In the past Panasonic have traditionally understated ISO values whereas Canon and Nikon tend to overstate. Olympus usually fall somewhere in the middle.
I don't think that's correct. The Pens consistently over-estimate ISO sensitivity and the G2 under-estimates it. If you look at the chart the three plots are almost exactly along the same track. So overall there is little discernible difference.
Show otherwise - i.e. no overestimation or underestimation from either company.
Our noise graphs on that page rely on the camera being accurate. But as camera manufacturers do seem to vary in their interpretation of what is the correct ISO, sometimes exceeding 1 EV between cameras, you have to be careful.
I trust the DxOMark figures and so it has to be said that when you set ISO 3200 on a Pen, you may actually only be working at, say, ISO 2000. Interestingly, the E-3 is pretty much accurate in terms of ISO setting and measured ISO, but most Olympus cameras after the E-3 over-estimate ISO.
Our noise graphs on that page rely on the camera being accurate. But as camera manufacturers do seem to vary in their interpretation of what is the correct ISO, sometimes exceeding 1 EV between cameras, you have to be careful.
I trust the DxOMark figures and so it has to be said that when you set ISO 3200 on a Pen, you may actually only be working at, say, ISO 2000. Interestingly, the E-3 is pretty much accurate in terms of ISO setting and measured ISO, but most Olympus cameras after the E-3 over-estimate ISO.
Ian
That means the graphs in that article actually are painting a rosier picture than there really is for noise.
If you apply measured ISO to your graphs, then the points for olympus will move to the left, and those for the g3 will more to the right.
So while the article claims there is a "healthy advantage", there won't be.
If you still have the pictures, what's the shutter speed of like ISOs on the G1 vs EP3? Should comparisons be by matching shutter speed instead of manufacturer rated ISO which differs?
My impression has been that the 10 MP sensors in the E-3, E-4XX and E-5XX cameras are pretty close with respect to the reported and measured ISOs. The 12 MP sensor cameras (E-30, E-6XX, E-5, Pens) have overestimated ISOs, that is, the measured ISO is less than the ISO reported by the camera.
Interestingly, the XZ-1 seems to be more like the older 10MP DSLRs with respect to a good agreement between reported and measured ISOs.
That means the graphs in that article actually are painting a rosier picture than there really is for noise.
If you apply measured ISO to your graphs, then the points for olympus will move to the left, and those for the g3 will more to the right.
So while the article claims there is a "healthy advantage", there won't be.
If you still have the pictures, what's the shutter speed of like ISOs on the G1 vs EP3? Should comparisons be by matching shutter speed instead of manufacturer rated ISO which differs?
It all gets a bit complicated - are the shutter mechanisms biased as well?
You can see E-P3/E-P2/G1 ISO 3200 comparison shots here:
A minor technical error meant that the E-P2 shot was at f/6.3 instead of f/7.1 for all the others, but the exposure was set automatically with the same ESP mode as the E-P3 so there should not be a problem in the result.
The G1 shutter speed is 1/60th second compared to 1/40th on the E-P3, and that is 2/3rd EV difference. The E-P2 exposure, adjusted for the different apertures setting, is the same as the E-P3, so both cameras share the same ISO sensitivity.
Hmm well I have just had a mooch at the DxO site and well I haven't a bloody clue what the heck it is going on about. Also from reading around other forums there are those that question just how reliable and useful the DxO information is (those are non Olympus people by the way).
I was just about to but a E-PL2 but waited to see what the Pen 3 would be like and from all the images I have seen I am now defiantly going to be buying one no matter what these DxO graphs say.
Hmm well I have just had a mooch at the DxO site and well I haven't a bloody clue what the heck it is going on about. Also from reading around other forums there are those that question just how reliable and useful the DxO information is (those are non Olympus people by the way).
I was just about to but a E-PL2 but waited to see what the Pen 3 would be like and from all the images I have seen I am now defiantly going to be buying one no matter what these DxO graphs say.
Another way of looking at it is that practically all modern system cameras produce really good image quality. What these test results do is show up performance differences at fairly high extremes.
DxO's expertise is in my view not only trustworthy but authoritative. They are very clever people and they know exactly what they are doing in terms of imaging science. They act as consultants to camera manufacturers, providing them with test equipment and in-house developed software and reference platforms. They also produced the excellent DxO Optics Pro consumer software.
I was just about to but a E-PL2 but waited to see what the Pen 3 would be like and from all the images I have seen I am now defiantly going to be buying one no matter what these DxO graphs say.
Regardless of what the expectations were on the technical side of the E-P3 - - - I personally would be saving the little bit extra and bypassing the E-PL2 - - - probably even waiting for the E-PL3 which I think may even be a nicer camera in some ways. The focusing speed is amazingly improved - and high ISO is very good. And if like me you plan on using it also to capture some video clips - the 1080 video ability and new codec are an improvement in that area as well. I think that would be the case even if you never bought another lens other than the kit lens.
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So how is the focussing speed when I have a whole bag of Panasonic lenses?
Do the E-P3 and E-PL3 only focus fast with the new Olympus lenses?
There's a reason for me not to buy them.
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