Compare increase in focal length with enlargement with Gigapixel AI: I would like a bridge camera that doesn’t exist: Sony RX 10iv with half the weight and twice the zoom. I like to...

jonsailhob

I would like a bridge camera that doesn’t exist: Sony RX 10iv with half the weight and twice the zoom. I like to shoot birds primarily. If I used a 1” sensor sensor camera with a smaller zoom, say Panasonic ZS200 with 24-360 lens and used Gigapixel AI, would I be able to get a similar image size and clarity result to the Sony?

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

jonsailhob wrote:

I would like a bridge camera that doesn’t exist: Sony RX 10iv with half the weight and twice the zoom. I like to shoot birds primarily. If I used a 1” sensor sensor camera with a smaller zoom, say Panasonic ZS200 with 24-360 lens and used Gigapixel AI, would I be able to get a similar image size and clarity result to the Sony?

In a word, no. If you don't capture it you don't have it.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Look at the Sony HX99 and try the "Clear Image Zoom" feature. It won't be better than a really big camera with a really big lens, but the "Clear Image Zoom" feature should do better than Gigapixel AI. And, it certainly qualifies for lighter and smaller than the RX10.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Deleted. Duplicate because I pushed the button twice.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

bsprague wrote:

Look at the Sony HX99 and try the "Clear Image Zoom" feature. It won't be better than a really big camera with a really big lens, but the "Clear Image Zoom" feature should do better than Gigapixel AI. And, it certainly qualifies for lighter and smaller than the RX10.

The HX99 only has a 1/2.3" sensor and a strange pop-up evf. The Lumix DCZS80 is comparable with a normal evf. However, I doubt it has the "clear image zoom"

To the OP: I can't vouch for the AI or the 200, but I'm very happy with the ZS100 other than the limit of 200mm.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

PHRubin wrote:

The HX99 only has a 1/2.3" sensor and a strange pop-up evf. The Lumix DCZS80 is comparable with a normal evf. However, I doubt it has the "clear image zoom"

To the OP: I can't vouch for the AI or the 200, but I'm very happy with the ZS100 other than the limit of 200mm.

The OP wants less weight and more zoom. The only way to get that IS with a smaller sensor. My wife had a ZS100 and traded it in on a (now discontinued) Lumix LX100II. She got a bigger sensor and less zoom. B&H gave her more money on the trade than she expected.

MDI Mainer

bsprague wrote:

Look at the Sony HX99 and try the "Clear Image Zoom" feature. It won't be better than a really big camera with a really big lens, but the "Clear Image Zoom" feature should do better than Gigapixel AI. And, it certainly qualifies for lighter and smaller than the RX10.

For BIF, or even on a perch, the RX10iv has much faster auto focus, which is a critical parameter.

jonsailhob

MDI Mainer wrote:

For BIF, or even on a perch, the RX10iv has much faster auto focus, which is a critical parameter.

This is a huge deal!

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

jonsailhob wrote:

I would like a bridge camera that doesn’t exist: Sony RX 10iv with half the weight and twice the zoom. I like to shoot birds primarily. If I used a 1” sensor sensor camera with a smaller zoom, say Panasonic ZS200 with 24-360 lens and used Gigapixel AI, would I be able to get a similar image size and clarity result to the Sony?

This might work - IF - the lens on the Pany was equal quality to the Sony - but it isn't ........and focus is an issue also ..in addition, you loose 1 1/3 stops ISO from the slower Pany lens ....

And, I am looking for a M4/3 version of the RX10 !

bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada

jonsailhob wrote:

I would like a bridge camera that doesn’t exist: Sony RX 10iv with half the weight and twice the zoom. I like to shoot birds primarily. If I used a 1” sensor sensor camera with a smaller zoom, say Panasonic ZS200 with 24-360 lens and used Gigapixel AI, would I be able to get a similar image size and clarity result to the Sony?

600mm is just about my max. focal length for handheld shots. I did have a Nikon P1000 at one time but after about 1000mm I pretty much had to use a tripod.

Of equal importance is autofocus speed and the RX10 IV's AF is superb!

Topaz GigaPixel is pretty decent but not as good optical zoom but as good as or better than most camera's digital zoom.

bwa

jimmol

Take a look at the Panasonic FZ300. It is smaller and lighter than the Sony, and much less expensive. As with the RX10 IV, it can double the effective focal length to 1200 mm in computing the JPEG version. But it incorporates the doubling in a natural way; the zoom moves smoothly past the 600 mark, just as if it were being done optically. Also the Panasonic's EXIF file shows the overall effective focal length, while the Sony does not. The FZ300 focuses in 1/10 of a second which is almost always fast enough; Sony is faster, at 1/30 second, but that is really overkill. Finally, Sony has a little better image quality, but in my opinion not enough better to overcome its other issues.

bjojade Loc: Wausau, WI

I want the photo enhancement features from the 90's CSI movies where the detective can get a picture that's about 11 pixels and say 'enhance' and you end up with a detailed mona lisa.

While AI is cool, and it can do a great job of 'guessing' what a photo should look like, but that's all it can do is guess. Is that good enough for you?

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

imagemeister wrote:

This might work - IF - the lens on the Pany was equal quality to the Sony - but it isn't ........and focus is an issue also ..in addition, you loose 1 1/3 stops ISO from the slower Pany lens ....

And, I am looking for a M4/3 version of the RX10 !

There isn't a m4/3 version of the RX10. I do have several m4/3 cameras, with the EM1ii being the newest, but with a telephoto lens, it gets big. I have the low cost 75-300mm lens, but I don't find it as sharp as the RX10 at its 600mm equivalent FL, nor do I find it focuses as fast and as accurate as the RX10. But I should also add that I don't have the RX10. I do have its not identical twin, the RX100VII which I find has incredible focusing ability and incredible sharpness. But it should since the RX10 and RX100 were parallel designed products that kept everything the same that could be kept the same. The RX100 has a much smaller lens that produces an equivalent 200mm FL max compared the RX10 with its 600mm FL max.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

JimH123 wrote:

There isn't a m4/3 version of the RX10. I do have... (show quote)

Yes, I know all this ......that is why I want Sony - OR - someone to make a Zeiss equipped M4/3 12-300mm f3.3-5 for $2200 or less