GXR P10 Field Report: Image Quality

(Full-sized images included; links given in the paragraphs)

(continue from yesterday)

The images at normal setting taken with Ricoh cameras are with an unmistakeable character: the images are less heavily coloured.  The colour is less contrasty, giving out a taste of what mellow is to red wine, supposing you are not a teetotaller.  For those who preferred images with vivid colours, Ricoh cameras used to give an impression of producing washy images.

This is a shot by P10 giving out a colour of Ricoh's distinctive less contrasty feel adored by many Ricoh fans.

Probably after GX200, Ricoh has done some adjustment to the image settings to cater for users with such a taste.  The adjusted choices for colour settings are also carried through to the GXR, allowing users to switch between Vivid, Standard, Nature, Black and White, Blank and White (Toning Effect) and two customisable settings whereby users can adjust vividness, contrast, sharpness and highlight individual colours.  (Note: Fact is, if you wonder, the functions and photographic settings of the GXR are applicable to any modules mounted on it.) For those who prefer vivid colours, the image is like this (the second image is at Standard setting):

A real-world shot at the Vivid setting:

Many Ricoh camera owners, notably the GRD users, are attracted by the texture and film-like grains of its black and white images.  The effect is more pronounced in images at high ISO values.  The P10 is of no exception in this regard.

The images produced by the P10, as well as by CX3, have an above average crispness on the whole.  Certainly the level of sharpness can also be tweaked to your liking in the camera.  The images are not at the top of the class in crispness though.  But generally speaking, images taken at the widest focal length are pretty in shape from corner to corner.  At the farthest end of the lens, the images seem soft at corners but the details on the whole are retained to a fairly satisfactory level.  Bear in mind the sensor is really tiny:

At 24mm :-

At 300mm :-

Ricoh's Smooth Imaging  Engine IV boosts a much improved algorithm in processing the images as compared with that of the GX200.   My impression is that from ISO 400 onwards, the GX200's images are outshone.  Actually, under the right lighting conditions at daytime, the GX200's images can look lacklustre in comparison.

For the detailed performance of the P10 at all ISO values, visit here to check out the full-sized images.  In a nutshell, the noise and details are nicely balanced for images at as high as ISO 400.  Images at ISO 800 are with smudgy details to a reasonable extent, taking into consideration the sensor size.  Ricoh has done a adequate job in this area.

For those RAW shooters, the full-sized RAW shots taken at ISO 800 are uploaded here,  The shots were done at similar settings and locations as those taken with the cameras tested before.  You will find your way after the link.

(to be continued)