Arka
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 p.1 #5 · 1D2 v's 300D is it really worth 4.5 times as much? | |
Horses for courses. It's not really a dedicated landscape camera to be sure, but I sure think it's better at it than my 10D was. The added dynamic range it can capture in a frame precludes the need to composite bracketed exposures as often, and that's one thing I LOVE about this camera. In terms of detail, it's not a 1Ds, but for the added versatility, I think I can take the hit in detail. And if I remember from Phil's Tower Bridge shots, the 1Ds holds a noticeable but still slight edge in the rendering of detail.
For my uses, the 1D II produces files of outstanding quality at higher ISO. Testing in the field is somewhat different from Testing in Phil Askey's controlled conditions, and I must say that Phils 'in vitro' findings don't really translate perfectly the real world. WRT to high ISO, the noise levels are about the same as the 10D, but the quality of the noise is very different. The 1D II's noise is pretty random, and the larger image frame with more pixels (though same pixel density) is almost invisible in prints. I'll see if I can scan an 800 ISO landscape that I recently printed at 20x30 tonight to show you what I mean. There is no visible noise in the shadow areas in prints, and to me, that counts for a lot.
You are asking if the camera is worth 4.5 times the 300D? Hard to say. I was able to get great results with my 10D with some effort, and I certainly appreciate what that 6MP 1.6x sensor can do. I certainly would not want to use a camera without mirror lock up, or one that did not give me complete control over my focusing and metering modes. But is it worth 4.5 times as much? All I can say to that is that I am experiencing NO buyer's regfret, and that the camera is doing a world of good for my photography, so I would say yes. With all high end products, you are seeing a case of diminishing returns here. But given the enormous functionality and versatility you get with the 1D II (let's see, weather sealed, incredible battery life, 1.3x, 8.5 FPS, better flash system, spot meter with multispot metering, dual media slots, superior white balance, instant responsiveness, deep shot buffer, more durable build, etc etc), I think it is pretty close to being worth it. I think the better question to ask is whether a 1Ds is worth almost twice as much as a 1D II, and to that question, I would definitely answer no. The 1D II's high ISO performance and speed alone make it a more versatile camera than the 1Ds. And if you look at the 18x24's and 20x30's that I am getting off this camera and compare it to what you see off my 10D, there is a clear difference. So, as a user of both 1.6x cameras and the 1D II, I can definitely say that it was worth it for me to make the upgrade.
Arka C.
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