p.1 #2 · Great Nikon D800E v.s Hasselblad H4D40 tests
Great! Thanks for posting. A fun read, and while I was a bit "disappointed" that my little D800E was inferior in the end, I had to remind myself that it IS 1/5th the cost. This was my whole reason I got the D800E: to get close to medium format, keep the 35mm weight and maintain my investment in Nikon lenses. Yeah, this is just one set of tests, but it it is pretty impressive how close the D800E came. I love the sliders for comparison.
p.1 #5 · Great Nikon D800E v.s Hasselblad H4D40 tests
ronno wrote:
And the difference is only noticeable at 100% views on a computer screen. Try seeing any difference in print...
Not sure if you are being sarcastic or not, but that's just simply not true. Color accuracy/tonality and three dimensionality are still a quantum leap ahead.
If you have never used a H4D, or even held one, I wouldn't comment.
Sincerely,
Guy who switched from Canon to Nikon just for the D800E.
p.1 #6 · Great Nikon D800E v.s Hasselblad H4D40 tests
A gentle caution in reading the linked review.
The reviewer stated that he tested the D800E at f/16 or f/11. His reasoning is that these are the apertures he uses in his studio, so he was not testing the "best" possible result from the sensor, only a real world comparison for his particular requirements.
With the D800E, apertures higher than about f/5.6 will begin to impact the performance due to diffraction. In my own tests with a D800E, f/11 and higher result in images which are visibly softer, to the point that I would see no reason to purchase a D800/E if I was degrading the IQ to that of a lower resolution device.
I am not questioning the validity of the test for the author's own requirements - but think it's important to note (if, as stated, the images were shot at small apertures) that his conclusions apply only to his particular needs and one must be cautions in extrapolating the conclusions to one's own requirements.
p.1 #7 · Great Nikon D800E v.s Hasselblad H4D40 tests
That's a fair point: the studio D800E shots do not truly represent the capability of the sensor.
The 105VR isn't the sharpest tool in the box re: Zone 1 performance in any case, but the very evident lack of contrast and fine resolution created by the lens isn't fair to the Nikon body. Shooting each at their optimal aperture, the test would have looked rather different, and conclusion even more shocking.
p.1 #8 · Great Nikon D800E v.s Hasselblad H4D40 tests
That's a fair point: the studio D800E shots do not truly represent the capability of the sensor.
The 105VR isn't the sharpest tool in the box re: Zone 1 performance in any case, but the very evident lack of contrast and fine resolution created by the lens isn't fair to the Nikon body. Shooting each at their optimal aperture, the test would have looked rather different, and the conclusion even more shocking.
p.1 #9 · Great Nikon D800E v.s Hasselblad H4D40 tests
canondoc wrote:
If you have never used a H4D, or even held one, I wouldn't comment.
Sincerely,
Guy who switched from Canon to Nikon just for the D800E.
I have used the H system with many backs over the years. And I believe the perceived differences (e.g. "accuracy/tonality and three dimensionality) are over blown. Looking at the thousands of HUGE prints in galleries and museums in NYC over the years (Annie Liebovitz. Avedon, Greg Kadel, Raphael Mazzucco, Sarah Moon, Ellen Vonunwerth...) it is essentially impossible to know which camera shot what when viewing a print. (excluding stuff shot on view cameras.)
(I know these arguments are never ending, but those are my observations.)
I expect you to respond now by suggesting that if I weren't blind I'd be able to see the huge differences... ;-)
p.1 #10 · Great Nikon D800E v.s Hasselblad H4D40 tests
ronno wrote:
I have used the H system with many backs over the years. And I believe the perceived differences (e.g. "accuracy/tonality and three dimensionality) are over blown. Looking at the thousands of HUGE prints in galleries and museums in NYC over the years (Annie Liebovitz. Avedon, Greg Kadel, Raphael Mazzucco, Sarah Moon, Ellen Vonunwerth...) it is essentially impossible to know which camera shot what when viewing a print. (excluding stuff shot on view cameras.)
(I know these arguments are never ending, but those are my observations.)
I expect you to respond now by suggesting that if I weren't blind I'd be able to see the huge differences... ;-) ...Show more →
You could say the same thing about the differences between a d300 and a D800E.
p.1 #12 · Great Nikon D800E v.s Hasselblad H4D40 tests
I bet there would be pretty noticeable differences between a 12mp APS-C sensor's detail and a 36mp full frame sensor's detail when it comes to blowing up an image to mural-size.
p.1 #13 · Great Nikon D800E v.s Hasselblad H4D40 tests
form wrote:
I bet there would be pretty noticeable differences between a 12mp APS-C sensor's detail and a 36mp full frame sensor's detail when it comes to blowing up an image to mural-size.
p.1 #15 · Great Nikon D800E v.s Hasselblad H4D40 tests
hubsand wrote:
That's a fair point: the studio D800E shots do not truly represent the capability of the sensor.
The 105VR isn't the sharpest tool in the box re: Zone 1 performance in any case, but the very evident lack of contrast and fine resolution created by the lens isn't fair to the Nikon body. Shooting each at their optimal aperture, the test would have looked rather different, and the conclusion even more shocking.
Well..... the 105mm f/2.8 macro is pretty darn sharp! At least mine is. Here is a photo (snapshot portrait) of a woman I know. I did not process any blemishes out. It works great on my D800E... Copy & paste the whole link below in address bar.
p.1 #16 · Great Nikon D800E v.s Hasselblad H4D40 tests
s_lowell wrote:
With the D800E, apertures higher than about f/5.6 will begin to impact the performance due to diffraction. In my own tests with a D800E, f/11 and higher result in images which are visibly softer, to the point that I would see no reason to purchase a D800/E if I was degrading the IQ to that of a lower resolution device.
Stephen
Really? Wouldn't most landscape shooters be shooting at f/8-f/11?
p.1 #17 · Great Nikon D800E v.s Hasselblad H4D40 tests
Really? Wouldn't most landscape shooters be shooting at f/8-f/11?
I have read the same elsewhere - that by the time you stop down to F/8 or F/11 or F/16 you may as well be using the non "e" version, as the resolution (due to diffraction) becomes the same. In other words you can only reap the benefits of the sharper D800e files at f4, maybe F/5.6 and that is it. (this is according to side-to-side tests I have read elsewhere on the web.)
p.1 #20 · Great Nikon D800E v.s Hasselblad H4D40 tests
form wrote:
I bet there would be pretty noticeable differences between a 12mp APS-C sensor's detail and a 36mp full frame sensor's detail when it comes to blowing up an image to mural-size.
Weird. First you were talking about image quality, now you're changing it up. Interesting way to prove your point.
