I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

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I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on ...

zesto
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p.3 #1 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

S Dilworth wrote:
With a good enough lens and a Profoto Giant Reflector, you might be surprised what your camera would do. The crop above isn’t a 100 % crop (neither did mshi claim it to be, but people make assumptions).

I use my Nikon 200 f/2 VR II or Zeiss 100/2 MP for portraits on the D800E and I very much doubt whether it will come close to the above shot by mshi even at ISO 100. I'm not assuming the same is a crop either.

This is a quick shot I took the other day. A snapshot really. D800E, 200 f/2 VR II @ f/2.2. Cropped about 25%.

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Dec 05, 2012 at 11:03 AM

Graham Mitchell
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p.3 #2 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

Mescalamba wrote:

Leica DMR actually had 16-bit. And it used it fully

No camera has ever used 16 bits fully. The least significant bit or two is just noise.

Dec 05, 2012 at 01:31 PM

Graham Mitchell
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p.3 #3 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

mshi wrote:

Here is another crop with the sharpening settings all set to ZERO.

No matter what the settings say, that image has been sharpened. Many camera manufacturers do things to RAW files and the RAW processors to give you a better looking file out of the box, e.g. noise reduction. Let's just say that the '0' is a marketing 0.

Dec 05, 2012 at 01:34 PM

Graham Mitchell
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p.3 #4 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

Alan321 wrote:
I'd like to know how a D800 viewfinder can be appreciably different from a 1Ds3 viewfinder or any other "full frame" viewfinder,

Just the magnification factor. But most DSLRs have inadequate viewfinders, imo.

Dec 05, 2012 at 01:37 PM

rk-d
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p.3 #5 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

Graham Mitchell wrote:
Alan321 wrote:
I'd like to know how a D800 viewfinder can be appreciably different from a 1Ds3 viewfinder or any other "full frame" viewfinder,

Just the magnification factor. But most DSLRs have inadequate viewfinders, imo.

The d800 VF is not particularly bright - this was the biggest difference I saw between it and the 5d3. Not a dealbreaker by any stretch.

Dec 05, 2012 at 01:39 PM

roman.johnston
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p.3 #6 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

Graham Mitchell wrote:
Alan321 wrote:
I'd like to know how a D800 viewfinder can be appreciably different from a 1Ds3 viewfinder or any other "full frame" viewfinder,

Just the magnification factor. But most DSLRs have inadequate viewfinders, imo.

Weird...but I still don't get the viewfinder thingy. I look through it, I see the scene I am wishing to compose.....Little bit brighter....little less brighter...eh....not that big a deal.

Or am I missing something.
Roman

Dec 05, 2012 at 05:30 PM

Dustin Gent
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p.3 #7 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

Well before I bought my 1Ds, I had only had crop bodies. First thing I noticed about the 1Ds was the viewfinder. Makes a difference, especially when there is no live view or whatnot - especially when using manual focus glass, as I do

Dec 05, 2012 at 07:07 PM

woos
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p.3 #8 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

Graham Mitchell wrote:
Mescalamba wrote:

Leica DMR actually had 16-bit. And it used it fully

No camera has ever used 16 bits fully. The least significant bit or two is just noise.

+1 Yep hehe. That might change soon, though, with on-chip DACs and tech like exmor from Sony (well, from IBM I believe but yeah). Apparently the Leica M chip (new one) also uses digital CDS as well. Supposedly. It wouldn't take much more improvement over the D800 chip to make good use of 15 bits. 16-bits nah, but we'll get there at this rate I believe. At this point I think high ISO is so good, I want some deep deep full well capacity and base ISO 50 or so ;-0 More concerned with the Canon side of things. First they came out with 14-bit raw without restrictions on shooting speeds, etc, but then haven't really "grown" into it.

Dec 05, 2012 at 09:04 PM

Graham Mitchell
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p.3 #9 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

roman.johnston wrote:

Weird...but I still don't get the viewfinder thingy. I look through it, I see the scene I am wishing to compose.....Little bit brighter....little less brighter...eh....not that big a deal.

Or am I missing something.
Roman

Brightness is one thing, and if you're trying to manually focus in low light you'd appreciate all the brightness your VF could muster. It also makes viewing easier on the eye in general.

We're not just talking brightness though - we are also talking apparent image size. Which viewfinder would you prefer when judging composition and focus accuracy?

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It's a no-brainer for most people. Seeing what you're working on is rather important. By the way, I chose to make the image that way because the size difference represents the different apparent image sizes between the worst and best SLR viewfinders ever made that I'm aware of. I'd take the larger one any day. Medium format is significantly larger still, and one of the compelling advantages of the format.

Dec 05, 2012 at 11:11 PM

roman.johnston
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p.3 #10 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

When you put them side by side....I can of course see the relative difference you are trying to get across. But I have looked through MF, through FF and through DX and never do I say....I wish I could see more. But again...landscape I do not live in the viewfinder, and often find myself only looking quickly as I narrow down my composition....then switch to live view for final tack sharp focus.

So...actually it doesn't matter much to me as long as I can see I have things framed like I want (which I often work out before I ever put my eye up to the viewfinder)

But that is from a landscape shooters perspective. I am guessing if I were a wedding shooter where I lived in the viewfinder....I would probably place more value on it.

Roman

Dec 06, 2012 at 12:13 AM

Graham Mitchell
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p.3 #11 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

roman.johnston wrote:
When you put them side by side....I can of course see the relative difference you are trying to get across. But I have looked through MF, through FF and through DX and never do I say....I wish I could see more. But again...landscape I do not live in the viewfinder, and often find myself only looking quickly as I narrow down my composition....then switch to live view for final tack sharp focus.

So...actually it doesn't matter much to me as long as I can see I have things framed like I want (which I often work out before I ever put my eye up to the viewfinder)

But that is from a landscape shooters perspective. I am guessing if I were a wedding shooter where I lived in the viewfinder....I would probably place more value on it.

Roman

Ok, if you shoot landscape then it makes more sense. If you are shooting people and want to see when the model blinks through the viewfinder, for example, or notice some stray hairs etc, you can never have too much viewfinder size.

Dec 06, 2012 at 03:54 AM

mshi
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p.3 #12 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

Medium Format doesn't have to cost multiples of a DSLR system. Today, you can buy, for example, an excellent quality used Hassy 503C/M system with lenses for under two grand easily. Adding a digital back for another six to eight grand, you're still under ten grand that a Nikon or Canon system can easily set you back. Quality from MF will speak volume when you do your big C-Prints later.

Check out the French shooter Peerre Gonnord's work, who hasn't UPDATED his hassy since 1980s. But he shoots his hassy with a digital back. I met him in Atlanta last month, what a terrific guy.

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Dec 06, 2012 at 04:08 AM

funwithlight
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p.3 #13 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

wow, those shots are otherworldly. Thanks for sharing them, mshi. My favourite is the first one.

Dec 06, 2012 at 04:31 AM

mshi
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p.3 #14 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

funwithlight wrote:
wow, those shots are otherworldly. Thanks for sharing them, mshi. My favourite is the first one.

Those online images can't give you the real sense that wall-sized c-prints can give you, and as a viewer you feel as if you are scrutinized by the eyes of the people in those images. I am afraid Nikon D800E can't simply achieve that effect on c-prints. Pierre Gonnord likes to shoot in natural light as he told me. And you can check out more of his work on his site: http://www.pierregonnord.com/ or at http://www.google.com/search?q=Pierre+Gonnord&hl=en&tbo=d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=0inAUJG9FZCG9gScmYC4CA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAA&biw=1920&bih=1056

Dec 06, 2012 at 04:39 AM

zesto
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p.3 #15 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

Magnificent! I like them all, particularly #2.

Dec 06, 2012 at 05:33 AM

mshi
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p.3 #16 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

Here is a behind-the-scene video of the legendary Italian fashion Photographer Paolo Roversi at work. Pay attention to the camera that he is using in vid.

http://www.vogue.it/magazine/supplementi-vogue/2011/09/the-haute-couture

and his final output:

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Dec 06, 2012 at 03:14 PM

SoundHound
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p.3 #17 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

You could make the argument that the legendary Italian photographer became a legend over time while settling into the 6X6 Hasselblad (and probably that for some but not all his work) in the "Film Days."

With a gaggle of technicians (lighting, camera and film lab) wardrobe, makup and complete control of subject and lighting he doesn't need to go digital. But that doesn't mean that you can't get the same or "better," faster, cheaper results with some kind of a digital set up. As I view the posted shots they are unremarkable technically but certainly creative in wardrobe, posing and fashion concept.

Dec 07, 2012 at 05:31 PM

mshi
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p.3 #18 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

SoundHound wrote:
You could make the argument that the legendary Italian photographer became a legend over time while settling into the 6X6 Hasselblad (and probably that for some but not all his work) in the "Film Days."

With a gaggle of technicians (lighting, camera and film lab) wardrobe, makup and complete control of subject and lighting he doesn't need to go digital. But that doesn't mean that you can't get the same or "better," faster, cheaper results with some kind of a digital set up. As I view the posted shots they are unremarkable technically but certainly creative in wardrobe, posing and fashion concept.

Those final images out of the shoot are masterpieces according to my lowly taste though. Paolo Roversi had been famous for shooting 8x10 Polaroid in constant light in film days because only Polaroid could give him the uncontrollable randomness that he has always dreamed to obtain in his images. The video in the above link, however, shows he was shooting digitally tethered with Capture One in constant lighting condition.

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Dec 07, 2012 at 11:33 PM

bemyzeke
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p.3 #19 · I was just looking at a D800 vs a MF 40MP shot I have on file

It looks so because of flat light. try it in a studio setting with proper lighting. The difference will be extraordinary.

zesto wrote:

I use my Nikon 200 f/2 VR II or Zeiss 100/2 MP for portraits on the D800E and I very much doubt whether it will come close to the above shot by mshi even at ISO 100. I'm not assuming the same is a crop either.

This is a quick shot I took the other day. A snapshot really. D800E, 200 f/2 VR II @ f/2.2. Cropped about 25%.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Dec 08, 2012 at 08:07 PM

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