So went to NDP rehearsal today, took position near promontory, just across the road from marina bay financial centre. Similar to last year, using ND 8 filter.
Wide Lens at ISO 50,10s
http://i.imgur.com/NhjAFTS.jpg
Normal Lens at ISO50, 8s
http://i.imgur.com/6UTChU6.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/A5ftNnR.jpg
All my shots with the wide lens were sadly underexposed. That f/2.2 aperture is indeed bad for low light
And for comparison the G4 at last year NDP rehearsal
http://i.imgur.com/6KK3IuU.jpg
I... have to say I am
disappointed with the G6 here, specifically its image processing.
http://i.imgur.com/IvTvlAc.jpg
See the white 'core' of the firework streaks? Its not a smooth white but theres so much processing artifacts
compare with G4
http://i.imgur.com/L2I6EW0.jpg
100% crop of another G6 shot
Here I'm starting to think LG really made a big mistake by using a smaller sensor and trying to compensate with too much processing.
Now here's the part I do not know: is it only an issue with the Stock app, or is it the raw sensor processing itself? The only other app I can use to take long exposures right now is Open Camera (provided I use manual focus and not autofocus) and its not so easy to test this out.
EDIT:
I think based on my wide angle shots, its a bit hard to tell but they dont seem to have the same artifact problem as the normal lens, not sure could it really be the normal camera's signal processing is having issues.
I have done a practical experiment to examine the camera behaviour:
#1. In dark room, display a long exposure of a fireworks on my monitor, then take a long exposure of it, I used this pic
http://www.9hdw.com/uploads/images/original/2013-05/871_yellow firework.jpg
#2. Play a youtube video of fireworks, then take a long exposure of the youtube video (this will show how the camera handles 'light painting' of bright objects in motion) I used this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTHkM5ZIBHk#t=36.175281
How my G6 handled the experiment (I shot using the same ISO 50, same 8s shutter and with the ND filter attached):
Static fireworks image:
http://i.imgur.com/aHfDRzT.jpg
Fireworks video:
http://i.imgur.com/Q5CnmNy.jpg
Look at the white portions of both photos. The static image looks fine. The long exposure of the video clip exhibits the same artifacting on the white portions. And yes it happens on all camera apps so definitely not a stock app issue.
I believe theres a threshold somewhere whereby if the shutter speed is too long, this kind of problem crops up (remember it only affects stuff in motion so bright things like car tail lights or fireworks). I tried the video thing again and even 4s exposures hit the issue.