Those high ISO shots are very good for Nikon...it puts them on a par with Canon. I also looked at the other lower ISO shots and while it is good detail, it is certainly no better than the MkIII. I guess with all the hype I was expecting something better than Canon but there is nothing there that is going to make me consider switching on this one factor alone.
Some very interesting comments over on DP review from a Canon pro by the name of Ed Betz who had a couple of hitouts with the D3 courtesy of the Nikon rep
Jeff wrote:
Was this straight from the camera, with no 'extra' NR? Was this with 'extra' NR in-camera, or (gasp!) was some NR done in post?
Those samples came direct from the D3 Gallery page on the official Nikon website. I think it's safe to assume that there's nothing "extra" done to them beyond the norm.
Jeff wrote:
Those image do look quite good, although without knowing the status of the in-camera NR settings, I'm not quite sure what it means as a comparison. It does show that Nikon has taken some strides in the ISO department either way, but for example, the chroma reduction is very apparent in the blond hair of the ISO 3200 image.
It's very obvious that Nikon's aggressive NR is at work here, especially in that ISO 6400 sample. The complete absence of chroma noise in the black background is a dead giveaway. But I think the point is moot anyway. I've seen quite a few ISO 6400 samples from the 1Dmk3 run through Noise Ninja, and they don't look as good as that Nikon sample.
i own a mk3 and its 6400 files are certainly as good and without the heavy plastic look of the nikon shots posted. nikon did a good job but it's no home run. and canon will just top it soon anyway. the best thing is the competition that will result.
Well, I own a MKIII as well and although I'm certain my ISO 3200 images will compare with the D3 easily, I'm not sure about the ISO 6400. I shoot raw and have not tried the jpeg nr built in to the camera at ISO 6400 yet. I believe that nr will only work on jpegs.
Shane, are you talking about an ISO 6400 jpeg with camera nr on, or some post with NN or something similar? ISO 6400 testing is on my list of things to do.....just haven't gotten around to it.
Shane Canfield wrote:
i own a mk3 and its 6400 files are certainly as good and without the heavy plastic look of the nikon shots posted. nikon did a good job but it's no home run. and canon will just top it soon anyway. the best thing is the competition that will result.
I don't agree for the target market of PJ and sports (so far). But I want to know what a wide variety of shots look like out of the D3. The photos remind me of shots processed in photoshop to give a specific "look". That's not my definition of a neutral, faithful file. But I still have to congratulate the Nikon software engineers for what is a major accomplishment. How de do dat?
there is a discussion going on now at sportshooter about 30 d3s used by photogs at the games in japan. nikon shooters are thrilled of course...but no canon shooter that used it going to switch. the proof will come later. being a former nikon owner, i'm following results closely. but it has to be a serious jump ahead of canon for me to switch back, and i don't see it here. regardless, canon will trump it in a year. but i'm not taking a bath on all my stuff for this...but i was thinking about it being so annoyed about the mk3 af problems i'm having. again, the best thing here for a canon shooter is nikon is back in the hunt.
I agree completely. We all win in this situation; Nikon faithfull get the camera they have been waiting many years for and we get to see the MKIV delivering super clean images at ISO 25600. Is this a great country or what.
Switching to Nikon would be a poor business decision for me and a number of others.
As good as the Canon gear is, I haven't been tempted to switch in the past, so I should expect that Canon users for the most part shouldn't be any different. When the issues with 1DMkIII are ironed out (which I'm sure they will be) there will be some excellent options for either camp to choose from.
Shane, your point about the best thing is that Nikon is back in the hunt is right on, and is what I've felt all along. Canon gave Nikon something to shoot for, and Nikon has returned the favor. I think the subtle differences between the two brands reflect different philosophies in how the two companies approach photography and the development of gear, and some will prefer one while others will prefer the other. (Or maybe it is just where each is at technology-wise right now.) That the two are close is good for everyone. These two companies - and maybe others in the future - will keep ratcheting up the bar to new heights, and meanwhile we will benefit. These are good days for photographers!
Very good indeed. In fact, so good that no way they could've done that without noise reduction. Now I only wonder: in camera noise reduction or in post-processing.
Still, it's amazing, isn't it, shooting at ISO 3200 and ISO 6400 and getting results like that...
>As good as the Canon gear is, I haven't been tempted to switch in the past, so I should expect that Canon users for the most part shouldn't be any different.
People who switched to Canon did it to get low noise, high iso, high resolution, a better range of IS and long lenses, and of course the much better EOS mount. Some people stuck with Nikon throughout the DX years despite Nikon's failure to invest in sensor technology, a new mount, and IS. Switchers are not interested in brand loyalty. They are interested in producing the best quality images. If Nikon's D4 generation and lens range are significantly better than Canon's, and look like being so for years, then we switchers won't hesitate to switch back.
>I think the subtle differences between the two brands reflect different philosophies in how the two companies approach photography and the development of gear and some will prefer one while others will prefer the other. (Or maybe it is just where each is at technology-wise right now.)
Here's another way of looking at it: Nikon got caught napping and its haemorrhage of users towards Canon has forced it to develop its own CMOS full-frame sensor or get out of the game.
Canon gave Nikon something to shoot for, and Nikon has returned the favor.
Or you could call it surfacing just long enough to draw breath before being pulled under again by the current. Canon will be releasing a 21 megapixel camera at the same time as Nikon releases a 12. Nikon's D3 competes directly with 2 Canon bodies which are cheaper and have been available for some time: 5D and 1D3. Time will tell.
brainiac wrote:
People who switched to Canon did it to get low noise, high iso, high resolution, a better range of IS and long lenses, and of course the much better EOS mount. Some people stuck with Nikon throughout the DX years despite Nikon's failure to invest in sensor technology, a new mount, and IS. Switchers are not interested in brand loyalty. They are interested in producing the best quality images. If Nikon's D4 generation and lens range are significantly better than Canon's, and look like being so for years, then we switchers won't hesitate to switch back.
Why? Are the photos the Canon users taking now so bad that they should switch when the D4 comes out? They should hesitate; hesitate and think whether its worth it. What REAL improvements and benefits are you going to get. THEN, when its carefully weighed against your circumstance, switch if you still feel its the best course of action.
brainiac wrote:
People who switched to Canon did it to get low noise, high iso, high resolution, a better range of IS and long lenses, and of course the much better EOS mount. Some people stuck with Nikon throughout the DX years despite Nikon's failure to invest in sensor technology, a new mount, and IS. Switchers are not interested in brand loyalty. They are interested in producing the best quality images. If Nikon's D4 generation and lens range are significantly better than Canon's, and look like being so for years, then we switchers won't hesitate to switch back.
Here's another way of looking at it: Nikon got caught napping and its haemorrhage of users towards Canon has forced it to develop its own CMOS full-frame sensor or get out of the game.
Or you could call it surfacing just long enough to draw breath before being pulled under again by the current. Canon will be releasing a 21 megapixel camera at the same time as Nikon releases a 12. Nikon's D3 competes directly with 2 Canon bodies which are cheaper and have been available for some time: 5D and 1D3. Time will tell....Show more →
Tell me, what would we benefit from a new mount? Personally, I'd be pissed if Nikon released a new mount. I don't think you understand how fantastic it that I can grab a Nikon from the 70s and stick a brand new state of the art lens on it, and vice versa. What is so amazing about the ESO mount that betters it from any other mount?
