Thanks for your input! I have a limited time available for posting,
so this post (and my reply to Ulysses) will probably be my last in
this thread. So feel free to have the last word. Comments
interleaved below...
After comparing many hundreds of photo's of the F505 against the
S70, I consider the F505V better in many respects.
If you're talking about the CAMERAS, I agree with you; I much
prefer my 505V to my S70. But if you're talking about the IMAGES,
then I don't agree. I too have compared hundreds of images
from these cameras, many of them shot side-by-side. The S70
produces the best images almost every time. When it doesn't,
it's usually because of a white balance or color saturation issue.
Neither of these is significantly affected by the lenses, of course.
The lens in the
F505 has a greater depth of field and an overwhelmingly better
macro performance.
I'm afraid we'll have to agree to disagree on this one, too.
Re depth of field, that is mathematically determined by the
focal length and the f-stop. One lens is the same as another,
if those settings are equal.
I knew by this comment about depth of field it would stir up the purists who insist depth of field is only determined by focal length and f-stop. A carry over from the film days. A number of years ago a reviewer of binoculars meaured depth of field and compared binoculars in this category. Most people could care less about depth of field, unless you notice with some binoculars, there is less eye strain and easier viewing. So with binoculars of equal power and twilight charactistics, some just have greater depth of field. A characteristic of the lens and eyepiece design. In my opinion the 5 power vari-sonar lens as used in the F505 just happens to have what I would call "soft focus". Instead of being razor sharp in focus like the Oly E10. I'll post some pictures I have taken showing this characteristic later. I'll post them under "F505 depth of field"
I have no idea what comprised the basis of your "overwhelmingly
better macro performance" comment. Both of these lenses have
the typical (somewhat hokey) add-on-to-a-zoom macro feature;
and neither compares to a real macro lens, of course.
When I compared the two, my main goal was to fill the frame
with a 35mm slide. I found that the S70 could just barely do
it, and that the 505V couldn't do it. So as far as I'm concerned,
the S70 macro performance is a little better.
Regarding Macro performance, I would never consider compromising picture performance by adapting the macro feature as used on digital camera's. What I had meant was the cameras ability to take quality close up photo's without using the macro assist. Try that, comparing the S70 and F505, its not about how close they focus, its about the quality of the image at minimum focus distance.
Given that the S70 lens is faster and has fewer
lens elements plus the S70 in general has 600,000 more pixels, you
would expect it to be better in the resolution department.
Yes, you'd expect the S70 to win resolution; and it does.
It also wins speed, contrast, and full-aperture performance.
These, along with the extra pixels, are why it usually comes out
on top in image quality.
But
overall I consider the F505V with 5 power zoom a better choice for
the all around digicam.
As stated above, I agree with you on this one.
But superior handling and image control are the reasons,
not ultimate image quality.
Some added thoughts:
I think T* is probably just Zeiss' catchy name for their particular
flavor of multicoating. And I'm 90% sure that the S70 has
multicoating NOW, because it shows the characteristic weak,
green, relflections from incident light.
Conversely, I'm 90% sure the 505V does NOT have multicoating,
because it shows the bright white and blue reflections characteristic
of single-coated optics.
Near as I can tell, I'm the only one who has noticed that this
difference produces major image-quality superiority in the
S70 relative to the 505V. When I got my 505V (which I love),
the first thing I noticed was the loss of contrast relative to
my S70 pix. The second thing I noticed was that the 505V
pix were not as sharp... sharp enough, but not stunningly sharp
like the S70. Can't blame that one on the coatings, though.
The top of my wish-list for the 505x is a new 5:1 Zeiss, multicoated,
as sharp as the S70, and covering ALL of the new 5MP sensor.
That would be a major drool!
Sorry to be picky, but I am an Engineer who works around optics
every day.
One of the differences between the Zeiss lenses we have on the
F505v and S70 and the Zeiss lenses I have for my Contax SLR is that
the SLR lenses have the superior Zeiss T* (T-Star) coating to
reduce flare and chromatic abberation even further.
As reported by Zeiss in the Camera lens News (Vol 11)
http://www.zeiss.de
"Sony with T* Now
Photokina 2000 marks the beginning of a new era in Zeiss lenses for
Sony: From now on all Zeiss lenses for Sony will come with T* multi
layer coating. The first Sony product to feature this advanced
optical anti-reflex coating system is the DCR-PC 110, a new
high-end digital camcorder with Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 1,8/4,2-42 zoom
lens.
Developed by the company that invented optical coating in the frist
place, T* is the most advanced multi-layer coating system in the
optical marketplace. T* is well recognised in the world of
professional photography, where it contributes significantly to the
brilliant images, vivid colors and accurate skin tones that have
become the hallmark of professional cameras equipped with Zeiss
lenses.
For the first time in the field of video this quality of T*
brilliance and color rendition becomes now available for the users
of Sony high end digital still and video cameras."
