Here are a couple of ISO 3200 shots taken tonight. The light is from a High Pressure Sodium light so the color you see is accurate. These were taken with the 17-85mm at 26mm f5.6 at 1/4 sec on the motorhome and 1/15 sec on the pickup. Handheld. No PS adjustments of any kind except very slight crop on the truck.
jvarszegi wrote:
Any word on the sensor sensitivity issue?
What's the issue? To my eyes, it looks like with NR on, they are superior to any APS-C file I've ever seen. With it off, it is a similar or below 30D quality. But we all know it's just subjective. I will take a few shots tomorrow, with it on, and with it off at 1600.
The thing that stinks about NR on, is that it reduces the buffer size in Raw from about 17 to about 8. Not good for shooting sports... Hopefully there will be some form of this noise reduction in software, unless it is using a dark frame subtraction method, in which case software might not be as effective.
The 400D sensor is less sensitive than that in the 20D/30D by about half a stop. This is not an ISO rating or metering issue-- the sensor collects a bit less light, forcing one to use slower shutter speeds etc. to make up the difference, all else being equal. I am wondering if this is cured in the 40D due to the changed microlenses, etc.
jvarszegi wrote:
The 400D sensor is less sensitive than that in the 20D/30D by about half a stop. This is not an ISO rating or metering issue-- the sensor collects a bit less light, forcing one to use slower shutter speeds etc. to make up the difference, all else being equal. I am wondering if this is cured in the 40D due to the changed microlenses, etc.
* The brightened/reduced 40D shots seems to be equivalent in noise to the 20D, maybe slightly more noise but nothing to break the bank (and they may retain more detail due to other differences). The 40D is therefore eminently usable at ISO 1600, as the 20D is, even despite the differences.
* That said, the differences are real. To get the same exposure one can use a faster shutter speed on the 20D, which seems to be at least partially offset by the larger microlenses and improved processing of the 40D (that seems to help retain detail to be brought up in post).
* It would be interesting to compare 20D/30D shots pushed a half or a third of a stop to 40D shots pushed a whole stop.
* It would be interesting to compare the 20D/30D shots to 40D shots using a 1/3 and/or 2/3 stop higher ISO to get a roughly equivalent exposure. (And it would be interesting to compare the intermediate-step ISO values in general for things like clipping.)
* It would be interesting to redo all the tests with the 400D as well. This should really show the image-quality enhancements of the 40D at high ISOs to good effect.
* Underexposing may actually help to preserve highlights, even as the ADC changes including 14-bit capture may help to preserve detail in the shadows (I am not sure here how much of this is a reality).
My 40D is going back Defective LCD! You may want to double check your LCD in Live View. The first time I tried it was in an evenly and well lit room and the LCD looked fine. Later, I tried it in a dim, uneven lit room and all I could see were lines on the screen
Other than that, I love the camera! I didn't give it a good AF workout because once I found the LCD problem, I didn't want to rack up a bunch of shots on it. Guess I will have to wait a week or two to give a 40D a good workout
My put on the 40D comming from a 30D, Much better view finder, much better shadow noise, better IQ, better low light AF perfomance, much improved menu and easier to read thanks to larger screen, LCD shows better rendition of final output, live view ? not for landscape applications it also sucks down the battery, don't think I will use it much. I dont like the fact that the remote plug sticks out fwd as compared to backwards on the 30D, thats pretty minor. All together though a very fine camera, have been on 3 shoots so far and have a big one comming this weekend, I feel pretty happy with this camera and if Canon does this to the 5DMII, I will snap one up in a heart beat, this will be a great backup for 5D and 1D owners and a main for a lot of Pro's and semi pros. I got a couple of shots that absalutly astounded me as to the IQ, so I am looking forward to more use and have gone ahead and put my 30D an Craigs list, so for me anyway the jury is out. Great camera enjoy it if you get it.
John Straus wrote:
Somewhat less than scientific but I ran 4 cards through the 40D for write speeds. I only ran each through once...
20 RAW files 200-220MB divided by time in seconds (when the write indicator goes out)
Sandisk Ultra II 2GB: 6.9MB/s
Lexar 133x 4GB: 7.9MB/s
Lexar 300x 4GB: 10.4MB/s
Sandisk Extreme IV 2GB: 10.9MB/s
That Lexar 300X 4GB would be one of the new UDMA compact flash cards? (seeing as it's 300x). I wasn't aware the 40D supported those UDMA cards. Good news though!
James Cripps wrote:
That Lexar 300X 4GB would be one of the new UDMA compact flash cards? (seeing as it's 300x). I wasn't aware the 40D supported those UDMA cards. Good news though!
It "supports" them as in it can use them. The 40D doesn't have UDMA, you'd see different speeds with that. BTW, the Sandisk IV is UDMA as well.
Hey Stanj - I just got a Sandisk IV because I had read a review with that card used in the 40D. So, if we will see different speeds on the IV then do you think it will still be faster than the III? Did I just waste a little extra $$$? Thanks!
From my tests it's a wee bit faster than the III, but it's marginal and definitely not due to UDMA, which the 40D has no clue about. However, it's not wasted - just get the FW800 UDMA card reader and you can hear the bits screaming over the wire when downloading, it's amazing.
rachp wrote:
Hey, thanks for the tip on the card reader!! I got a pretty good price on the IV so I am still happy Now if I can just get a 40D back to use it in!
If I just could find a 40D in stock. B&H will not take pre-orders and says maybe next week. They will not even let any more email notifications be added to the list.
Who's got them in stock with a rep as good as B&H?
Try Wolfe Camera or Ritz Camera. They are showing "now shipping." I may be shooting myself in the foot since I am waiting on a 40D replacement from Ritz
rachp wrote:
Try Wolfe Camera or Ritz Camera. They are showing "now shipping." I may be shooting myself in the foot since I am waiting on a 40D replacement from Ritz
Thanks, they are local here. I'll call and look, but notoriously higher priced.
As of a few days ago, ritzcamera.com were showing "now shipping" for their 40D bodies but only had 40D+28-135mm kit in stock. I don't know about now but most likely both are not in stock. The kit is $1489 shipped so it's a good deal if you can get it from them.
Defective LCD! You may want to double check your LCD in Live View. The first time I tried it was in an evenly and well lit room and the LCD looked fine. Later, I tried it in a dim, uneven lit room and all I could see were lines on the screen
Thanks!
Now if I can just get a 40D back to use it in!