For advanced users: RX1 tips

[sroute]

Pixel peeping landscape photographers might grip a little - dunno. I hesitate in even putting 100% crops out there because a few crops don't tell the entire story about either camera, but for fun here are RX1 sized to Fujifilm X100 resolution against the X100, upper left corner and centre:

 

[Sean_Jayhawk]

Yeah, resizing is necessary or the same snippets are presented at different sizes, which is what I was doing. For example, here are some center-ish shots that have detail that is easy to distinguish (e.g., words). This is why I found the D800 hard to compare since it was larger (and the 2 x100 variations are smaller and also hard):


RX1


5DII


D800


Sony RX100


F. X100




--
60 of my favorite shots from 2012

 

[tashley]

These re-sizing exercises are interesting, n'est pas? I have also played with up and down resing various of the files and when I get back from the trip I start tomorrow, in ten days or so, I will make some prints. For me, the main thing is the elasticity of the files rather than the sheer resolution, and the ability of the systems (being lens+camera) to get images sharp to the edges. This has been non-trivial on the D800 cameras and as you can see from that shot taken with the loaner 24-120, it looks as if the problem I thought was with my 24-120 might actually be with the body, though there's no RHS weakness with any of my other lenses.

Been playing some more briefly today and I am starting to get quite excited by the files and the lens but I must say that the body feels like a P&S rather than a pro-grade instrument. Startup is laggy and there's a sound like R2D2 scratching his @rse for about a second. And I think that focus is a bit slow even in good light. I also keep holding the bloody thing up to my eye. Why don't manufacturers release vital accessories such as EVFs at the same time as the bodies!?

So I'm off somewhere bright and sunny. Expect lots of sea and sand shots, possibly the odd palm tree!

 

[sroute]

tashley wrote:

These re-sizing exercises are interesting, n'est pas? I have also played with up and down resing various of the files

Again thanks for taking the time to shoot and post these... more questions being answered for those of us on the fence or waiting for our cameras to arrive. Its nice to see this confirmation that the camera holds up well against contemporary cameras for medium distance shots.

Elsewhere in this sub-forum critics who haven't ever picked up the camera have blathered on about soft edges but from what I see the RX1 does quite well to the edges, and software barrel distortion correction doesn't appear to do noticeable harm.
I'm still curious about longer distances out to the horizon but your images give me encouragement that the results will be amply good enough, and I love the look of the lens closer in so am happy with the compromises made / balancing act Sony has performed.

the ability of the systems (being lens+camera) to get images sharp to the edges.

That's too bad about the issues with the D800/lens combo.

Certainly the RX1 is capable of producing sharp results out to the edges as compared to the 5D Mark II and Fujifilm X100. The latter camera being an APS-C camera ought to have a built-in advantage but it still fails to reach quite the same level sharpness as the RX1 does at the extremes. I've seen other lenses do better but to me this seems like a really good performance.

and when I get back from the trip I start tomorrow, in ten days or so, I will make some prints.

Pixel peeping gets tired quickly. As you'll probably get there weeks ahead of me I'm making popcorn and watching this space!

So I'm off somewhere bright and sunny. Expect lots of sea and sand shots, possibly the odd palm tree!

Have a great trip!

 

[Joe Lazio]

Very good information. Thanks

 

[tashley]

Joe Lazio wrote:

Very good information. Thanks

Thanks Joe... There's plenty more to come and already quite a lot more published on my blog, I hope it's useful!

 

[LTZ470]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/icebluepie/

 

[tashley]

I have today added to the rolling review on my blog sections on ISO performance, a full bokeh series, an analysis of chromatic aberrations and how to deal with them, a section on focus shift and another on flare, plus some new usage tips that might be handy.

 

[earful]

tashley wrote:

I have today added to the rolling review on my blog sections on ISO performance, a full bokeh series, an analysis of chromatic aberrations and how to deal with them, a section on focus shift and another on flare, plus some new usage tips that might be handy.

 

[sroute]

Wow Tim, that was a fantastic addition to your prior instalment of your RX1 rolling review. I'm floored and grateful that you included a look at focus shift and am glad of the result too. Thanks for taking the time to publish your evaluation in such detail.

 

[tashley]

sroute wrote:

Wow Tim, that was a fantastic addition to your prior instalment of your RX1 rolling review. I'm floored and grateful that you included a look at focus shift and am glad of the result too. Thanks for taking the time to publish your evaluation in such detail.

Thank you my friend!

I guess everyone has seen that the new release of Lightroom now supports the RX1 so I am shortly going to post some comparison shots of files developed in both, at their defaults, and also versus my own formula!

 

[tashley]

I guess everyone has seen that the new release of Lightroom now supports the RX1 so I am shortly going to post some comparison shots of files developed in both, at their defaults, and also versus my own formula!

 

[sroute]

I wish LR had ISO sensitive defaults but it isn't hard to simply use self-created presets. I have three I use for files taken at low, medium and high sensitivity and go from there. I guess for the RX1 I'll need to tweak an Obscenely High ISO preset.

PS: There's a little false colour showing up in repeating patterns such as found in the balcony railing - the RX1 has an antialias filter but it isn't overly strong which is nice.

PSPS: You are having a vacation, right? ;-)

Hope it has been a good one!

 

[tashley]

sroute wrote:

I wish LR had ISO sensitive defaults but it isn't hard to simply use self-created presets. I have three I use for files taken at low, medium and high sensitivity and go from there. I guess for the RX1 I'll need to tweak an Obscenely High ISO preset.

PS: There's a little false colour showing up in repeating patterns such as found in the balcony railing - the RX1 has an antialias filter but it isn't overly strong which is nice.

PSPS: You are having a vacation, right? ;-)

Hope it has been a good one!

A sort of workation! But it's very nice to be in the sun at this time of year!

 

[h00ligan]

My rx1 just arrived, its in the shipping box still. I was suddenly struck by the thought it may be a smarter move to get a fuji ex-1




My main purpose for this camera was going to be general but a also a backup 35 mm for job stuff. However...the take on af.. It's all over the pace. Sme say super slow. Sme say nail most omd. Just seems so subjective.




So now it sits here testing may self control while I debate whether I've made the right decision. I do know I'm ready to move on from the nex 5n and my main rig is a 5d2 w/l glass.

 

[tashley]

h00ligan wrote:

My rx1 just arrived, its in the shipping box still. I was suddenly struck by the thought it may be a smarter move to get a fuji ex-1

My main purpose for this camera was going to be general but a also a backup 35 mm for job stuff. However...the take on af.. It's all over the pace. Sme say super slow. Sme say nail most omd. Just seems so subjective.

So now it sits here testing may self control while I debate whether I've made the right decision. I do know I'm ready to move on from the nex 5n and my main rig is a 5d2 w/l glass.

Hmm. All I have seen about the Fuji worries me - so much so that I haven't bothered to test it: the odd artefacts that come from the new sensor design are darned ugly. It looks like a real Fuji: imaginative, brave, exciting, flawed.

As for the AF on the RX1... it's actually pretty good most of the time and I am learning to point it totally unambiguously. If you get the AF square 'mostly' over your subject but overlap a bit of distant background it will often get things wrong: the square is just too big. But there's always DMF mode if you're uncertain - and that's how I use it. One touch of the focus ring and you're in MF magnified view with peaking if you want.

When the target is unambiguous and the light is good, focus is satisfactory. Too slow for me, really, but I shoot a lot of other gear and my standards are fussy. If you're not sure whether to unbox, could you try one at a store? But for my money, the Fuji files are too scary to drop money on...