jimmy462 Offline Upload & Sell: On
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Christian H wrote:
Speaking as a wildlife photographer, I'd say that noise is rarely a limiter for high-ISO shooting with these modern sensors. The problem is that COLOR falls apart around ISO 1600. The precise location of that tipping-point varies among bodies and subject light and colors, but the test images you posted show what I mean. You can squeeze a bit more out of the D3s, D4s, and even the D750, but at some point you just have to wait for better light.
Hi Christian H,
Loss of color depth at high-ISO's is a common problem (to my knowledge) across all platforms and is already a problem I face with my 7D. It becomes a question of degree, then. Given that my 7D comes in with a DxO-tested color depth of 22 bits, I'll gladly take any improvement in that regard! FWIW, DxO reports 25.7 bits for the D810, and the D7200 has not yet tested by them. Comparing the 7D Mark II, at 22.4 bits, is part of the reason I am looking over the fence at what Nikon is offering.
As for, waiting for better light, well, it's not too hard for me to find EV 5 conditions in the middle of a sunny day while shooting deep in the woods. As I shoot my subjects in the light I find them in, any help in sensor performance is what I'm after.
I shoot with D8xx bodies these days, and my rule of thumb is that anything up to ISO 1600 will show minimal noise with great colors, whatever the light. Higher ISOs can work, but only in very good light. I might use them to ramp up my shutter speed, but not to compensate for low light, per se.
I agree, and your advice is sound. However, while shooting Louisiana Waterthrushes at their muddy stream-side nest feeding their young ones required me to boost ISO to 6400 at f/5.6 (widest I could go at 800mm) just to get my shutter speed up to 1/60 second (at noon!). Needless to say, neither the 7D nor the 5D2 were up to the task. The 7D does just fine giving me the shutter speeds I need under ISO 1600 on sunny days, though it would be nice to enjoy some extra DR at lower ISOs!
Thanks for sharing your experiences, it is appreciated!
Jimmy G
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