I was having some fun with the Still Life with Fruit Challenge
I shot the original challenge entry with my Canon 5DII and my new Zeiss 50mm 1.4
I am really impressed with the optical quality of the lens. I think it's the best 50mm lens out there.
While I was shooting, I grabbed my Lumix LX3 Point & Shoot, also very impressive optics.
While I was going through possibilities for the January Free Study, I processed a few of the shots taken with the Lumix.
I was really impressed with how close the Lumix came to the 50mm Zeiss once both were processed for DPC entries. At full size you can see a real difference, due mainly to the sensor size differences, but at 800px, they are really close. Tonal range, sharpness, image quality all compared nicely.
So I decided to enter the Lumix version in the Free Study just to see if people would notice the difference. I got a validation request and a couple of comments about entering the same image in the FS as I did in the Still Life challenge.
It did well indeed. Putting them next to each other I can see some slight difference in clarity, but the Lumix does holds up nicely. I love being able to pull off a good shot with lesser gear.
As said in the comments of your FS-entry, I noticed a difference in colours. I've indeed put both entries next to each other to compare. I figured it wasn't 2 times the same entry since this would have been impossible as you can't submit the same image in 2 challenges.
Now I have the answer on my question if I was missing something :)
And indeed, the Lumix did very well :)
Maybe it's just me, but I see a distinct difference in clarity between the two. I wouldn't call it "slight", I'd call it "noticeable". It's about he difference I saw when I switched from 20D to 5D, actually, give or take; so that speaks well of the Lumix.
Not just you, Robert. I saw it right away and without a side by side. In the shaded half triangle plus the fruit, the dear little lumix seems to lose its enthusiasm. (And I am such a panasonic fan, and so much in favour of trying to match the big guys with the little guys).
I don't know why you're so enthusiastic about this. Looks like your expensive 50mm is almost as bad as a point-and-shoot camera. ;-P
Or my point & shoot is as good as the 50 1.2L ;-)
To be clear, there is a huge difference when looking at the full size images, again, I think that is a function of sensor size more than anything else.
I was taken on how close they were when edited for DPC entries. I didn't edit them side by side, I think it would have been closer had I actually set out to match them as close as possible in the editing.
Wow, what a neat comparison - just goes to show.
I voted one an 8 and one a 7 (both pretty high for me) - funny I didn't notice that they were duplicates. I think the Canon has just slightly richer colors (it better) but the Lumix is a terrific camera (as all we DLux 4 owners know)!
I'm sure there is a much bigger difference at larger sizes but, hey.
" I didn't edit them side by side, I think it would have been closer had I actually set out to match them as close as possible in the editing."
Might you not now give it a try? See if you can bring the panny up to the mark?
Yes, please. Show us what it's got!
R.
OK, without starting from scratch, here's about an hour's worth of time trying to get them to match in processing
Zeiss
Lumix
The Zeiss wins the tonal gradation for sure. The yellow areas seem to have more detail as well.
I didn't line the cameras up exactly, an I think the Lumix was zoomed a little wider than the 50mm equivalent. So there is a shift in perspective and camera angle.
They were taken about 20 minutes apart, so the light shifted as well.
Thanks for taking the time. The difference in resolving power is still noticeable to my eye; look at the cut kiwi, for example. Nevertheless, they're damned close, all things considered.
Thanks for taking the time. The difference in resolving power is still noticeable to my eye; look at the cut kiwi, for example. Nevertheless, they're damned close, all things considered.
R.
I agree, and frankly I'm glad there is a difference, the 50mm Zeiss cost $200 for than the Lumix LX3 camera, but it's nice to have something so pocketable to carry around that can produce a quality image.
I'll tyr to post some 100% cuts of each to show the real differences.
The Panasonic LX3 is an amazing camera for what it is....I never leave home without it !!! It even got me interested in picking up my Olympus DSLR again.
Interesting. It is not quite clear to me that the difference in resolving power accounts for the difference in what I will call vibrance, which I think of chiefly in terms of colour and light. In one way it could, I suppose, depending on the transforming algorithms or whatever happens at the atomic level.
