More NEX-7, CZ 24/1.8 samples

Posted by Kurt on January 23, 2012 in Images Reviews

I have two additional samples from the NEX-7 and CZ 24/1.8 (now in stock, along with the A77 body, and A77-16-50mm lens) showing the differences between a RAW and jpeg.   The RAW image was converted in ACR, color fringing corrected, mildly sharpened and saved as a level 8 jpeg.  The jpeg is part of the RAW+jpeg in which I shot these pics, so it’s actually just one shot.  Note; I don’t care for Sony’s IDC, it doesn’t offer any significant improvements over jpeg, that’s why I use ACR, it offers the best compromise in my opinion.

If you examine both (boring, but relevant) images carefully, you’ll notice the converted RAW shows much more detail.  I’m guessing you’re losing about 6-8MP by saving your images in-camera as jpegs.  Sony uses too much luminance noise reduction, which smears details, but makes the sky and other low-detail areas look smooth.  If you can’t see any differences in the two, keep shooting in jpeg.  The jpeg is using ‘shading’ compensation, so that makes it a little brighter than the RAW shot.

Bottom line; if you want the best from your NEX-7 or other Sony camera, use RAW.

So far, the Sony CZ 24/1.8 is very impressive.  If you look along the middle of the image form side-to-side, there is very little softening as you move out from the center.  The lower part of the image is not in focus, so don’t look there.  The image was taken at F/5.6, which seems about optimal for the CZ 24/1.8; stopping down further causes image degradation.  At first glance, this lens seems sharper at larger apertures than the full frame CZ 24/2.

More to come, so stay tuned!

Sony CZ 24mm F1.8 jpeg

Sony CZ 24mm F1.8 RAW

Tags: Sony CZ 24/1.8, Sony NEX-7