LX100 Mega Pixels Ain't Everything (and 12 is plenty)

This is the full frame from the LX100

I have been comparing  results from my newly acquired LX100 with those from the FZ1000.  The LX100 has about 12 megapixels (depending on the selected aspect ratio) the FZ1000 has 20. You might expect the FZ1000 to have markedly superior imaging resolution to the LX100.

Indeed I have found that when the two are compared using my usual test chart which includes a lot of fine printing, the FZ1000 does out resolve the LX100. The difference between them is not great but it is definitely there.

If one were to dedicate oneself to photographing test charts no further enquiry would be required.

But out in the wide world I have found the LX100 makes sharp, clear pictures with very good rendition of fine subject details and textures.

The flowers shown in this post are growing on a tree in my garden. I have found in the past that they are a good test of the ability of a camera/lens/sensor/processor system to resolve fine subject details especially at the lighter end of the brightness spectrum. Some cameras just can’t render the little flowers clearly even though on paper they should have excellent resolution.

So I photographed them today with each camera at f4, hand held, RAW and adjusted the RAW files slightly in ACR applying a little sharpening and highlight reduction. The adjustments were not exactly the same for each as the originals have a slightly different histogram.

My impression is that:

* There is not much difference between the two.

* To my eyes the LX100 rendition provides slightly better definition of the flowers even when the two files are adjusted to be the same size.

* The background is sharper (less out of focus) in the FZ1000 version due to the smaller sensor.

 LX100 crop from the center

FZ1000 crop from the center