2nd Body Arrived

Hi CM,

Yes, it is and thanks for asking. I'm just getting the logistics done so that the site is reasonably secure. I have many articles planned: the new Zeiss lenses, Canon 5D, Leica DMR, long-term review report on the R-D1, etc.. I had hoped to be able to do it via a secure version of PDF but the software for that is $5000 it seems. If anyone on this list is an expert on secure PDF, I'd welcome advice off-list at sreid@sover.net. I'm just looking at ways to create the site so that only legitimate subscribers have access to the content. I want to prevent piracy as much as I can.

Fortunately, I'm much more knowledgeable about photography than about web site creation.


Cheers,

Sean
 
Sean Reid said:
My second R-D1 body arrived today, a long-term loan unit from Epson with, possibly, just 280 exposures on it (don't know if the counter was reset or not). It's great timing because I'm shooting a wedding on Saturday and will use the Ultron 28 on one body and the Nokton 50 on the other.
Click to expand...

Hi Sean,

Just wondering how the wedding went with the two cameras...?

Phil (very, very close to buying a 2nd R-D1)
 
It went very well and it was great to have the 50 and 28 at hand without switching. My only slight dissapointment came in comparing the high ISO color files with those from the 5D (admittedly a tough camera to compete with in terms of noise etc.). For B&W, I like the R-D1 all the way up to ISO1600 (and sometimes even pushed beyond that). In color, I like it better up to ISO 800. That said, ISO 1600 in color is certainly useable from the camera, it's just not in the same league as the newest Canons. At any ISO, I now prefer the R-D1 color conversions in C1 to those from PhotoRAW. C1 really nails the skintones whereas PhotoRAW (even with careful WB selection by eyedropper) still tends to run a little reddish. The C1 color conversions also show less noise without giving up much detail.

So my preferred MO is now:

R-D1 in RAW to expected B&W...all ISO levels, convert in PhotoRAW

R-D1 in RAW to expected color...through ISO 800, convert in C1

5D in RAW through ISO 1600 (even 3200 in a pinch) B&W conversions from RAW in DPP2
Color in DPP for now until C1 support is released

I still prefer the rangefinders but the 5D is certainly earning its keep.

Cheers,

Sean
 
Sean,

Sorry this is a bit OT again, but do you see any noise banding issues with the 5D especially at high ISO's. My major issue with noise from my 20D in comparison to the RD-1 is not the amount of noise, but its nature, in that it tends to band. This is also apparent at lower iso's on wide dynamic range subjects if you expose to hold the highlights and then pull up the shadows.

I therefore prefer the look from 400 iso up from the RD-1 compared to the 20D, although I understand there is a fair bit of sample vartiation in 20D's in this respect. Hopefully the 5D is much better.

Jim
 
Hi Jim,

I haven't run into any banding with the 5D at all.

Cheers,

Sean
 
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