Quick (not so crazy) Comparison! X100T, LX100, Stellar (RX100)
JUST FOR FUN!!!
A few asked me for one of these but I have been busy most of the day with personal things. Even so, I had time to shoot THREE JPEGS with each camera wide open, letting the camera choose exposure (just as most of use would shoot these in the real world, letting the camera choose exposure).
What I found is that the Stellar (Sony RX100) is sharpest, has pleasing Bokeh and rich color. The LX100 is the most accurate for the colors and the Fuji is the softest as the lens at f/2 is known to be a bit soft. The Fuji also has the most shallow DOF due to the APS-C sensor. The Stellar has a 1″ sensor, the LX100 a Micro 4/3 sensor and the Fuji, APS-C. Fastest to AF is a tie between the LX100 and Stellar with Fuji coming in last for AF speed AND accuracy.
Goes to show that these days, any camera can provide very pleasing and nice looking results.
Smallest camera is the Stellar by far as it can fit in my front jeans pocket without an issue. The LX100 is next but it is a bit thick and large du to the body and lens and the Fuji is the largest of the lot.
Take a look at the quick shots below and click them for a larger 1800 pixel wide version! Tomorrow I will have my 1st look video on the new Sony A7 Mark II, so see ya then!
LX100 can be purchased at Amazon or B&H Photo.
The Fuji X100T can be bought at Amazon or B&H Photo
The Hasselblad Stellar can be found here for 70% off (while supplies last)
Steve
Images are out of camera JPEGS resized. Just meant to show DOF differences wide open as well as color/sharpness out of camera. Each camera was shot wide open and each camera was allowed to choose exposure as this is how most of us use these types of cameras. So what you see is what you get.
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and a couple more comparisons
Below I see the Stellar capturing the most OOC detail – all at f/4 (which is Fuji’s sweet spot)
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Below I see the Stellar once again capturing the most detail (see the dirt on the bucket on the left side blue patch) – The Fuji is the smoothest and I prefer the color from the LX100
…and by request, a few more quick snaps from the Stellar (will not be reviewing it as it is the same as the RX100 HERE)
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and size comparisons
I don’t think there is any tool that I am 100% impressed by…yes The x100t is soft at 2.0…but I just stop it down a bit…I know you are not a fan…but I like the files that come out of the fuji cameras…always good to read your take on things…take care
Hey Steve, I’m going to be cheeky and ask if your LX100 review is coming soon. Happy New Year to you and the family !
Well, I am still using it but I have not been 100% impressed by it as I am getting massive end flare issues and mushy details as well as focus issues. When it nails a shot it looks great but it seems challenging to do so. I prefer it to the X100T though 🙂
Hi Steve, I’m just wondering what strap you use on Stellar. The wrist strap is kind of in the way, any recommendation? Thanks you!
I sold my original x100 due to the shutter delay/dance. Your posts about Stellar caught my attention and now I am a proud owner of one. I could not be happier, it’s very snappy and versatile.
The already excellent LCD screen combined with a hoodloupe makes shooting under bright sunlight a breeze.
Thank you for all the information and advice you shared here, I wish you and your family a merry and safe Christmas!
Ive only been using the wrist strap it came with, and I like it. It should also wear in nicely with use. Glad you are enjoying it!
Hi Steve,
I was one of the early ones who bought the Stellar through your post, within two hours I ordered one after reading your comments about the sale price and the camera itself. I’m semi-retired now, did 16 years as a PRO during the 70’s and 80’s with Hasselblads and Nikon film cameras. So when I saw the name I jumped on it, knowing they would not put their name on a piece of junk. Mine is the White Padouk model.
Currently I own Leica M9, Leica Digilux 2 & 3 models, Nikon D750 and Df models and Fuji Xt-1. Must say I’m greatly impressed by this Stellar model, the quality is definitely there and the photos are outstanding.
Only negative for me is the small size as I have large hands, but the grip helps for sure. Just want to thank you for the latest updated post comparing the 3 cameras in size and performance. That was a really great comparison, having once owned the Fuji X-Pro1 and X100. My personal preference is a zoom lense on any of my bodies, so the Stellar is a winner over any fixed lens model like the X100 series models.
As mentioned above I own the Leica Digilux models and even tho they are available in their native Panasonic state, I firmly believe the Leica models are better looking and of better quality in finish and electronic software. Besides that they say “Leica Germany” on them. (smile). Anyway, enjoy your website and the honest comparisons you do for all of us out here. Keep up the good work!
Robert E
Are you gonna compare fuji x100s to Lx100/Leica D-lux? or If you have to choose between them, whats your choice?
I prefer the Stellar to either but if it was between the two, LX100/D-Lux all the way.
The first rx100 were made in Japan. I guess hassy bought the from the Japanese made line and not from the ones made in China?
The Hasselblad Stellar is made in Japan, RX100’s in China. Only the very 1st RX100’s were made in Japan.
Steve would you do a brief review of the Stellar? I know it’s the “same” camera as RX100, but as far as handling goes, with the added grip and better material. I would be interested to see a add-on review for this camera, there is hardly any reviews of this rare camera online anywhere.
Its an RX100 with a wood grip and new cosmetics. Thats about it. My lens seems sharper than my RX100 lens, the color seems richer than my RX100 color but not sure why that would be. Everything else is the same but the grip makes a big difference in handling and the camera is still tiny of course. I will do an add on review in the next 1-2 weeks.
How is the Fuji X100T compare to Leica X type 113?
Well…
Id take X100T just for the smaller size, built in EVF and f/2 lens.
Great post! Love the pocket comparison, Steve! Very handy. Love the Stellars color reproduction vs the others in this “crazy c”.
One question about the grip: I have rather big hands and find the RX100 too darn small and slippery. Does the Stellars grip make a huge difference? Haven´t got the chance of holding it, the camera is being dismissed in my country for being too “odd” or pricey I think. And my country is Sweden (ironic huh?).
Steve, you and many others
I think will like the Olympus Stylus 1
Hold on a minute I hear you all say
It’s only 1/1.7 sensor
Yes but what a sensor :
check out how on a part it is with 1 inch sensors.
Paired with constant F2.8 28-300mm fine lens
Touch screen tilt fast AF
Nice Over 1 million dot evf of EM5
Image Stabilisation
One of the best manual focus implementations
Better than many primes focus by wire.
With a neat customisable vinyl ring around the lens
Add plenty of manual control
Stylus 1 is the compact Daddy of take anywhere, street.
You can even get into concerts with it as security won’t confiscate it.
What about shallow Dof you all cry
Well …
Extended to 300mm at F2.8
Then moving closer to the subject
Gives shallower yep shallower Dof than
Sony RX100 (1 inch), Panasonic Lx100/ Leica Dlux (m43).
Yesss but low light cmon
Aha with its excellent image stabilisation
F2.8 1/10 easy.
Intact
Capturing the decisive moment
As an all in one compact pocketable
the Stylus 1
Is King of the hill
Top of the heap
A number ooooooneeeee
I disagree. Tried it but did not review it as I would not have recommended it. I’d take the LX100 or the RX100 over it any day of the week. But everyone has different tastes. I tried and worked with them all extensively.
That’s how it rolls …
I tested Rx100 mk1 & 3, Lx100.
I’d take Stylus 1.
If Panasonic had put tilt EVF and tilt screen of GX7
with touch AF & shoot I might been tempted.
Still 100mm / 75mm just too little for me as an all in one compact.
And I want fast at 300mm.
I had Samsung Ex1 F1.8 : 24-72 : 1/1.7 a few years ago .
Before that Ricoh Gx 8/ GX100 F2.5-4.4 : 24-72 : 1/1.75.
Took a few of my favorites with the Ricoh.
70mm was sometimes maybe often to little.
At the time just four years ago Ex1 was the best engineering of what was possible in a compact
So I had no other choice.
Then RX100 appeared although slow F4.9 at 100mm which the MK3 fixed at F2.8
When the Olympus Stylus 1 appeared represented pinnacle current consumer digital compact engineering.
I had the reach I been wanting 300mm and fast enough constant F2.8
In a pocketable.
With fast touch screen AF shooting, tilt screen
these days is a deal breaker for me ( compact or milc without tilt screen)
Nice manual controls including super manual focus
Bonus of excellent EVF.
Image stabilisation.
1/1.7 plenty fine as I don’t shoot landscape not architecture.
Stylus 1 is the compact carry everywhere I wish I had four years ago.
Super reportage, steet, stealth.
LOL! You added pocket pics of each camera. That’s great!
Nice new test shot comparisons too. The Hassy (eh, I mean Sony) certainly holds it’s own against the larger sensors. I finally ordered my black Stellar this morning. Thanks Steve!
Thanks!
Have you processed (or inspected) any RAW files from your Stellar yet?
My wife was going to buy the RX100 for me but I told her I wanted to wait for the Sony A7 mark II review. She just bought me the
Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.5 Aspherical Lens (Silver) in anticipation of getting the Sony a7 II. I have a great wife. Merry Christmas to all.
The 50 1.5 will be AMAZING on the A7II..great choice!
Steve,
When can we expect the LX100 review? 🙂
About 1 week 🙂
So Steve, you have the LX100 and it’s listed in “HOT Cameras and Deals!” on your web site. Are you going to review the LX100 and/or Leica D-Lux (Typ 109)?
Yep, about a week for the LX100 – The D-Lux is the same camera and Leica did not send me one so LX100 will cover both
Would still LOVE to hear your take on the LX100 (and by extension the Leica D-Lux.) I value your opinion! Do you have a revised ETA? Thanks!
Fuji wins DOF, Hassy colors iffy, the Panny/Leica wins overall best IQ IMHO.
I’m no expert, but I am surprised at how little difference there is between the LX100’s larger sensor compared to the smaller sensor of the Sony. I was really excited at the MFT sized sensor in the LX100, but it looks like Sony still has “better” sensor.
Yeah, I noticed the ame thing happening. The Sony, for being the smallest sensor of the bunch seems in a lot of ways to be the sharpest. I do have to wonder though that in the example with the candle, if it might have made more sense to use something more like “equivalent apertures” rather than just shooting each wide open. It seems that the Fuji with the larger sensor and the thinner depth of field would be at a disadvantage for this test as that camera would have a similar DOF and maybe a greater amount sharpness on the subject as compared with the Sony if it were stopped down a bit.
I had the LX100 for one week and just returned it. A very nice and capable camera with superior manual controls and user interface and nice looks. However, my tiny RX100III, which I thought I would sell and replace with the LX100 beats it in resolution, micro contrast, has flash on board, a tilting screen, fits into a shirt pocket and puts up a good fight against the bigger sensor up to iso 1600. If I really want superior IQ and more dof control, I will reach for my A7s.
The LX100 looks best to me. The glare in the bokeh in the silver/white object on the right is too harsh on the Sony and especially the Fuji where it expands. I had the X100 and X100s and f2 was good about half the time. The LX100 shows the patterns in the table better.
While they all are very close, and all look good, the only one I would “put on my wall” is the photo taken with the X100T. Less distorted, more pleasing OOF areas and overall rendering. (The softness at close focusing and f/2 is well-known and even described in the Fuji X100/S/T manual.)
You must wear baggy jeans Steve. I find it hard to put the RX100 V1 in my pocket but I’m only 5’4” tall. That grip looks might big on the stellar!!
No, I hate baggy (and skinny) jeans. I wear normal jeans. Ill post a pic of it in my jeans if you like. But to be clear, I do not wear skinny jeans or pants 🙂 But they are no where near baggy. Just standard fit.
Just go in a shop and check by yourself ! You’ll see that the stellar fits in a jean pocket… what a strange comment !!!
For what it’s worth, the reason the DOF of the X100 is shallower is not just the sensor size, but also due to the noticeably longer focal length. There’s just a lot less in the frame (compare how much of the oven you see).
The Fuji X100T is just not good for macro wide open. If bump up from f2.8-f4, you will get much sharper images while still maintaining similar or smaller dof than the RX100 or the LX100.
For me the Fuji wins Steve’s bucket shot (at f4).
Yeah, for me too. Look at the words on the bucket, the handle, and the dirt below the words. By comparison, the Stellar is flat and almost noisy. It seems to have more contrast and sharpening added to the JPEG, but it doesn’t look good.
That said, I’m very impressed by the Stellar / RX100 for what it is. The Panasonic, on the other hand, is disappointing.
Irrelevant note – “Stellar” is a very silly and arrogant name for a repackaged old-model camera.
These samples and test images are all straight out of camera with no post processing?
Nevermind. I see you already answered that question in your post. Missed it the first time around.
semantically theyre all processed post-capture. but by the firmware engineers. so comparison irrelevant for RAW shooters, but it is what it is….
There is so much software processing going on that the results in jpeg vary quite a lot especially in the colors. The colors form the Stellar are pleasing if not correct. But i was surprised by how much the colors differ.
I just got my X100T together with the wide angle converter (all black). And although I have not taken many pictures with it yet, it sure looks and feels very handsome. And a bit smaller than my Nikon D800E and Mamiya RZ67. My only tip for everyone looking to buy a small camera like these, read reviews and put together your own list of criteria to fit you and your style of photography.
Just that lettering on the jar – Meyer’s clean day – looks so much clearer with the Stellar.
Steve, can you test if the Stellar has solved the corner fringing issues of the RX100? at 28mm, my corner tended to be magenta on the lower right-left and somewhat green on the upper right. at 100mm, the lens seems to shade a yellow hue on the corner. If hasselblad solved that issue somehow, the camera becomes interesting 😀
I never had magenta corners on the RX100 V1 nor is it here on the stellar. In fact, this Stellar seems sharper than my RX100 did wide open. But yea, never an issue with corners on my old RX100 or the Stellar.
Seems like a reason to test the Stellar against the RX100, to see if Hassleblad actually did anything to the software. if you need a RX100, I can ask my old man to send you the one I left with him.
When will you review the LX100?
Within a meter I shoot the X100 at f4 … a DOF probably not far from these other options? Just guessing.
Agreed, The DOF on the X100T shot needed to be a little deeper to compare or at least the focus should be on the front of the candle container. The focus was a bit behind near the “M”
Never mind on the DOF complaint. Saw where he was letting camera choose…..
All were shot wide open, so the DOF had nothing to do with what the camera chose. I chose the widest aperture for each camera..1.7. 1.8 and 2
The focus was on the M for all three..
Looks like a excuse to use the stellar! Nice comparison I have actually been looking for these three cameras compared, well actually x100s vs lx100 vs rx100 but this is close enough for me. I plan on purchasing a everyday carry camera at the beginning of the year and this may have helped me out with my decision thanks.
RX100 price is VERY good right now 😉