| Joined: | Wed Apr 18th, 2012 |
| Location: | United Kingdom |
| Posts: | 4186 |
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Eric wrote:
Robert wrote:
By the way, a 12Mp D3, can't possibly compete with a 12Mp D300S when cropping to the same magnification.
PPD, pixels per duck! Think about it... Simple maths. Brick size pixels.
That's not true Robert, despite your maths.
I struggled over far too many experiments with the D3 and the D300 (notS) trying to decide if there was any difference in image quality cropping a D3 to D300 frame. Inconclusive at best. The only image benefits come from not emphasising noise by cropping. So in poor light the D3's better handing of noise ( 1-2stops ) meant cropping never emphasised the noise as much as the DX performance at the same ISO.
In good light there was no difference.
I am not ignoring this post Eric, I appreciate the challenge, I simply want to gain a better understanding before I respond.
I do still feel Jeff's question is about more than noise, it's about improving his images, if that's possible! Noise isn't the only issue, at least, not in my opinion. I tried to simplify it.
Obviously it needs backing up with something demonstrable. I have both the D300S and the D3, so I will try to compare the two.
I thought you were thwacking pavers. 😆
I understand there are two different issues here....sharpness and noise. But they are intrinsically linked because the method of de-noising reduces sharpness. Yes, we can mask the subject and remove noise selectively, but that's extra work. I am convinced that if our ooc images had no noise upto 4000/5000 we would all have less processing to do and be much happier bunnies....as we can then add sharpening to the images without fear the noise will be made evident. But maybe that's just me.
I will be interested to see the results of you experiment as I never had the S version, just the straight D300. Jonathan said the D3S was better at handling noise than the D3 so maybe at the same time they improved the D300.
There is no doubt that cropping any cameras image will amplify whatever noise is there as well. The basic question is whether the capture noise level in an FX is sufficiently better ...such that on enlargement it is STILL better or as good as the image out of the DX camera.
My assessment of the two was under good lighting ...ie 200iso. So no noise to worry about. To be honest, I wasn't even thinking of noise when I did the test, just the need to carry round the DX body as ell as the D3. Perhaps had I done the test at 2000iso it might have given me a different slant. Because I do feel that noise and the specifically the handling of noise has an important influence on perceived sharpness.
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Eric