GX100 vs. G7 vs. D-LUX 2 Shootout Pt. 1 - Appearance and Zoom Range

Pt. 1 - Appearance and Zoom Range
Pt. 2 - JPEG Noise
Pt. 3 - ISO 80 JPEG Crops at 35mm & Full Aperture
Pt. 4 - Flare Performance
Pt. 5 - Noise Performance Revisited
Pt. 6 - G7 Default JPEG vs GX100 Silkypix Conversions
Pt. 7 - Key Timings
Pt. 8 - Build Quality, Quality Control, and Battery Life
Pt. 9 - Conclusion

Thanks to quick shipping by PopFlash, I have the GX100 in my hands. This one seems to be a good copy, focusing properly in my initial tests. I am super busy these days and so rather than waiting to complete testing of this camera, I will be posting frequent, short updates.

I have chosen to compare these three cameras, Canon Powershot G7, Ricoh Caplio GX100, and Leica D-LUX 2, because I think they are all excellent choices for those seeking a compact camera with manual controls. In many cases, these are at the top of the list for DSLR users seeking a second, more compact camera. The D-LUX 2, which is essentially the same as the Panasonic DMC-LX1, has been replaced by the D-LUX 3 (LX2), but I will be using the earlier camera for comparison since it is the one I have available. In some ways, it may be the more appropriate model for my style since Panasonic has apparently applied considerable noise reduction to even the RAW files on the D-LUX 3/LX2. I discussed this issue here.

Here are some comparison photos of the three:











Here are a few resized photos taken from the same vantage point to show the effective zoom focal length range of these three cameras, which in my opinion is a key differentiating feature between them. These photos obviously should not be used to judge image quality, only zoom range.

First, the GX100 at the wide end, 24mm (35mm film equivalent):



Next, the D-LUX 2 at its widest setting, 28mm (available only in 16:9 aspect ratio):



Finally, the G7 at its widest, 35mm:



Now the telephoto comparison, starting with the GX100 at 72mm equivalent:



D-LUX 2 at full telephoto, 112mm equivalent:



G7 at full telephoto, 210mm equivalent:



Quite a difference. More to follow soon!