A12 50mm AF speed test (FW 1.29 vs. 1.18)

[anthony_mazzeri]

I was pretty decided to place a order at Popflash to get the Hot Deal Demo Kit of the Leica X1 (us$1.797)... Then your test came over, and after doing some research, I´ll save us$900 because I´m buying the Ricoh GXR + A12 50mm kit demo at us$ 897.

Why not the A12 28mm which is closer to the focal length and dimensions of the X1 you were originally planning? One thing the A12 50mm definitely isn't is pocketable.

[CHICHORNIO]

I believe you are about a perfect street camera? Maybe the 28mm focal length would be a bit better option for you?

Well, 28 mm it´s too wide for me. Even 35mm...the A12 50mm I think it suits my photography style (no street shots, no candid, more kind of compositional shots, mainly frontal views). Size is one of the things that put´s me away a little... Having experience the GRD2, all the cameras after this will feel big! And I don´t think Ricoh will develop a GRD4 with a bigger sensor. It does not make sense after the GXR line.
Lately I´ve been doing a series of 1:1 shots with the 40mm (a heavy piece of glass) attached to my GRD2, and I felt very pleasant. Because I don´t shot everything it´s moving, I guess I´ll find the way to carry the GXR module in one pocket, and the lens and sensor in the other. Once I´m ready to start shooting, I put the 2 things together and boila!
I will like to do some print test with my HP large format printer to see the real IQ of the A12 files... somebody know where I can download some pretty good raw test files?

[odklizec]

If you are comfortable with GRDII+GT1, the size of GXR+A12 50mm should not be a serious problem for you. Neither is really pocketable but also not THAT big to cause a serious problem. I'm used to carry the GXR+A12 50mm in a winter jacket pocket without a problem. You can find some RAW files for example here (at bottom of the page):
http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/ ... le_images/

[CHICHORNIO]

Well, after a lot of thinking and printing test, I´ve drastically changed my mind and I decided to buy the Sigma DP2s. The Foveon sensor + the 41mm fixed lens are just asthonishing. I´m a color freak, I only shoot in color, and the DP2s does an incredible job. When the users of Sigma say that the pictures have that "3D look", it´s true. I can see that result in my prints. Because I will try to keep the ISO up to 200, I don´t think I will have the IQ and color rendering in any other compact camera for just uS$ 600.
Conclusions...
* Sigma DP2s 41 mm for my main photographic life-proyect
* Ricoh GRD2 28mm for every-day use
I can keep easily both cameras in my coat I use them whenever the subjet matter ask for.
Any opinions are very welcome. Thanks

[odklizec]

Well Guillermo, the DP2 is definitely nice and very pocketable camera. I too considering to get the DP2s as a complementary camera because I really miss the 40mm focal length. But in my humble opinion, it's nowhere close to the GXR A12 50mm and in certain areas even X1.

Yes, it's smaller than GXR A12 50mm. And at low ISO it produces very nice looking JPEGs out of the camera. However, no matter what people says, it's still "only" 4.7MP camera. It produces very detailed 4.7MP files, which are relative easy to upscale to 8-10MP. But no, I don't think they match the 12MP files neither from GXR A12, nor X1. True, new 15MP Foveon introduced at this year's Photokina may change everything. But I don't think we will see this sensor in the DP2-like camera anytime soon I would definitely recommend you to try both DP2 and GXR A12 before placing an order. I personally never liked Sigma GUI. But maybe it's just me?

[CHICHORNIO]

Hi Pavel and thanks for your advice.
As a printmaker, I only rely on the final print. I don´t trust very much what it´s posted in the web (srgb color space, NR, very much retouched files, etc...)
The test I did was very simple:
I develop a X3F file in Sigma Prophoto that was shot at ISO 100. No retouching at all. Then I exported a 16 bit file with Prophoto RGB icc attached (the closest to LR3).
I did not make any corrections in LR3, and the final print (at 40x60cm) was amazing. Full of details, no noise at all, very colorfull, very vivid.
You said that it´s only 4.7mp, but don´t you have to multiply this 4.7mp by the 3 layers of the sensor?
Doing some research, I think if I use the DP2s ONLY in RAW, keeping the ISO between 50-200, there in NO way to beat the camera RAW fiels that come out form this litle camera. At least for my experience in printing.
Also I´ve done some printing test with a Ricoh A12 file and X1 file. They are fantastic, but... that Foveon sensor it´s something very different, at least in my printing test.
ADDENDUM 1:
Do you remember when almost 2 years ago I asked you how to work in Silkypix with individual colors and try to "simulate" the old, expensive but fantastic "Dye transfer prints" method?
Well, considering the characteristcs of the Foveon sensor that captures each RGB channel separately (I have to think as those X3F files as a color transparency film), I guess I can give it a try testing those great X3F raw files...
ADDENDUM 2: take a look at this thread regarding printing issues (http://www.rytterfalk.com/?s=dp2+samples). Very helpfull for me....
Once I have the camera with me and play around with either Silkypix, Prophoto or LR3, I let you know the results. I presume some very interesting outcome.
ADDENDUM 3: Please take a look at these X3F raw files (http://www.rytterfalk.com/2009/05/13/dp2-raw-pack-ii/).
They are just mainly candid shots, but they look for me the most 3D+IQ pictures I´ve ever seen. Tomorrow I´ll be printing one of them at at least 90x70cm (I will interpolate and do some sharppening to the file at the final stage in the Print Module in LR3, setting the file at 300ppi, where the HP z3200ps work best) and I´ll tell you how it goes. I imagine some amazing prints...