Not a sensor size thing, the left side of the S100 is sharp, the right side way out of whack.

I'll trade up my S95 to an S100 (was about to) but only once this is resolved.

Not a sensor size thing, the left side of the S100 is sharp, the right side way out of whack.

Looking at the A/B test you linked us, to me the S100 seems also slightly softer in the center and allover a bit more moire'ry compared to the S95. By the way, it's not only the sensor/pixel size difference, but there's also the CCD vs CMOS factor. So yes, now also I'm curious if anyone else here has the same problem with their S100.

-- peer

Here are some full-size 12mp unprocessed snapshots from my S100 (click thumbnails to embiggen). These
photos are just some quick and dirty walk-around snaps at the Randolph AFB airshow on 30 Oct 2011. Please
don't post these on DP Review, because they are not watermarked and I would rather not have them jacked.
Please don't link to them from DP Review, because I really don't need the bandwidth hit. These are .JPG only
-- I don't bother with RAW when I'm shooting from the hip -- but I can do a side by side in RAW between the
S95 and S100 if anybody's interested.

I can do a side by side in RAW between the S95 and S100 if anybody's interested.

Yea, that would be super, (and also if you could find some raster pattern to shoot, i.e. to test the difference in moire between the two cameras).

-- peer

EXIF data for all of the above:

IMG_8359
f/5
1/800
80
17mm
Spot

IMG_8364
f/4
1/160
80
5mm
Spot

IMG_8400
f/4
1/1250
160
12mm
Eval

IMG_8409
f/4
1/800
100
8mm
Eval

IMG_8412
f/5
1/250
80
21mm
Center

IMG_8416
f/4
1/800
80
10mm
Center

IMG-8446
f/4
1/100
160
5mm
Eval

IMG_8461
f/4
1/100
160
5mm
Eval

Shooting mode for all was Program Auto ("P" for Perfect) -- the only adjustments I made during shooting were the metering mode and focal length.

A simple little test between the S95 and S100 -- which camera is which? Can you tell without looking at the EXIF data?

.JPG only here, but I have the RAW files if anyone is interested. Click to embiggen.

Highly unscientific... the chart was set up by eyeball, and you can tell I wasn't entirely on-axis.

The DSC Labs CamAlign was the only thing I had handy that I thought might suffice.

If you don't like the CamAlign, let me know what kind of set-up you'd like to see within reason.

Res is 6MP each, the "M1" setting which is the largest of equal size between the two cams.

If you don't like the CamAlign, let me know what kind of set-up you'd like to see within reason.

That was quick. Also very cool not telling us which is which -- that's what a A/B test is all about.

So there are definitely differences between the two -- I believe the 'B' image is shot with the S100. Although I'd like to see some graduated color chart shot at f/2 in RAW before making up my mind -- but I think I already now prefer the 'A' image (less noise, moire, etc.)

As for which is which, Chris, don't tell us just yet until Dylan makes his prediction -- I'm curious what he has to say ;^)

-- peer

Ha. Fair enough, we'll wait for Dylan. I'll shoot a Chroma DuMonde with both cams in a little while.

Both shots above were Program Auto with ISO locked at 80.

B looks better, so my guess is that it is the S100. I tried REALLY hard to see any difference in softness on the right side of either image, and maybe, maaaybe there was an insignificant amount on B, but nothing like the problems on the DPreview units. I would be very happy with those results if B is the S100.

I think I remember DPreview saying it was a lens alignment issue. Did you see the "bad" samples there Chris?

The B image is from the S95 actually.

If you think it looks better, the reason for that could be the fact that it's
f/3.2 at 1/10th while the S100 image is f/4 at 1/5th -- maybe. Same focal
length for both (11mm, what they consider to be the 50mm equivalent).

I have not seen the DP Review pics -- have you looked over the airshow
pics I posted? Do any of those look soft on the right side?

Huh!
I looked at your airshow pics, and couldn't tell any issues with them. Go look at DPreviews studio comparison, it's really surprising how bad their S100's have been on the right side. That's the reason I haven't bought one. Yours looks fine. While the B picture looked better to me, I was really only judging it based on looking at it for the S100 flaw, not any other characteristics.

Seeing some non-flaw results is making me lean back towards getting the S100 again.

I'll shoot a Chroma DuMonde with both cams Bah, the Chroma DM is awesome for video, not so much for photo. I'll try to find my Gretag Macbeth color checker instead.

The B image is from the S95 actually.

Wow, this is kind of confusing -- so lets see; both Dylan and I thought the B image was shot with the S100, while it in fact was shot with the S95. However, I thought it was the S100 due to its moire and noise, while Dylan guessed it was the S100 because it looked "better".

In any case, Chris, it would be very nice to see an A/B color test between the two -- in RAW, low light, wide open, and equal shutter-speed. And, of course, it would also be supercool if you somehow could do a similar A/B test (again without telling us which is which) shooting a short low-light video. And then after that, we want you to stand on your head and wiggle... (sorry, I got carried away there ;^)

-- peer

No worries, I can conjure it up as soon as I lay my hands on that color checker.

Wide open at f/2 will be different focal lengths... S100 eq. 24mm, S95 eq. 28mm

Assuming ISO 80 is desired?

while Dylan guessed it was the S100 because it looked "better".



But partially because I thought it was ever so slightly soft on the right hand side, which is what I was looking for for the giveaway for the S100.

Shows what I know. :)

A used Olympus E-PL1 with whatever lens I'm not using on my GH2.

And in a pinch, it's a 720p B/C/Z cam.

I just picked up one of these brand new for $290 (and it's even a bit cheaper now) from an amazon vendor. Came with a 14-42mm "kit" zoom and in that configuration it's not that pocketable (large coat pocket maybe), but with the 17mm f2.8 or the 14mm (ff 28 equiv) f2.5 that changes!

Shot in a restaurant (low light environment) with it (20mm f1.7) and got really decent results with no flash (pretty good skin tones with WB set to tungsten preset.

Latest versions, E-PL3 and E-P3 take the same M4/3 lenses and offer super performance comparable to DSLR's, do 1920x1080i video but do cost more.