Camera test 51
Photography News | Issue 69 | photographynews.co.uk
Performance: exposure latitude
Exposure as metered
+1EV
-1EV
+2EV
-2EV
-3EV
+3EV
To test the usefulness of the G5X MarkII’sRawfiles,Ishotasequence of over- and underexposed images between +/-3EV. On a DSLR, this would be +/-5EV, but the Canon DPP 4 software we needed to use for conversion only runs to 3EV correction. And the G5X Mark II only offers +/-3EV in autoexposure compensation anyway.
Starting with the overexposed files, results showed an obvious difference between the standard exposure and the converted Raws, even at +1EV. Overexposed highlight areas looked a little grey, and this got progressively worse at +2EV and +3EV. Results were better with the underexposed file, and the -1EV
example looked very close to the 0EV file when brightened. -2EV showed more noise, though was still usable, but -3EV showed excessive noise. It would seem if you want a good exposure, you’re going to have to get it spot-on in shooting and, to be fair, the G5X Mark II does a decent job of that in its Evaluative metering mode.
Images The G5X Mark II’s sensor offered only limited exposure latitude. Recovering the overexposed images saw greying and colour shifts in the highlights at +2EV and +3EV. Underexposed files fared better, although the -3EV file showed significant noise in shadows
Performance: ISO
One of the advantages of the G5X Mark II’s 1in stacked sensor is in the shooting speed it delivers and, combined with its DIGIC 8 processor, which is the same as found in the EOS RP, the camera claims a top whack of 20fps, which it can sustain for 89 C-Raws (compressed Raws), 55 Raws and 118 JPEGs. In testing, the camera met or exceeded those claims, but there is a downside. The blistering frame rates are with AF in single mode, so locked to the first frame. Lower in number, but actually more impressive for a compact, is the 8fps ratewith full continuous AF. The G5X Mark II’s AF performed well, though occasionally lost fast- moving subjects in its servo mode. Autofocus area is limited to normal and small, and to me there wasn’t an obvious way of moving it, other than by tapping the screen. A larger area, or group of AF points would have been helpful. The single AF mode was mostly fast and accurate, only struggling in the usual areas, like low contrast. Face detection AF worked well, and allows switching between multiple faces in the frame. The new design makes for a neat little build, and it’s just about pocket friendly
The G5X Mark II’s ISO range spans 125 to 12,800 and an expanded setting of 25,600 and its stacked 1in sensor put in a good performance through most of the range. We shot through the ISO range, setting High ISO NR to off and compared the images in Adobe Lightroom at 100% – that’s the magnification used for the enlargements in this panel. There’s very little impact from noise up to ISO 400, and the 800 and 1600 settings show only
minimal disruption to detail. 100% views at 3200 and 6400 are usable, but fine detail becomes a little compromised. The 8000, 10,000 and 12,800 settings start to get fuzzy and colour saturation isaffected.At theexpanded25,600 setting, quality is predictably poor. It’s also worth saying that, viewing the images full screen on a 21-inch HD monitor, a drop in quality wasn’t really noticeable until hitting ISO 10,000. A really good performance overall.
125
160
200
400
800
1600
6400
3200
8000
Images The camera controlled noise well, and it’s only when viewing images close up that it becomes a problem, with details beginning to get fuzzy around the level of 3200 or 6400. It’s good stuff for a compact
10,000
12,800
25,600
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