NEX versus GH1 image quality

[curious80]

Hi

I know there has been a lot of talk about NEX versus G1/GF1/EP1 etc and the comparison there is pretty clear with NEX sensor being clearly superior. However does any one have experience with NEX versus a GH1? The GH1 is claimed to be about a stop better than G1/GF1/EPxx series, and apparently compares well with good APS-C sensors as per DPReview and DxoMark etc.

I know that this comparison is less relevant for most people with NEX being significantly smaller and cheaper than the GH1. However at this point NEX system does not have lenses that I want and so far I am really liking the G1 + 20mm combo that I have recently acquired. So now I am trying to decide whether I should go an extra step and acquire the GH1 for its better sensor and video capability. If it is close to the NEX in terms of sensor quality than I might just reduce my DSLR gear and invest in a GH1 + more m43 lenses. Otherwise I will just stick with my regular DSLR and keep the G1+20mm combo as a parallel light-weight setup.

So any feedback from those who might have used both GH1 and Nex?

 

[Terry]

Wait to see GH2 tests.

 

[Vivek]

Hi

I know there has been a lot of talk about NEX versus G1/GF1/EP1 etc and the comparison there is pretty clear with NEX sensor being clearly superior. However does any one have experience with NEX versus a GH1? The GH1 is claimed to be about a stop better than G1/GF1/EPxx series, and apparently compares well with good APS-C sensors as per DPReview and DxoMark etc.

I know that this comparison is less relevant for most people with NEX being significantly smaller and cheaper than the GH1. However at this point NEX system does not have lenses that I want and so far I am really liking the G1 + 20mm combo that I have recently acquired. So now I am trying to decide whether I should go an extra step and acquire the GH1 for its better sensor and video capability. If it is close to the NEX in terms of sensor quality than I might just reduce my DSLR gear and invest in a GH1 + more m43 lenses. Otherwise I will just stick with my regular DSLR and keep the G1+20mm combo as a parallel light-weight setup.

So any feedback from those who might have used both GH1 and Nex?

Unless you are in absolute need for liveview, stick with the DSLRs because they are cheaper and better.

I do not own a GH1 but I doubt if it's sensor is comparable to the NEX.

However, the Gs (G1, GH1, etc) are more useful, IME, than the NEX as they are now for these reasons:

1. Ergonomics are better with the Gs.

2. Integrated EVF in the Gs.

3. The swivel LCD in the Gs (also helps balance the setup for certain orientations).

4. Choice of lenses- both OEM and adaptable are much much larger for the Gs.

 

[hot]

I've both - NEX5 and GH1. Both are excellent cameras with very good image quality. GH1 has better handling - and EVF.

With cheap adapters I use a lot of lenses (especially Samyangs, but also Canons) with both cameras.

 

[curious80]

@ TEBnewyork - Thanks for the suggestion. GH2 should be interesting, however I am typically not the one to buy the "latest camera" - can't afford to pay the price premium

@ Vivek - Thanks for your input. Having the DSLRs for a while and with some experience with G1 and NEX, I have the basic idea of how well each one serves my purposes. I am not dumping my DSLR system for sure. But its a matter of how often can the smaller system take the place of its bigger brother.

 

[curious80]

I've both - NEX5 and GH1. Both are excellent cameras with very good image quality. GH1 has better handling - and EVF.

With cheap adapters I use a lot of lenses (especially Samyangs, but also Canons) with both cameras.

Thanks for your first hand account. I recently tried a couple of Nikon lenses on my G1 with the Nikon adapter. However I am primarily looking for AF lenses which is one of the reasons to prefer the m43 system at this point (when Sony releases new lenses it might change things, but that will be then). And also as you mentioned I really like the handling and EVF of G1/GH1.

So what are your opinions about GH1 versus NEX Image Quality at low ISO and high ISO?

 

[Terry]

@ TEBnewyork - Thanks for the suggestion. GH2 should be interesting, however I am typically not the one to buy the "latest camera" - can't afford to pay the price premium
.

Yes, but there may be used GH1's hitting the market when GH2 is released.

 

[simonclivehughes]

I have both cameras. From my perspective, it all boils down to whether you want to hold the camera out in front of you (or at waist level), or look through an EVF. Both systems deliver great images.

Cheers,

 

[douglasf13]

I am in the process of selling off all of my DSLR gear. I will be using only NEX for my digital photography. NEX-5 + manual lenses = great for me.

p.s. I would like the occasional EVF option, though.

 

[hardloaf]

NEX is a better imager, has significantly better color and DR. For me it all boiled down to lenses though - as always
I want fast 35 and 50 primes at least. Those new m4/3 equivalents (17, 20 and so on) didn't impress me at all - just a few, most are not fast enough and all exhibit extremely mediocre optical quality, i.e. require very heavy software corrections for distortions and CA. The same goes to sony 16/2.8 for NEX by the way.
There is a selection of quality manual lenses in M mount though from Zeiss, Voigtlander and Leitz and those are true joy. In this case NEX is a much closer match to them since it has bigger sensor and 35mm lens will work as 50mm and 50mm as 75mm. In m4/3 that would be 70 and 100 and this is definitely not what I want. Going wider than 35mm FL with current state of sensor and lens designs is a bumpy road, but they are working on this.
From usability standpoint NEX is as good as you can get in this size - it's really small, but very easy to use for manual focusing and allows extremely precise focusing, i.e. shallow DOF is much easier to work with (DSLRs are nowhere close to that!).
Waist level shooting is also very convenient and makes my life a lot easier.
Screen is a true finger magnet though (Sony should patent it as such) and this makes it almost unusable in bright sun. Salvation came with a $10 screen protector though - some hard and very clear plastic film, doesn't attract fingerprints as much and makes screen actually usable in all needed circumstances.
After all - when NEX is inadequate I just take my A900

Hope this helps.

 

[curious80]

Thanks for all the input everyone! Greatly appreciate that.

I think I phrased my question somewhat wrong and made it into a GH1 versus NEX thread To be very clear I am NOT considering buying a NEX at all at this point. The choice is only between keeping my current G1 versus getting a GH1. And what I primarily want to know is whether the GH1 sensor is really close to good APS-C sensors as most review sites suggest? (dpreview, imaging-resource, dxomark....). Which is why I asked for feedback from those who have used GH1 as well a NEX. And to be even more clear I am not really talking about ISO3200/6400 level performance. I just want to know if at ISO1600 the GH1 is significantly better than G1 and closer to NEX/D5000 type sensors in terms of noise characteristics? And also at low ISO's say 100 / 200 does it come close to APS-C in terms of DR.

I think it might be more appropriate to post this query in the 4/3rds section

 

[MPK2010]

FWIW I've used all three and I recall the GH1 being somewhere in between the GF1 and NEX, although closer maybe to the GF1 than NEX, w/r/t dynamic range and color depth. I like them all.

 

[curious80]

Thanks MPK2010 for the feedback. Thats very helpful!

 

[simonclivehughes]

The GH1 is generally acknowledged to have about 1 stop better higher ISO performance than the G1/GF1. I would judge my NEXs to yield at least 1, if not 2 stops better performance than the GH1. (I.e. if you accept ISO800 as the top you'd want to use on the G1, then the GH1 would yield about the same performance at 1600, while the NEX is going to be 3200, or possibly 6400 under some circumstances.)

At base ISOs, I wouldn't expect to see much of a difference at all. The NEX does offer better DR than the m4/3 sensors though.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

 

[curious80]

Thanks Simon. Appreciate your feedback.

 

[meilicke]

I am in the process of selling off all of my DSLR gear. I will be using only NEX for my digital photography. NEX-5 + manual lenses = great for me.

p.s. I would like the occasional EVF option, though.

Douglass, can you comment on how exactly you hold your nex plus lens, and manually focus? I am having a hard time trying to imagine using a waist level finder and:

1. photographing people
2. manually focusing, considering how small the body is.

Thanks!

-Scott

 

[Vivek]

Douglass, can you comment on how exactly you hold your nex plus lens, and manually focus? I am having a hard time trying to imagine using a waist level finder and:

1. photographing people
2. manually focusing, considering how small the body is.

Thanks!

-Scott

+1

Only, in my case, I have actually tried with many different lenses (> a dozen pen F lenses, several Leica lenses, and several c-mount lenses) and have come to the conclusion that if I want something reliable and reasonably quick, I should avoid using NEX with manual focus lenses.

 

[meilicke]

+1

Only, in my case, I have actually tried with many different lenses (> a dozen pen F lenses, several Leica lenses, and several c-mount lenses) and have come to the conclusion that if I want something reliable and reasonably quick, I should avoid using NEX with manual focus lenses.

Why Vivek?

I used to have a G1, and wish I still had it to try focusing out in front of me and down low. I only held it to my head, which seemed at the time, the "only way".

 

[Vivek]

Scott, Looks like you missed out on all the fun.

Often, for me, there isn't much time to bother even with AF (in whatever form it is and not only CDAF) or move out of the way, as in this shot:


Untitled by Vivek Iyer, on Flickr


Here (another tricky situation/place) you see how I normally hold the cam:


Untitled by Vivek Iyer, on Flickr


and it is such a pleasure to actually see (there aren't enough active neurons in my brain to pre-visualize my captures in B&W) what you will capture like this:


Untitled by Vivek Iyer, on Flickr

...



NEX, no go

[Some people appear to take offense on certain word usage, even if I were to describe my own experience with something that I own. So, "no-go" replaces something else but the message is the same.]

 

[meilicke]

In the second picture, assuming that is you in the reflection to the right, it looks like you are holding the camera at waist level. That would be the same as the nex, right? If so, then it must have something to do with how the camera operates, vs. where to hold the camera at your body (waist, eye, out in front).

I think I just need to go to the store. That should answer a lot of my questions.