Archive 2010 · D3S vs D3/D700 High ISO

dj dunzie
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p.3 #1 · p.3 #1 · D3S vs D3/D700 High ISO

camerapapi wrote:
Unquestionably DJ that a photographer making a living with his cameras has to select the proper tools for his job. A wedding photographer, or the particular case of Will with his low light rodeos, that finds that those high ISO settings will make a difference in his job, needs to go for the D3S.
Showing results like yours makes other photographers, less experienced by the way, believe that a camera with such a performance is the tool to own when indeed low light photography is mostly reserved for professionals in need of that performance. Nobody needs a D3S for landscape work...Show more →

VERY well said William... and right on the money.

Aug 18, 2010 at 04:42 AM

J4644
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p.3 #2 · p.3 #2 · D3S vs D3/D700 High ISO

dj,

Nice work. Thanks for putting that together. Your glass collection is impressive.

Jim

Aug 19, 2010 at 05:51 AM

Rodolfo Paiz
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p.3 #3 · p.3 #3 · D3S vs D3/D700 High ISO

Keep in mind, that shelf doesn't hold the 300.

Aug 19, 2010 at 08:13 AM

elkhornsun
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p.3 #4 · p.3 #4 · D3S vs D3/D700 High ISO

One can gain a full f-stop with the D3s over the D3 and for a new camera the extra $300 when both were being sold side by side was a worthwhile investment.

But as you mentioned with commenting on hockey it is when subjects are in motion and the lighting is low or has a emphasis on the bottom end of the spectrum and the reds have to be amplified a good deal that an extra stop is useful.

With an f2 lens I can gain a stop over a f2.8 but then I lose DOF as well so the extra ISO capability can provide results not possible unless resorting to flash which has its limitations as well - though not nearly as much as people often think.

The background can be underexposed by a full stop and as long as the central subject(s) are properly exposed with flash the image looks fine and is actually often better than one taken without flash as their is less subject separation and less impact.

Where the gap is very pronounced is with a camera like the D300s that is supposed to be a ISO 3200 capable camera but usually starts to produce a great deal of noise at settings above ISO 1250.

Aug 20, 2010 at 07:29 PM

Alan321
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p.3 #5 · p.3 #5 · D3S vs D3/D700 High ISO

I reckon the extra dynamic range of the D3s at mid to high ISOs would be quite useful for hand-held landscape work, where the shadow areas under trees hold wanted details but the highlights out in the sunshine risk getting blown out. Sure you could get the same or better DR by using a tripod and a slow exposure at low ISO on almost any camera but if there's a bit of wind or moving water then a faster shutter speed is often required, and then it's necessary to increase the ISO. Throw in some moving animals and you may need still faster ISO. The need for faster ISO and shutter speed gets worse as the focal length increases.

I've had plenty of ISO 6400 shots where the DR has been maxed out and darker subject detail has been lost in the noise while highlights are at the point of being blown. I'm looking to get a D3s or D700s to help prevent that. The test results in this thread plus the likes of DxOmark show that the D3s sensor has a clear advantage over the D700. The DxOmark results show the DR difference is significant at all ISO ratings above 1600.

- Alan

Sep 04, 2010 at 12:49 PM

Kit Laughlin
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p.3 #6 · p.3 #6 · D3S vs D3/D700 High ISO

DJ: thanks for that. What you have shown here (among other things!) is just how good the D700 sensor is, and totally usable up to ISO 3200, as I wrote on another thread only a moment ago.

I can see how an extra stop of DR can be handy (hey, five stops would be handier still) but value-for-money, the D700 is an amazing tool.

Thanks for the comparison, KL

Sep 04, 2010 at 06:26 PM

dj dunzie
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p.3 #7 · p.3 #7 · D3S vs D3/D700 High ISO

Kit Laughlin wrote:
DJ: thanks for that. What you have shown here (among other things!) is just how good the D700 sensor is, and totally usable up to ISO 3200, as I wrote on another thread only a moment ago.

I can see how an extra stop of DR can be handy (hey, five stops would be handier still) but value-for-money, the D700 is an amazing tool.

Thanks for the comparison, KL

Agreed 100%.

Sep 04, 2010 at 08:06 PM

zesto
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p.3 #8 · p.3 #8 · D3S vs D3/D700 High ISO

Well done.

Personally, I have no need for a D3s as I rarely use my D3 or D700 past ISO 1600. I've always thought of the D3s as a interim camera before the D4 comes out next year. Camera bodies just depreciate far too much and I'd rather put my money into lenses.

Sep 04, 2010 at 09:28 PM

rlacy
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p.3 #9 · p.3 #9 · D3S vs D3/D700 High ISO

Thanks very much for your time and effort to put this together. Looks like you did a really nice job of comparing and analyzing. I shoot with a D700 and do mostly landscapes, nature, architecture and some portraits. I have often looked at the D3S and lusted. But after looking at your examples and knowing that I shoot mostly on a tripod at relatively normal ISO's, I really don't need a D3S. My D700 performs well at the ISO's I use and I am really pleased with it. Obviously others have different needs and the D3S may be their answer--it seems to be a remarkable camera

Thanks again for doing this. Makes me feel much better about my D700.

Ron

PS--By the way, I have been shooting long enough that I remember when ISO 200-400 film was very high speed and could be very grainy. Photography has come a long way!

Sep 05, 2010 at 09:53 AM

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