Daan B wrote:
The 1Ds3 goes to ISO3200... do you agree that a possible explanation for Canon not having included ISO6400-12800 in the 1Ds3, is because of the amp noise "issue" and DIGIC3 limitations?
Yes, although as a 1Ds3 owner I wished the 6400 and 12800 settings were there, because I was quite happy with the results that I got at those speeds.
And maybe also to make the 1D3 stand out more from the 1Ds3. Probably the same reason why Canon didn't include a 10MP sRAW function in the 1Ds3.
I don't get this point. Why would Canon rather sell a $4000 1D3 over an $8000 1Ds3?
The D3x goes to ISO6400 and was released later than the 1Ds3.
But its predecessors, the D700 and D3 both went up to iso 25600. The performance is no different but the settings aren't there. The salient difference between D3/D700 and D3x is the number of pixels.
Still, you speak of the D3x and 1Ds3 as similair type of cameras that have been deprived of higher ISO's.
Yes - both have over 20 Mpixels, and I believe that is the real reason why both Canon and Nikon shied away from giving them settings that would have produced usable results.
I also think a clear distinction should be made here. So, am I correct to assume you want to narrow this discussion down to the D3x?
No, I think the cameras have much in common, and I think it may not be a coincidence that each lacks higher iso settings.
Now to your question, I do believe that the Nikon engineers are aware that the D3x is comparable to the D700 at ISO6400. But I fail to see how this "proves" that the reason why the D3x didn't get >ISO6400, is because Nikon "can't be bothered to explain anybody that printing or downrezzing the files makes them competitive with everyone's high iso favourite, the D700".
OK - let me put that in less charged language: it seems possible to me that Canon and Nikon shied away from providing those settings in these high resolution cameras because they understood that the results would not be fairly compared to lower resolution competitors, even competitors from the same manufacturer.
No, I think it has more to do with Nikon engineers (and probably mostly marketeers) keeping a close eye on their direct competition... and concluding that ISO6400 is enough since the 1Ds3 "only" goes to ISO3200. Engineers only make cameras that Marketing wants them to make.
I think the marketers want the highest iso limits possible without a backlash of reviewers and users slamming the performance. That's the problem with the 100% view and the widespread failure to compare fairly.