GXR P10 vs. CX4 vs. CX3 vs. CX2

[odklizec]

At the end of last week, I received P10 and CX4 and since then I'm taking photos with them and working on some comparisons. Here are some first crops.

First 28mm crops. All cameras were set to Standard settings and Spot AF.

p10_cx4_cx3_cx2_center.png (481.99 KiB) Viewed 6660 times

p10_cx4_cx3_cx2_lbottom_corner.png (510.32 KiB) Viewed 6640 times

p10_cx4_cx3_cx2_rtop_corner.png (478.48 KiB) Viewed 6593 times

p10_cx4_cx3_cx2_building.png (462.98 KiB) Viewed 6581 times

p10_cx4_cx3_cx2_trashbins.png (520.04 KiB) Viewed 6542 times

As you can see, P10 appears to deliver sharpest photos and best corner performance at 28mm. Although the P10 lens construction (number of lenses, coating and positions) should be similar or the same as CX3/4 lens, it's evident that the lens assembly is different. In my opinion, it also explain why the P10 module is much thicker than CX body? This not only allows to start the P10 faster than CX (because of less time required to extend the lens) but it also noticeably improves the corner sharpness. At least at the wide end

I'm not quite sure about 300mm comparison. As you can see below, the P10 crops look a bit less sharp than CX4. I think it's caused by Spot AF where the P10 shot was slightly front focused. I will probably redo this comparison with all cameras set to Infinity.

p10_cx4_cx3_cx2_tele_center.png (441.74 KiB) Viewed 7698 times

p10_cx4_cx3_cx2_tele_lbottom_corner.png (422.74 KiB) Viewed 7662 times

Below you can check the colors (all cameras were set to Daylight WB) and overall exposure. P10 and CX4 are very close to reality. CX3 is surprisingly most overexposed at more or less the same shutter speed.
28mm

P10 DNG

R1099507_dng_sm.jpg (583.32 KiB) Viewed 6226 times

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EXIF-Data

Image taken on: Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:30 pm

Focus length: 4.9 mm

Shutter speed: 1/810 Sec

F-number: F/3.5

ISO speed rating: 100

Whitebalance: Manual

Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode

Camera-model: GXR P10

Exposure program: Normal program

Exposure bias: -3/10 EV

Metering mode: Center-weighted average

P10 JPEG

R1099507_sm.jpg (543.84 KiB) Viewed 6207 times

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EXIF-Data

Image taken on: Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:30 pm

Focus length: 4.9 mm

Shutter speed: 1/810 Sec

F-number: F/3.5

ISO speed rating: 100

Whitebalance: Manual

Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode

Camera-model: GXR P10

Exposure program: Normal program

Exposure bias: -3/10 EV

Metering mode: Center-weighted average

CX4

R1061204_sm.jpg (551.35 KiB) Viewed 6231 times

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EXIF-Data

Image taken on: Tue Oct 12, 2010 4:16 pm

Focus length: 4.9 mm

Shutter speed: 1/810 Sec

F-number: F/3.5

ISO speed rating: 100

Whitebalance: Manual

Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode

Camera-model: CX4

Exposure program: Normal program

Exposure bias: -3/10 EV

Metering mode: Center-weighted average

CX3

R0012651_sm.jpg (554.36 KiB) Viewed 6217 times

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EXIF-Data

Image taken on: Tue Oct 12, 2010 4:15 pm

Focus length: 4.9 mm

Shutter speed: 1/870 Sec

F-number: F/3.5

ISO speed rating: 100

Whitebalance: Manual

Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode

Camera-model: CX3

Exposure program: Normal program

Exposure bias: -3/10 EV

Metering mode: Center-weighted average

CX2

RIMG0005_sm.jpg (509.42 KiB) Viewed 6214 times

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EXIF-Data

Image taken on: Tue Oct 12, 2010 4:10 pm

Focus length: 4.9 mm

Shutter speed: 1/870 Sec

F-number: F/3.5

ISO speed rating: 100

Whitebalance: Manual

Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode

Camera-model: CX2

Exposure program: Normal program

Exposure bias: -3/10 EV

Metering mode: Center-weighted average

300mm

P10 DNG

R1099505_dng_sm.jpg (572.67 KiB) Viewed 6399 times

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EXIF-Data

Image taken on: Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:29 pm

Focus length: 52.5 mm

Shutter speed: 1/570 Sec

F-number: F/5.6

ISO speed rating: 100

Whitebalance: Manual

Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode

Camera-model: GXR P10

Exposure program: Normal program

Exposure bias: -7/10 EV

Metering mode: Center-weighted average

P10 JPEG

R1099505_sm.jpg (477.6 KiB) Viewed 6240 times

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EXIF-Data

Image taken on: Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:29 pm

Focus length: 52.5 mm

Shutter speed: 1/570 Sec

F-number: F/5.6

ISO speed rating: 100

Whitebalance: Manual

Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode

Camera-model: GXR P10

Exposure program: Normal program

Exposure bias: -7/10 EV

Metering mode: Center-weighted average

CX4

R1061207_sm.jpg (488.04 KiB) Viewed 6200 times

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EXIF-Data

Image taken on: Tue Oct 12, 2010 4:17 pm

Focus length: 52.5 mm

Shutter speed: 1/540 Sec

F-number: F/5.6

ISO speed rating: 100

Whitebalance: Manual

Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode

Camera-model: CX4

Exposure program: Normal program

Exposure bias: -3/10 EV

Metering mode: Center-weighted average

CX3

R0012653_sm.jpg (461.81 KiB) Viewed 6167 times

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EXIF-Data

Image taken on: Tue Oct 12, 2010 4:16 pm

Focus length: 52.5 mm

Shutter speed: 1/620 Sec

F-number: F/5.6

ISO speed rating: 100

Whitebalance: Manual

Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode

Camera-model: CX3

Exposure program: Normal program

Exposure bias: -3/10 EV

Metering mode: Center-weighted average

CX2

RIMG0007_sm.jpg (458.48 KiB) Viewed 6154 times

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EXIF-Data

Image taken on: Tue Oct 12, 2010 4:11 pm

Focus length: 52.5 mm

Shutter speed: 1/540 Sec

F-number: F/5.6

ISO speed rating: 100

Whitebalance: Manual

Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode

Camera-model: CX2

Exposure program: Normal program

Exposure bias: -3/10 EV

Metering mode: Center-weighted average

I will upload full resolution shots tomorrow.

[erizoclick]

I usually developed my photos with Adobe Lightroom and this study has made me a lot of tracks when prefixed my settings on my GXR. Thank you, thank you very much to heart

Yo generalmente termino revelando mis imágenes con Adobe Lightroom y este estudio que has realizado me da muchas pistas a la hora de prefijar mis ajustes en mi GXR. Gracias, muchas gracias de corazón

[odklizec]

I'm glad you found it useful In any case, I will probably redo it. At least the tele part. As I expected, the P10 was not very well focused and it looks worse than it actually is.

Here is a quick glimpse of difference if focused at infinity:

p10_cx4_cx3_cx2_tele_center_2.png (444.98 KiB) Viewed 5251 times

previous test:

and again corner (Infinity):

p10_cx4_cx3_cx2_tele_lbottom_corner_2.png (434.38 KiB) Viewed 5235 times

and previous:


It's evident that the Infinity focus helped with sharpness of P10 module. So if the light will be OK tomorrow, I will redo the test with all cameras set to Infinity. Just to make the test more valid and consistent.

[waloszek]

Hi Pavel,
Thanks for your interesting test! Regrettably, my wife's CX1 is missing from the test but is goes only up to 200mm at tele...
On course, I am glad that the P10 seems to be in the lead.
I am not quite sure whether my memory is correct, but sometimes I found the results somewhat fuzzy when distance was set to infinity with our diverse Ricohs - but I may be wrong...
I would also like to remind you of our e-mail exchange regarding EXIF data
Best regards,
Gerd

[odklizec]

Hi Gerd,

I seriously thought about including CX1 in this test. But in the end, I decided against it, just because of shorter focal length. It's enough painful to compare 4 cameras at their min/max focal lengths To make the test with CX1 fair, I would have to do another set of photos at 200mm from all 5 cameras I remember some problems with Infinity focus in case of GX100 and GRDI. The weather does not look very good today. I probably missed my chance to repeat this test with nice Autumn sun.

BTW, as of EXIF data, I made a great progress with identifying some extra tags I identified all obvious tags, but there is still number of tags that changes with every shot and I cannot identify them.

[waloszek]

Hi Pavel,
Thanks for your reply! My EXIF reminder was primarily meant as a tip that you might use them to check the distances that the P10 and all the other cameras had selected when you did the tele shots (you assumed that the P10 was "off"). But I am also glad to read that you made a lot of progress in identifyinng the tags (I did not want to be too specific in my reminder...).
Best regards, Gerd

[odklizec]

Yes Gerd, I checked the distance also in EXIF It was not THAT off in case of P10 but as proved by yesterday quick test with Infinity focus, it was enough off to make the P10 result softer. What's your general experience with P10 Spot AF? I found it often "hit or miss" at distances above 28mm.

[waloszek]

I have to admit that I use multi-AF and only rarely spot AF on the P10... However, multi-AF is often distracted by objects in the foreground when I take landscape photos (which I always forget - so I see it in the photos, but that's too late...). All in all, I have no reportable experience with spot AF on the P10.
I used spot AF on the A12 for a while but wasn't really convinced. Somehow, I find myself always returning to multi-AF - maybe just by automatic habits...
Gerd

[Schaki]

The P10 with DNG seems to have a clear edge here. However what surpirses me is the sample variation of that zoom. The CX2 is for most of the time noticably softer than the CX3 and CX4.

[odklizec]

I'm not surprised by the CX2 softness. CX2 uses much stronger noise reduction "successfully" killing all fine details. Starting from CX3, Ricoh added an option to turn the NR OFF. It still does certain NR processing, but it's much lighter than the hardwired CX2 NR. This and the adoption of new BIS CMOS (since CX3) definitely helped with details.