Hmm, at 100% my S100 RAW looks sharper than my 7D RAW

Home · Register · Search · Software · Hosting · Software · Join Upload & Sell

FM Forum Rules
Canon SLRs, primes, and zooms lenses reviews

FM Forums \| Canon-mount SLRs \| Join Upload & Sell
end

akin_t
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #1 · Hmm, at 100% my S100 RAW looks sharper than my 7D RAW

When I pixel peep in Lightroom (at the 100% pixel level), my S100 RAW seem crisper than my 7D RAW ... I just noticed this off the bat and haven't done a conclusive investigation.

I can post pictures for comparison when I get home, but I was wondering if anyone knew why this would ever happen?

Aug 13, 2012 at 02:24 PM

ultrapix
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #2 · Hmm, at 100% my S100 RAW looks sharper than my 7D RAW

10 MP Vs 18 MP means a much smaller size. Add a virtual absence of blur (short focal lenght), a well matched lens/sensor, and what you see looks no longer so strange.
To see the SLR edge, you should print a large size with both, after a proper shooting and PP, better if no base ISO. BTW, enjoy the S100 even more!

Aug 13, 2012 at 02:31 PM

mco_970
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #3 · Hmm, at 100% my S100 RAW looks sharper than my 7D RAW

Uprez the S100 shot to the same size, or downrez the 7D shot to 10 MP to get a more true comparison.

Aug 13, 2012 at 02:54 PM

gdanmitchell
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #4 · Hmm, at 100% my S100 RAW looks sharper than my 7D RAW

akin_t wrote:
When I pixel peep in Lightroom (at the 100% pixel level), my S100 RAW seem crisper than my 7D RAW ... I just noticed this off the bat and haven't done a conclusive investigation.

I can post pictures for comparison when I get home, but I was wondering if anyone knew why this would ever happen?

100% crops from various sensor sizes and photosite densities do not provide a valid comparison. Here is an article that may give you some idea of what the problem is with this sort of comparison: http://www.gdanmitchell.com/2011/05/01/why-your-21mp-file-looks-softer-than-your-12mp-image-at-100

mco_970 wrote:
Uprez the S100 shot to the same size, or downrez the 7D shot to 10 MP to get a more true comparison.

The best comparison is look at actual, real-world output from both systems at the same size. This could be in the form of a print of some size that you might actually produce with both systems. Or, if you only share electronic files, you could compare the results at a typical image size for your work.

All other methods of comparison are fraught with potential problems.

Dan

Aug 13, 2012 at 04:46 PM

AmbientMike
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #5 · Hmm, at 100% my S100 RAW looks sharper than my 7D RAW

Just go in to editing software and enlarge the 10 mp file to 100% and the 18 to smaller % but same size subject. I do it in an ancient version of elements. Not that hard.

Aug 14, 2012 at 01:52 AM

uz2work
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #6 · Hmm, at 100% my S100 RAW looks sharper than my 7D RAW

Going along with with all of the others have said, if you compare raw files from a 4 MP 1D to those from a 1Ds Mark III or a 5D Mark III or a 1DX all at 100%, you will wonder why everyone isn't shooting with a 10 year old 1D. As the others have said, comparisons of files from cameras with different sensor sizes and pixel counts all at 100% are meaningless. I'd also wonder about the possibility that there is more sharpening applied to the raw files from the S100 than to those from the 7D by default when Lightroom opens the files.

Les

Aug 14, 2012 at 01:59 AM

AmbientMike
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #7 · Hmm, at 100% my S100 RAW looks sharper than my 7D RAW

Been surprised at times at iq from small sensor. Certainly m4/3 is high quality s100 has 7.5x5.5mm sensor though which is still pretty small. Might up 7d sharpnessin pp. Might check out photozone.de see if tjey tested these.

Aug 14, 2012 at 02:48 AM

kodakeos
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #8 · Hmm, at 100% my S100 RAW looks sharper than my 7D RAW

dont forget about the higher AA filter in a DSLR as they are designed to give better color, meaning a softer images.
The more basic the camera, the higher the 'out of box' experience. Obviously this has its drawbacks.

Aug 14, 2012 at 03:32 PM

surf monkey
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #9 · Hmm, at 100% my S100 RAW looks sharper than my 7D RAW

Besides the sensor/processing aspect, the lens on the 7D and the settings you're using will have a great deal to do with the sharpness.

Are you using the same ISO, equivalent aperture and focal length. Remember that f2.8 on the s100 would be equivalent to a much higher aperture in terms of DOF on the 7D, more like f8.

Aug 14, 2012 at 07:25 PM

RCicala
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #10 · Hmm, at 100% my S100 RAW looks sharper than my 7D RAW

Just make a nice size print, even just 8 X 10 of each is probably large enough, but an 11 X 16 is even better. Prints tend to clarify "what I see at 100% questions".

Aug 14, 2012 at 07:33 PM

Gochugogi
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #11 · Hmm, at 100% my S100 RAW looks sharper than my 7D RAW

RCicala wrote:
Just make a nice size print, even just 8 X 10 of each is probably large enough, but an 11 X 16 is even better. Prints tend to clarify "what I see at 100% questions".

And, of course, most photogs rarely or never print so that's why this question comes up so often.

Aug 14, 2012 at 08:24 PM

end
FM Forums \| Canon-mount SLRs \| Join Upload & Sell end