Part 2: Is the Sony RX100M2 better than my Nikon D700

Project:

In this part 2, i will continue to post several test photos, let you (and me) be the judge on which camera you will want to travel with...

If you missed my intro, here is the link to Part 1.

Test 2: Photos at wide aperture (Nikon F2.8, Sony F1.8 & F2.8)

In this test, I wanted to see how the bokeh (the background blur) is done by each camera

Nikon F2.8
View Bokeh

Sony F2.8
View Bokeh

Sony F1.8
View Bokeh

My Conclusion: 

Both taken at F2.8 seem to be about the same

Test 3: Manual Focus

Traditionally, the beauty of a DSLR is that you can override the auto-focus mode and perform your own manual focus. With the more advanced point and shoot like this Sony, it also allows you to do manual focus. When I go out on a photo trip, I tend to use the manual focus mode quite frequently, so this feature is a must-have for me when shopping for a point and shoot. When I was salivating over the Fuji X100, I heard all the poor reviews on the slow electronic manual focus mechanism. That shunned me away from buying the Fuji. With the Sony, I must say that it is still pretty slow, but again, like I mentioned in part 1, the price point and a compact design had won me over to buying this model and give it a try.

Nikon manual focus

View Focus

View full image

Sony Manual Focus

View full image

Cropped at 100%

My Conclusion: 

When manual focusing on the Sony, one advantage is the ability to zoom to allow you to focus. So I think with the Sony I was able to focus better then on my Nikon - albeit it was kind of slow and cumbersome to use. With my old eyes these days, that magnifying viewing on the view finder is a pretty good treat, especially in low light condition:-)

Summary

So you will ask: is the RX100M2 ready to replace my D700? I think in terms of quality of the picture, I would say yes, because I seldom look at my photos at full resolution anyway. But, would I? I think the answer will still be "No". The Sony will be a great addition to my toy pack, but I am still affectionate to the heft, the quality of the Nikon, especially when I get to pair it with other beloved lens....My shoulder is cursing me while I am writing the last sentence. Anyway, hope you have enjoyed this post...H.

Full Size Images

The can be found here: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B3cm68yGqNheVWJpSFBTUnY3bDA&usp=sharing

Part 1: Is the Sony RX100M2 better than my Nikon D700

Project

My favourite camera has been the trusty Nikon D700. It is full frame, weighs like a brick, and has all the features that a geek would tinker with. Sure, there are newer models with fancier features and extra giga-pixels but I am not ready to part with it yet; if you own the D700, you'll probably agree with me to stick with this thoroughbred unless you earn a living doing serious photography or you just need to have the latest and greatest.

If you're still reading, you're probably asking by this point: does this guy know what he is talking about? Who does he think he is by doing a review on cameras??? Well you're right, I don't! I am just doing this my way, with no reference to other expert reviews or professional advice. As my site says it all: "...Not So Fast, Grasshopper...", so I will take my time to amuse myself with the topic :).

A little bit of Background

Recently, I want to buy a point and shoot camera for the family to use and for quick road trips. Like many DSLR users, I just never think twice about these "toys", the general complaint about small sensors, high noise and slow focusing still form the stigma for most of us. However, I have always been a fan of the range-finder looking camera and secretly have been wishing for Nikon to make a digital version for a long time. When I have finally given up hope for a Nikon Range Finder, I started eyeing on the Fuji camera line, especially the X100 (now the X100s).

Then comes along the Sony RX100, the design and size is right, and I felt that for the price point, it definitely won me over. By the time I was ready to buy, the RX100M2 came out, boasting better sensor and this and that - so that is the one I have purchased. Due to the day jobs getting into the way, I have not had a chance to give this camera a test drive - it comes with sooo many on-camera wizards that, probably render my photoshopping skills obsolete. Last night, I had some free time so decided to take both the D700 & the RX100M2 out for a comparison. Will I be ready to leave my FX camera body at home and just take the point and shoot for trips? Let's find out...I went to my favourite park Scarborough Guildwood with my pack of toys.

Gear used: 

Nikon D700 with a 24mm F2.8 lens. Sony RX100M2 (fixed retractable lens). Oh, if you don't know what these gear look like, just "google" it ;)

Comparison: 

I took a series of photo with both lens at its widest focal length (not sure if I used the right term) at various aperture. For my Nikon, I had a fixed lens so it is fixed at 24mm so I decided to compare two cameras at its wide focal length and with equivalent aperture. Nikon's F2.8, Sony's F1.8 and F2.8. For the largest aperture, it is F22 versus F11 respectively

File format

 I shot both using its native RAW format

How the photos were filmed: 

Both cameras are pegged on its own tripod, placed side by side as close to the same spot as possible.

Post Processing:

 I used Nikon Capture NX for the Nikon RAW file and Sony Image Data Converter. For both software, the only processing I did was to use the Landscape Effect which happens to be available in both software

Nikon Capture NX Picture Control

Image Data Converter Creative Syle

The pics that you see here have been reduced in resolution for ease of upload. However, I have saved the full sized JPEGs for you to click on later on...

My laptop is a stock ASUS U30J - no calibrating software was used to adjust my laptop monitor - staying true to the concept WYSIWYG :-)

How to view this comparison:

In this blog, I am just trying to use my common sense here to compare the photos to give you a sense what a 'grasshopper' like me might look for when checking out the quality of the camera. I don't use have any histograms, colour charts to wow you, so if that is what you're looking for, you'd be better check out other journals.Normally I am not a pixel-whore when it comes to photography - that is, I seldom (reword: I never) magnify a photo to check for absolute sharpness and colour accuracy. I hope to see myself as a person who appreciates the framing of photo rather than someone who checks for absoute sharpness...However, I will make an exception in this blog and attempt to show you the photos cropped at 100% so that you can see how the RX100M2 fares

Test 1: A generic picture

For this test, all I want is to take a picture at the lowest ISO (Nikon ISO 200, Sony ISO 100), for some reason, i chose F16 (instead of F22) for Nikon, oh well.

Nikon F16, ISO 200 (Lowest ISO unless you go outside the default)

Sony F11, ISO 100

Zooming into 100%

Nikon, Cropped 100%
View Full Size

Sony, Cropped 100%
View Full Size

My Conclusion: 

The Nikon seems to be less noisy and sharper?

To be Continued...

Here is part 2: http://notsofastgrasshopperphoto.blogspot.ca/2013/09/part-2-is-sony-rx100m2-better-than-my.html