoom. Nothing wrong with it at all.

JPTHEOG
JPTHEOG Senior Member • Posts: 2,628
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use

Great captures, and impressed with the quality of these.   I'm going to see U2 in about a month, and they restrict any ILC camera, so after poking around the web I'm thinking this one might be the ticket with longest reach and fastest aperture while still being a compact non bridge camera.

The RX series is one I looked at but limited zoom range.  Any else I should consider?

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Chaplain Mark
Chaplain Mark Veteran Member • Posts: 6,539
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use
1

Agius FOTO wrote:

Great captures, and impressed with the quality of these. I'm going to see U2 in about a month, and they restrict any ILC camera, so after poking around the web I'm thinking this one might be the ticket with longest reach and fastest aperture while still being a compact non bridge camera.

The RX series is one I looked at but limited zoom range. Any else I should consider?

I recommend the G5X because even though it's an older model, it has an EVF and a very well-designed control layout.

Methinks in a rock concert setting, having the EVF would be a huge plus, and you still could swing out the LCD screen for shots where you prefer to hold the camera overhead.

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Thank You,
Chaplain Mark
-----
'Tis better to have a camera and not need one than to need a camera and not have one.
--------------
In pursuit of photographic excellence.

 Chaplain Mark's gear list:Chaplain Mark's gear list
Canon G3 X Canon PowerShot G5 X Sony a7R III Sony a7C Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM +3 more
(unknown member) Senior Member • Posts: 2,265
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use

Chaplain Mark wrote:

Agius FOTO wrote:

Great captures, and impressed with the quality of these. I'm going to see U2 in about a month, and they restrict any ILC camera, so after poking around the web I'm thinking this one might be the ticket with longest reach and fastest aperture while still being a compact non bridge camera.

The RX series is one I looked at but limited zoom range. Any else I should consider?

I recommend the G5X because even though it's an older model, it has an EVF and a very well-designed control layout.

Methinks in a rock concert setting, having the EVF would be a huge plus, and you still could swing out the LCD screen for shots where you prefer to hold the camera overhead.

With that lumpy EVF on the top it could be taken for an ILC  and attract the attention of security.

Chaplain Mark
Chaplain Mark Veteran Member • Posts: 6,539
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use

KeepCalm wrote:

Chaplain Mark wrote:

Agius FOTO wrote:

Great captures, and impressed with the quality of these. I'm going to see U2 in about a month, and they restrict any ILC camera, so after poking around the web I'm thinking this one might be the ticket with longest reach and fastest aperture while still being a compact non bridge camera.

The RX series is one I looked at but limited zoom range. Any else I should consider?

I recommend the G5X because even though it's an older model, it has an EVF and a very well-designed control layout.

Methinks in a rock concert setting, having the EVF would be a huge plus, and you still could swing out the LCD screen for shots where you prefer to hold the camera overhead.

With that lumpy EVF on the top it could be taken for an ILC and attract the attention of security.

You mean, this little thang????

barely fills the hand...

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Thank You,
Chaplain Mark
-----
'Tis better to have a camera and not need one than to need a camera and not have one.
--------------
In pursuit of photographic excellence.

 Chaplain Mark's gear list:Chaplain Mark's gear list
Canon G3 X Canon PowerShot G5 X Sony a7R III Sony a7C Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM +3 more
JPTHEOG
JPTHEOG Senior Member • Posts: 2,628
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use

I think the hump will make it less pocketable and I'll be using it over my head as I'm 5'8" and will be in general admission on the concert floor, so the EVF won't really be useful.

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My flickr account.....in its infancy as of March 2015. Feel free to comment!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/130003647@N03/

Chaplain Mark
Chaplain Mark Veteran Member • Posts: 6,539
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use

Agius FOTO wrote:

I think the hump will make it less pocketable and I'll be using it over my head as I'm 5'8" and will be in general admission on the concert floor, so the EVF won't really be useful.

Okay.....G7Xii then...!!   😊

-- hide signature --

Thank You,
Chaplain Mark
-----
'Tis better to have a camera and not need one than to need a camera and not have one.
--------------
In pursuit of photographic excellence.

 Chaplain Mark's gear list:Chaplain Mark's gear list
Canon G3 X Canon PowerShot G5 X Sony a7R III Sony a7C Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM +3 more
John McCormack
John McCormack Veteran Member • Posts: 7,101
Re: g7x mark ii goes... What? No Crazy Stage Lighting?!
1

Excellent set of images. Some of the best concert shots I've seen with the G7X ii. Most times the colors from stage lighting are all over the spectrum, but these seem consistently accurate. How come?

Also, someone asked whether a Mark III is coming. Today Canonrumors.com posted rumored specs. for the supposedly next G7 X here: http://www.canonrumors.com/the-first-powershot-g7-x-mark-iii-specification-list-weve-seen-cr1/

(unknown member) Senior Member • Posts: 2,265
Re: g7x mark ii goes... What? No Crazy Stage Lighting?!

John McCormack wrote:

Excellent set of images. Some of the best concert shots I've seen with the G7X ii. Most times the colors from stage lighting are all over the spectrum, but these seem consistently accurate. How come?

Also, someone asked whether a Mark III is coming. Today Canonrumors.com posted rumored specs. for the supposedly next G7 X here: http://www.canonrumors.com/the-first-powershot-g7-x-mark-iii-specification-list-weve-seen-cr1/

All good fun. 24mp sensor, could that be Canon's own sensor which could be dual pixel? let the speculation commence. Difficult to imagine this is a 2 year old Sony sensor if true.

JoviFan
JoviFan Regular Member • Posts: 379
Re: g7x mark ii goes to a rock concert - heavy digital zoom use

WOW - great shots!!! I'm looking for a new camera for concerts - I keep hesitating on the 7x ii cuz of the short zoom - but this looks very promising!!!!

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FZ1, TZ1, FZ7, TZ5A, Currently using ZS6 and FZ35 and LX7- not that I'm partial to Panny's

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