GXR P10 Field Report: In Action

(continue from yesterday)
When the P10 and the CX3 arrived on the desk, the first question sprang to mind was the rationale of choosing the P10 over the CX3 in terms of price because they are just twin brothers clad differently.  Of course, for existing GXR owners, the query on their mind may be the need to give the diminutive-sensor camera all the additional functions by the strength of the GXR body.  "If I really want one, why don't I simply buy the CX3, leaving the existing module on the GXR module?" they may ask.

But after using the P10 and the CX3 concurrently for a few days, the difference was unmistakeable just as a Panasonic Lumix Phone is not the same as a Panasonic Lumix camera.

The Pluses of P10

The P10 allows users to shoot RAWs.  Both cameras have a high speed continuous shooting function.  With the P10, you can do it in RAWs too.  Giving the RAW capability to the tiny-sensor P10 is generous.  The interesting question is why users wish to shoot RAWs with a tiny-sensor camera.  It is a point which should not require making that experienced users can get juicier images out of RAWs.  However, the advantages are not that huge in this case.  After all, the limitation is in the tiny sensor.

The really noticeable edge of the P10 over the CX3 is in the GXR body.  The ergonomics, the availability of S/A/M modes, the one-press snap shot function, the swift access to tunings and lots of customisable adjustments with the GXR simply put the P10 at another level.  When you use the P10, you possibly won't realise that it is a point-and-shooter.  And it is not, having regards the quick response the GXR body allows the user to get what he wants with the right photographic settings. If only it has an APS-C sensor.

The Gimmicks

Both cameras boost a DR (dynamic range) function, which has become the norm in many cameras, big or small.  The function on the CX3 is activated on the function wheel, while on the P10 it is subsumed under the scene mode.  In short, under the DR function, the camera takes two shots of the same scene to combine into one.  The end result can show the image with a wider dynamic range of, to my eye, an approximately +3 EV.

Since two shots will be taken at the same time, the user has to hold the camera steady.  I have no problem with this at all.  Any meaty belly can be a free, gentle and reliable platform to steady it as long as the owner can hold breath for a split of a second.

The P10 module is suffixed with the abbreviation VC, meaning vibration correction.  Shake correction is a genius invention for cameras.  But all experienced photographers know that the function is best used for when the lens is zoomed out and a higher ISO setting is not preferred; not when you really shake your hands.  Below is an image taken with the P10 zoomed to the equivalent of 300mm on my hand which leaned on a railing.

Roll down for the two 100% crop images.

 

It worked fine. 

Another shot below was done at a focal length of about 70mm at 1/20s, which is five steps beyond the safety shutter speed.  I just handheld the camera, did a few shots and got this right one.  The 100% crop is right underneath.

Worked fine too. (Note to UK readers: photographing police is neither a sin nor an offence in Hong Kong)

Another gimmick which worth mentioning is the multi-pattern auto WB.  It is designed to work around scenes with mixed light sources.
 

This shot was done with the light on the ceiling (yellowish light bulbs) and the table lamp (white light) turned on.  All the colours in this final image are correctly rendered, which are very close to the original colours in reality.

(to be continued)