p.17 #1 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
Jeff Kott wrote:
All very good points Fred. My only comment would be that even a doubling of pixels would not be close to a doubling of resolution. Somebody else can do the exact math. The pixel density of my A6000 is higher than the 42 MP full frame sensor and most of my lenses don't struggle with the A6000, so I'm not worried in the least about the RX1 lenses performance on the RX1ii. This is certainly one of the first things Sony's engineers would have checked.
a doubling of pixels would not be close to a doubling of resolution
Megapixels for the sensor: 24 MP = x*y = 6000*4000
Theoretical 50 % increase in resolution 1.5x*1.5y= 24*1.5^2= 54 MP
(24*2^2 = 96 MP to double the resolution)
The theoretical resolution increase given with 42 MP compared to a 24 MP sensor should be 7952/6000 = 1.33, >>> 33 % increase in resolution.
p.17 #2 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
Fred Miranda wrote:
Another concern is the MP increase with the same lens. We are almost doubling the MP and using the exact same lens. Nothing wrong with that as we know that the Zeiss 35/2 is special but it was tailored for the RX1's 24MP sensor
Sharpness [contrast] tends to decrease gradually as spatial resolution increases, it doesn't drop off a cliff so if the lens is really sharp on a 24MP sensor then it will be sharp on a 42MP sensor. As stated above the linear increase in resolution is not as great as the megapixel numbers suggest.
p.17 #3 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
I actually don't consider the AF to be too bad on the old RX1, considering what it is. I did find it was very intolerant of the camera not being held steadily, though. I don't have the accessory finder, and hold the camera in front of me, but in a very particuar grip - not like an iPhone with the fingers, but with my left hand wrapped around the body and lens the way I used to with my OM-3. I find this is the steadiest grip.
Apart from a couple of required firmware bug fixes (still disgracefully not done) the one improvement to the camera I thought was needed was a lock tab for the macro switch. (It gets bumped into macro mode, so the camera doesn't acquire focus at normal distances but the shutter will still fire.) And it wasn't done. From the point of view of their business, Sony are probably right to keep on using the old lens module unchanged. From my point of view, spare lens parts for the old camera will remain available that much longer.
I'm also in the camp that prefers the pop-up flash to the EVF, and I don't care about the extra resolution.
p.17 #4 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
Fred Miranda wrote:
I agree. If 50mm is your preferred focal length, the cropped 18mp file wouldn't be that exciting.
It could also be seen in terms of a 35-55mm f/2-2.8 'zoom' with a loss of resolution at the long end.
Several times this year I've either taken the 55mm f/1.8 as my only lens, or I've found I have used only the 55mm f/1.8 even when I've had other lenses. It's wide enough to use in most circumstances even when you don't have a lot of space, and it's long enough to give you blurred backgrounds at non closeup distances:
You can also crop down a bit to 70mm or so for quite acceptable portraits if the need arises. This is the other reason I wouldn't consider 35mm - if you do this you're down to 10 megapixels at f/4 equivalent.
I'd dearly like to see some other manufacturers go down the route Sigma have with the DP series and offer different focal length fixed lens cameras. There's a lot going for that idea in terms of compactness, image quality and simplicity.
p.17 #5 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
GMPhotography wrote:
The eye cup idea is not a great one. Would have been nice if it was fixed and able to pop up with it and retract. Obviously you could always leave it retracted but than you have potential damage issue and the bulk of it of course. About the only thing I see as a negative outside price. But price is a personal decision so that's up to user
Of all things, this is a complete deal breaker for me. As a pro, I cannot risk scratching my cornea. The whole point of RX system is to not have extraneous bits floating around. The viewfinder is nice, but almost every VF should have a good eyecup. Panasonic does a pretty good job with GM5, GX7, and LX100, and the fact Sony included one makes my heart sing, but all RX1 users are rich, and one scratched cornea with that stupid VF and the story of the worlds smallest camera is going to completely backfire into Sony's face.
p.17 #6 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
taran wrote:
Of all things, this is a complete deal breaker for me. As a pro, I cannot risk scratching my cornea. The whole point of RX system is to not have extraneous bits floating around. The viewfinder is nice, but almost every VF should have a good eyecup. Panasonic does a pretty good job with GM5, GX7, and LX100, and the fact Sony included one makes my heart sing, but all RX1 users are rich, and one scratched cornea with that stupid VF and the story of the worlds smallest camera is going to completely backfire into Sony's face.
If you don't mind the minor size increase, may I suggest leaving the EVF permanently popped up with the eyecup attached to it? The eyecup is a screw-on, and from the looks of it, it is just as prone to damage as the swivelling EVF on the GX7.
p.17 #7 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
Matt Grum wrote:
Several times this year I've either taken the 55mm f/1.8 as my only lens, or I've found I have used only the 55mm f/1.8 even when I've had other lenses. It's wide enough to use in most circumstances even when you don't have a lot of space, and it's long enough to give you blurred backgrounds at non closeup distances:
[...]
You can also crop down a bit to 70mm or so for quite acceptable portraits if the need arises. This is the other reason I wouldn't consider 35mm - if you do this you're down to 10 megapixels at f/4 equivalent....Show more →
i've been surprised by how well the rx1 works for isolating subjects at a distance despite being a 32/2 lens and thus not blurring the background much. part of it is that it doesn't get squirrelly bokeh or field curvature towards the corners the way most normal and shorter lenses do:
Matt Grum wrote:
I'd dearly like to see some other manufacturers go down the route Sigma have with the DP series and offer different focal length fixed lens cameras. There's a lot going for that idea in terms of compactness, image quality and simplicity.
totally agree, an rx1 + a fixed lens 85/2 that renders like the rx1 lens would be awesome.
i do quite like the rx1 for portraits too, but then i have funny ideas about portraits:
p.17 #8 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
Zony_user wrote:
If you don't mind the minor size increase, may I suggest leaving the EVF permanently popped up with the eyecup attached to it? The eyecup is a screw-on, and from the looks of it, it is just as prone to damage as the swivelling EVF on the GX7.
p.17 #9 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
Fred Miranda wrote:
I agree. If 50mm is your preferred focal length, the cropped 18mp file wouldn't be that exciting.
It could also be seen in terms of a 35-55mm f/2-2.8 'zoom' with a loss of resolution at the long end.
Unfortunately, nobody but Sigma seems to be tapping the fixed 50mm lens part of the market. Though I greatly prefer 35mm, there's room for someone to be pretty successful with such a camera.
p.17 #10 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
sebboh wrote:
i've been surprised by how well the rx1 works for isolating subjects at a distance despite being a 32/2 lens and thus not blurring the background much. part of it is that it doesn't get squirrelly bokeh or field curvature towards the corners the way most normal and shorter lenses do:
Hey, I'm trying to convince myself I don't need an RX1RII!
p.17 #11 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
sebboh wrote:
if you like the FE 35/2.8 but find it's bokeh at medium distances too harsh, you'll probably really love the rx1 lens. it's sharper than the FE on the edges and corners at all apertures (might have a little less central bite though). it also has much smoother bokeh than the FE at medium distances (and all other distances)
the original rx1 is severely limited in its AF abilities though, so we'll have to see how much rx1rII improves on that. i suspect mass of the elements being moved might be a limiting factor.
Here are a couple examples of images I just took of my girls. Not much post. (A7RII+35/2.8 @2.8).
The first at close distance and the other at medium distance. The second image at medium distance has a harsher bokeh but still some separation and good colors. This little lens is sharp.
I wonder if the RX1 35/2 would do much better than that at similar distances.
p.17 #12 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
Fred Miranda wrote:
Here are a couple examples of images I just took of my girls. Not much post. (A7RII+35/2.8 @2.8).
The first at close distance and the other at medium distance. The second image at medium distance has a harsher bokeh but still some separation and good colors. This little lens is sharp.
I wonder if the RX1 35/2 would do much better than that at similar distances.
totes, as i'm told the kids say. see the images i posted a few up at medium to long distances.
p.17 #14 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
The 35 Sonnar on the RX1 is pretty night and day different than the 35/2.8 FE, at least in terms of smooth rendering at middle distances.
Not to say the 35/2.8 FE is a bad lens, far from it, but just draws totally different when you compare the two side by side. I spent a few days doing just that, but after seeing what I wanted to see, didn't save any of those images.
the 35 Sonnar is just very unique in its ability to always look nice and smooth, never harsh or nervous, yet still render sharp detail across the entire frame, with no field curvature et al.,
p.17 #15 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
Fred Miranda wrote:
Ok, you convinced me to rent a RX1R and see what this lens is all about. I will be comparing to the FE 35/2.8.
if harsh bokeh is your main complaint with the FE 35/2.8 i think you should really like the rx1 lens. i've never encountered a ~35mm so smooth, plus the corners are better too.
that type of stuff going on in the upper right corner of your second shot would never happen with the rx1.
p.17 #17 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
I will test it at infinity as well and post my findings here. I will compare with the two 35mm I have: FE 35/2.8 and 16-35/4.
philber wrote:
When you do that, don't forget to try out landscape shots at infinity, Fred. Mid-distance is this camera's forte IMHO, whereas landscape is not AFAIAC
p.17 #18 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
philber wrote:
When you do that, don't forget to try out landscape shots at infinity, Fred. Mid-distance is this camera's forte IMHO, whereas landscape is not AFAIAC
I have not found that to me the case. I heard a lot of people say that when the rx1 came out. I've been very impressed by its performance for landscape at infinity (definitely better cross the frame performance than the FE btw). my guess is that people were relying on AF to focus at infinity which often leads to less than perfect focus. for cross the frame resolution I don't think any current FF 35mm lens can beat the rx1 on a 24mp sensor except for the zm 35/1.4 on an m240 (putting the sigma or ZE on a 36mp sensor might do it but not on 24mp). the rx1 doesn't have the brittle biting contrast that some lenses have, but it resolves more detail.
p.17 #19 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
Fred Miranda wrote:
I will test it at infinity as well and post my findings here. I will compare with the two 35mm I have: FE 35/2.8 and 16-35/4.
Did that, before F5.6, this lens is sharper than zony f2.8 at corner. My copy of Zony need f5.6 and below to give perfect usable corner on A7r. Center is about the same. After that it is a draw.
The lens is as good as you can get. It is OTUS level without APO.
Some drawbacks:
1. CA(as mentioned above)
2.flare performance (it is not as bad as old lens, but given its small front element I expect better)
3.sunstar, you can't get beautiful sunstar like canikon 16-35 or voigtlander 15 type. I guess that is the price you pay for really round aperture bladder that giving one of most smooth 35mm bokeh.
p.17 #20 · Announced: RX1R II with 42MP sensor and EVF
sebboh wrote:
if harsh bokeh is your main complaint with the FE 35/2.8 i think you should really like the rx1 lens. i've never encountered a ~35mm so smooth, plus the corners are better too.
that type of stuff going on in the upper right corner of your second shot would never happen with the rx1.
