p.13 #1 · Sigma DP2 Merrill: Have any of you tried it?
mpmendenhall wrote: Everywhere. Look closely at the colors of the wall --- there are patches varying between green and magenta color shifts that the real wall didn't have. Below is a version of the photo with saturation cranked way up to make it more evident. Once you realize it's there, the blotches are obvious (at least when you look for them) in this image and most of the other DP2M samples posted.
p.13 #4 · Sigma DP2 Merrill: Have any of you tried it?
mpmendenhall wrote: Everywhere. Look closely at the colors of the wall --- there are patches varying between green and magenta color shifts that the real wall didn't have. Below is a version of the photo with saturation cranked way up to make it more evident. Once you realize it's there, the blotches are obvious (at least when you look for them) in this image and most of the other DP2M samples posted.
Thank you for helping here, and yes very clear here, but not clear on the other photo, it is so minor, that you have to look very hard for it, and perhaps only see it, if you print out huge ?
p.13 #5 · Sigma DP2 Merrill: Have any of you tried it?
mpmendenhall wrote:
That image is at ISO200. The same is also present in ISO100 images. The color blotching is a base ISO issue (though it gets hilariously bad at high ISO). However, I don't want to over-inflate the magnitude of the problem; unless you know what you're looking for, you're unlikely to notice the issue in regular images. I've also seen the same base-ISO blotching in images from many other cameras, so it's not an X3-sensor-only issue.
I know, but when files are not much abused, its not that visible on ISO100. Unfortunately that leaves users with "not-so-flexibile" files. Definitely not 1D class image durability..
p.13 #6 · Sigma DP2 Merrill: Have any of you tried it?
I'm a bit impressed with the file quality - they are much more malleable than I expected. Huge improvement over earlier DP's with regard to color. Maybe Sigma has made some progress on the software side of things. I'm not seeing any color vignetting at all with the 19mm on the DP1M. That was an issue with the last DP1 I owned. Here are a few snap shots out of the DP1M. with 100% crops following each. -1 used for sharpness.
There are two main things going on here: first, an overall shift from magenta to green tones going from the center to the edges; second, a non-uniform mottling/splotching/banding of the color tint. I don't think either effect is severe enough to be annoying in "normal" pictures; nonetheless, it's something to be aware of (and maybe try to correct for) in shots where you care about accurately reproducing very fine color gradients.
There are two main things going on here: first, an overall shift from magenta to green tones going from the center to the edges; second, a non-uniform mottling/splotching/banding of the color tint. I don't think either effect is severe enough to be annoying in "normal" pictures; nonetheless, it's something to be aware of (and maybe try to correct for) in shots where you care about accurately reproducing very fine color gradients....Show more →
p.13 #9 · Sigma DP2 Merrill: Have any of you tried it?
Since I've been picking on how the DP2M handles color , how about some comments on how the sensor fares when color is out of the equation?
The DP2M files behave beautifully when reduced to black and white with a "channel mixer" conversion; the impressive sharpness and tonality of the color image carries over completely into the B&W version. This is a niche application where all Bayer-filtered sensors can quickly fall apart; when you use a channel mix dominated by one color, you throw away 1/2 to 3/4 of the pixels (so a D800 becomes a 9MPx camera with aliasing problems). With the DP2M, you still have a full super-sharp 15Mpx to work with.
But if you want an even stronger effect (a sharper/narrower wavelength cut than either the CFA on a traditional sensor or the X3 technology allows), you can put a color filter in front of the lens. Below is the same image with a B+W 091 filter ("dark red", 630nm long-pass). Notice the stronger "haze cutting" effect; longer wavelengths scatter less, so features on the distant mountain are sharper/higher contrast. http://praetoriusphoto.images.s3.amazonaws.com/fmforums/20121011_dp2m/bw_091.jpg
note how the clouds/haze increase to near opacity in the blue filter image. Detail in all color-filtered images is stunning (100% crop from the 091 red below); also, the lens was not re-focused between these --- another indicator of how well corrected the design is against chromatic aberrations. In this specialized niche, the DP2M will be hard to beat by anything less expensive/specialized than a Leica M-M. http://praetoriusphoto.images.s3.amazonaws.com/fmforums/20121011_dp2m/bw_091_crop.jpg
p.13 #10 · Sigma DP2 Merrill: Have any of you tried it?
I continue to be amazed at the detail that camera can capture.
In regards to the color problems, I wonder if it stays consistent with every shot? If it did I wonder if you could use that gray card shot to cancel out the effect? Of course if it was that simply you would think they would natively incorporate it into the image processing.
p.13 #13 · Sigma DP2 Merrill: Have any of you tried it?
mpmendenhall wrote:
Since I've been picking on how the DP2M handles color , how about some comments on how the sensor fares when color is out of the equation?
The DP2M files behave beautifully when reduced to black and white with a "channel mixer" conversion; the impressive sharpness and tonality of the color image carries over completely into the B&W version. This is a niche application where all Bayer-filtered sensors can quickly fall apart; when you use a channel mix dominated by one color, you throw away 1/2 to 3/4 of the pixels (so a D800 becomes a 9MPx camera with aliasing problems). With the DP2M, you still have a full super-sharp 15Mpx to work with.
But if you want an even stronger effect (a sharper/narrower wavelength cut than either the CFA on a traditional sensor or the X3 technology allows), you can put a color filter in front of the lens. Below is the same image with a B+W 091 filter ("dark red", 630nm long-pass). Notice the stronger "haze cutting" effect; longer wavelengths scatter less, so features on the distant mountain are sharper/higher contrast. http://praetoriusphoto.images.s3.amazonaws.com/fmforums/20121011_dp2m/bw_091.jpg
note how the clouds/haze increase to near opacity in the blue filter image. Detail in all color-filtered images is stunning (100% crop from the 091 red below); also, the lens was not re-focused between these --- another indicator of how well corrected the design is against chromatic aberrations. In this specialized niche, the DP2M will be hard to beat by anything less expensive/specialized than a Leica M-M. http://praetoriusphoto.images.s3.amazonaws.com/fmforums/20121011_dp2m/bw_091_crop.jpg...Show more →
p.13 #17 · Sigma DP2 Merrill: Have any of you tried it?
Kibsgaard wrote:
If you are looking at the first 5 pictures am I right in this quick and certainly not "scientific" interpretation:
The Merrill could do it a bit better ?
Whichever camera was in the hands of a more skilled photographer would do a lot better.
The Merrill would probably be ahead on extra-fine detail, so long as lighting allowed for ISO <= ~400. The Merrill would lose badly in low light / high ISO shots, along with cases where fast operation / autofocus / etc. is needed to capture spur-of-the-moment action. After the first few dozen shots, the Merill's battery will be dead and it will certainly not be doing better.
I'd say these two cameras each have their own separate, largely non-overlapping strengths and weaknesses, so "better" will very much depend on the specifics of the situation.
p.13 #19 · Sigma DP2 Merrill: Have any of you tried it?
mpmendenhall wrote:
Whichever camera was in the hands of a more skilled photographer would do a lot better.
......This we all know
The Merrill would probably be ahead on extra-fine detail, so long as lighting allowed for ISO <= ~400.
........This was what I was after, thank you.
The Merrill would lose badly in low light / high ISO shots, along with cases where fast operation / autofocus / etc. is needed to capture spur-of-the-moment action. After the first few dozen shots, the Merill's battery will be dead and it will certainly not be doing better.
....Yes we will have to live with this
I'd say these two cameras each have their own separate, largely non-overlapping strengths and weaknesses, so "better" will very much depend on the specifics of the situation....Show more →
.....I know therefore I wrote as I did, but we have seen some very fine portraits here - better than average, and also street photos better than average, and in my opinion better than the photos from the link from the other camera
p.13 #20 · Sigma DP2 Merrill: Have any of you tried it?
Kibsgaard wrote:
.....I know therefore I wrote as I did, but we have seen some very fine portraits here - better than average, and also street photos better than average, and in my opinion better than the photos from the link from the other camera
Thanks
um, i don't think anyone really expects the rx100 to outperform the dp2m at low iso. the rx100 is just a smaller, cheaper, more versatile camera. the dp2m is obviously a better imager (just on specs alone) in optimal shooting conditions. the rx100 can be used more easily in a lot more situations while still providing very good image quality. i don't really view them as competing cameras at all. completely different markets.
, how about some comments on how the sensor fares when color is out of the equation?