Faffer
newbie
Reged: 17/04/2008
Posts: 2
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Hiya-
I've just got an FX30 compact and I seem to be getting very high noise.
I'd had a Nikon Coolpix5200 before and could not fault it in any way, it took great pictures and was very versatile. Unfortunately I lost it in the divorce settlement...
The biggest challenge for replacement was I wanted a low light focus assist - and the FX30 offered this. Also the salesman advised it had a Leica lens, which I took to be good.
I've been playing for a while with iso setting, white balance, picture size+quality (on max) and I can't get a sharp picture, the noise seems really bad.
A bit of surfing has suggested that almost all digital compacts suffer this problem "nowadays". This is really confusing for me as it seems totally pointless beefing up a camera to 7MPixels if it is grainly like a 640x480!
Is this the fact today?
Or can I try something else?
Thanks for any advice!
Gavin
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El Sid
Going potty
Reged: 14/04/2003
Posts: 9437
Loc: Sussex-by-the-Sea
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Quote:
A bit of surfing has suggested that almost all digital compacts suffer this problem "nowadays". This is really confusing for me as it seems totally pointless beefing up a camera to 7MPixels if it is grainly like a 640x480!
Welcome to the world of too many pixels on too small a sensor....  And yes it is pointless - unfortunately the marketing nerks insist on using ever more massive pixel counts as a way of conning the gullible in buying the latest model........
I try to use mine on ISO100 as much as possible and save the files at maximum quality. I would also suggest that you set the colour mode (Record menu Page 3) to natural - standard isn't too bad either but avoid Vivid etc. as the in camera processing makes everything worse. I do occasionally use mine at ISO200 (and even 400, though only when there's no other choice) and find the result acceptable.
I must admit I'm pretty happy with mine, within it's limitations, and use it quite frequently. I don't find mine as noisy as you seem to be getting though, here's a typical example and another and one more...
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Nigel
Completely BSRIPN 
ElSid Gallery
A camera in the hand is better than one in the cupboard........
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Faffer
newbie
Reged: 17/04/2008
Posts: 2
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Thanks Nigel,
So I'm gullible then! ;-)
Yes, I have to say I was a touch naiive with this one. I did not research it before, my spec was basic - I wanted the assisted focus for darkness (photographing in tanks for work) and at least 7Mpixel, and ASSUMED that technology moves on so all the rest would be fine. And then I bought it in the airport - doh! won't do that again.
Yes, its a bit disappointing on the drop in standards! The camera is nice to use, just a surprise that the quality is not so sharp.
I guess if I had bought a "modern" 5M pixel it would still have cut the corners to get the price - my Panasonic was still about £150 cheaper than I paid for my Nikon, but sadly the Nikon was definitely worth the extra.
I've got it set on 7M, high quality and natural colour. ISO was on Auto so I'll try to limit to 100.
Thanks for the quick support
Cheers
Gavin
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El Sid
Going potty
Reged: 14/04/2003
Posts: 9437
Loc: Sussex-by-the-Sea
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It's a shame that none of the serious manufacturers will make a compact with a sensible number of pixels, IMO 3-4Mp is enough, or a bigger sensor. There is the Sigma DP1 which has an APS size Foveon sensor but that has a fixed lens and is something like £300+. I keep hoping that Olympus or Panasonic might put a 4/3rds sensor into a compact, OK it won't be as small as the FX30 but you could have 8-10mp and still have less noise than the most current compacts...
Best of luck...
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Nigel
Completely BSRIPN
ElSid Gallery
A camera in the hand is better than one in the cupboard........
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Fozzybear
newbie
Reged: 19/05/2007
Posts: 40
Loc: Essex, UK
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Noise certainly is an issue with the Panasonics in particular, my FX07 certainly suffers somewhat from this - particularly on dull days where the ISO needs to rise. You really notice it if you have to do post-processing on the shots, I know that!
Having said that, I've become more used to it and find it less obtrusive than when I first got the camera and I seem to be using it more and more - I took this in very poor light on Saturday morning and jiggered with it in Lightroom:
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