 |
| Iceland is a landscape photographer's playground. The hill which I climbed to make this panorama is entirely green, presumably due to its mineral composition as there is not a blade of grass or other plant life to be seen. This is an in camera auto panorama made with the Panasonic LX100. The original (JPG) is hugely detailed and sharp with good highlight/shadow detail. I no longer have the slightest interest in any camera which cannot do this. Yes the same panorama can be stitched together in Photoshop and I did that as well. But the in camera result is excellent and in many situations makes post capture stitching un-necessary. |
This is not a review, just some observations and comment based on specifications, published reviews and user feedback on forums.
Our family has over the years owned and used Powershot G7, G10, G12, G16 and G1X cameras. There were also several EOS SLRs and DSLRs. For many years I considered myself a Canon buyer.
I became disenchanted with the Powershot G/GX lines due to Canon’s failure to fit an inbuilt EVF to any of them (until the G5X) and persistent issues with performance especially using RAW capture.
Even the otherwise interesting G3X with its 24-600mm (equivalent) lens lacks a desperately needed built in EVF and is reported to have poor follow focus performance on moving subjects. So no G3X for our household. We like to photograph birds not statues so the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000s (three of them) remain in service.
Then along comes the G5X.
Well, goodness me, after 15 years Canon finally brings its G/GX line into the 21st Century with a built in EVF and an appealing set of features.
The G5X has a fully articulated monitor.
The EVF is in the optimal position over the lens axis.
There is a handle, just a little one but it’s there.
There are three dials with user assignable function, one in front with somewhat unusual configuration but hey, it has one, plus one around the lens barrel and one around the 4 way controller.
It uses the well proven Sony 15.9mm diagonal 20 Mpx BSI sensor which appears on numerous cameras from Sony, Canon and Panasonic.
It has a lens of decent specification, said to be the same as that on the G7X, with a 4.2x zoom range and f1.8-2.8 aperture.
There is a built in flash.
I am always on the lookout for a really good ‘all day, walkaround’ small fixed zoom lens camera. One which is compact but has high specification, good performance, good picture quality and good ergonomics.
The Panasonic LX100 has been my choice in this category for the last year or so and I am mostly happy with it but I do have a preference for cameras with the ‘modern’ Mode Dial/Control Dial control system as found on the G5X. I really miss the fully articulated monitor and built in flash would also be useful on occasion.
So I looked for reviews and user reports about the G5X with more than usual interest.
And in they came: interesting camera with many good features……...but……..
* Poor battery life.
* Sluggish performance with RAW capture. Shot to shot time about 2.5 seconds. EVF blackout of about 1 second after each exposure. Slow frame rate with servo AF.
* Confusing AF system with poor follow focus and a disappearing AF box with servo AF.
* Lens not so sharp at the wide end.
* No auto panorama in camera.
I want to photograph grandchildren who run around all over the place, never still. I use RAW capture most of the time and I want a camera which can focus and shoot single shot RAW files just about as fast as my finger can repeatedly press the shutter button.
Unfortunately the G5X doesn’t come close to my performance requirements.
For users who are happy to photograph still subjects the G5X will probably be just fine.
But for me the performance limitations are a deal breaker.
So, no G5X for our family either. The LX100 stays in service until something better comes along.
Price vs capability
Here are some retail prices today at my usual camera seller in Sydney after the Boxing Day sales have ended.
G5X $849 (early in the product cycle)
LX100 $818 (well into the product cycle, they were more expensive initially)
EOS1200D with 18-55mm zoom $603 but often available for $500 at supermarkets.
EOS 700D with the same 18-55mm kit zoom $841.
I wonder what might be Canon’s product strategy here. The G5X is pitched at a price considerably higher than an entry level DSLR with reportedly decent kit zoom and right in line with a 7xx EOS DSLR with the same zoom. The EOS 7xx DSLRs can zip along at 5 fps with RAW capture and do not need a rest after each single RAW shot.
So why would one choose a G5X in preference to one of the much better performing EOS DSLRs ?
I guess the answer to that is the much more compact size of the G5X.
But why hobble it ? Why deliberately inflict poor RAW performance and poor continuous AF on the thing ?
This is a camera which will appeal to enthusiasts, until they discover it needs to have a rest after each RAW shot and is not suitable for follow focus on a moving subject.
Other manufacturers (Sony and Panasonic) can get much better performance out of the same sensor and top tier Nikon 1 series cameras can run up to 20 fps with AF on every frame using a similar 15.9 mm sensor.
My Panasonic LX100 can shoot at 5 fps in Burst Mode M with AF and live view on every frame using RAW capture and AFC. It can shoot RAW in single shot mode with AF on each frame at about 2 frames per second, pressing the shutter button for each shot.
I continue to be puzzled by Canon’s product /pricing /performance strategy with its GX series models.
I remain disenchanted with the sluggish performance of Canon’s Powershot models including the GX line and will continue to buy other brands until Canon decides to make Powershots, with decent RAW performance and focussing.
Đăng nhận xét