Ricoh GX100 - Banding noise & hot pixels?

I just got my Ricoh GX100 this week and has been playing with it. Most GX100

users are generally happy with its picture quality, and many users call the

noise "film-like" and organic. Some even said its picture quality at low ISO is

"DSLR-class". <br><br>

 

After closely examining my pictures (pixel peeping?) I found some potential

issues with hot pixels and banding noise. I seldom see any mentioning of these

two problems with the GX100 anywhere online. I know this camera is quite noisy,

and I'm ready to embrace the noise (the rest of my camera arsenal are film gear

with Tri-X/HP5+). But banding noise is simply not acceptable.<br><br>

 

I am wonder whether these problems are by specs or just because I got a lemon.

Today I returned the camera and exchanged for another one at Adorama, but the

new camera still show similar problems. <br><br>

 

Please go to this page to see the pictures.

<a

href="http://www.jacklam.net/GX100/GX100.htm">http://www.jacklam.net/GX100/GX100.htm</a>

<br><br>

 

Any idea? Does your GX100 show the same problem? Is my camera noisier than

yours? (Huh, Maybe the whole batch of GX100 is defective in the same

manner?)<br><br>

 

Am I expecting too much from a small sensor camera? <br><br>

Your banding test (30 seconds of the lens cap) seems extreme. Try real world low-light shots of no more than a second or two.

 

If you really want ultra-low light get a DSLR, not a point and shoot.

The 30 second lens cap shot at ISO1600 is just to illustrate the banding problem in an exaggerated way.

 

But my main question is: Am I the only one who has this problem? Should I send it back for another exchange?

 

For a more real world example for the hot pixel & banding problems, I just uploaded a few more pictures on that page.

 

In the new banding shot, it is not very obvious. But there is clearly some horizontal pattern in the way the noise looks.

I think the hot pixel problem is bigger concern than the banding noise, which can be avoided by not shooting at ISO1600.

(hopefully the horizontal noise pattern will be invisible in B&W)

 

 

Can someone who owns the GX100 shoot a "lens-cap" shot at ISO400 at f2.5/0.5sec and email it to me? That will really help me figure out whether I should return my camera or not.

 

That would be a great help coz I need to make this decision ASAP.

 

My email: jackcklam(AT)hotmail(DOT)com

Roger, the whole idea here is to have a small, unobtrusive, fixed lens pocketable, low noise camera at a reasonable price. Sigma may have accomplished this, but it isn't out yet, AFAIK. No other manufacturer has even tried.

I just did this 30 second lens cap test with my 20D and see hot pixels and what looks like banding (a bit hard to tell on the LCD). I don't think this tells you anything worthwhile about the camera.

 

Try real scenes in low light shot on a tripod. I see some banding in real world ISO 1600/3200 shots on my 20D but Noise Ninja/levels can largely deal with it.

 

"Roger, the whole idea here is to have a small, unobtrusive, fixed lens pocketable, low noise camera at a reasonable price"

 

Which is something I'm personally interested in so that's why I'm reading this thread. I would eventually like to replace my Canonet.

I have a GX 100 and really like it. I am still getting used to it and have not used it as much as I need to.

 

Jack,

 

Just go take some pics, meds and fugghetabout 1600 ISO in day light. I have seen some B&W pics at 1600 in low light and they looked quite good. It is a nice camera but has a small sensor and I/we need to use it to understand limitations and workarounds. Neat image seems to work well.

 

Here are a couple of snaps. Native B&W ISO 100. Harsh Florida light.

 

Les

Sorry, I don't know how to post more than one pic.

The hood accepts filters and the GX 100 takes nice quasi IR pics with

the right filter. It has stepped zoom bla bla and the EVF is much better in bright sun than any LCD. I had a Panny LX-1 and prefer the GX-100. Go to DP Review and browsw the Ricoh forum.