Some sobering facts
The "digital imaging expert" seems to understand of this subject about as much as most of the posters above, which is not much (if I am very generous).
Now perhaps it is time to consider some facts.
If and how far 16 bits are useful with MFDBs is a complicated matter, in most cases impossible to prove in either direction. I can prove on images of *certain* MFDBs, that there *is* a difference between 14bit and 16bit (slightly less noise in 16bit), but that proof shows, that the difference is *very, very tiny*, in fact it is useless.
The question needs to be adjusted a bit in order to become reasonable:
do MFDBs need greater bit depth than DSLRs?
When analysing for example Canon 1DsMkIII images, the same can be said: the difference between 12bit and 14bit is there, but very small (note: even so I am a proponent of 14bit recording).
When comparing 16bit, 14bit and 12bit images of a Sinar eM54, it can be shown, that reducing to 12bit does cause practical image degradation.
It is clear, that the larger dynamic range of some MFDBs *requires* more bits than a camera with 2 stops lower dynamic range.
However, the most sobering fact is, that the Phase One cameras' last two bits are not only useless, but they are *detrimental* to the image. Luckily, the raw processors don't make any use of those bits, except in extreme circumstances (that's what caused Edmund complain about striations with his P45+).
The following captures depict three segments of the image CF000841, shot by a Phase One P30+ by the fellow LL poster 203. The first one shows the original, with +3 1/2 EV. The second one shows the 15th bit only and the third one is created by the 16th bit only (i.e. the lowest order bit) . The next four captures show two other crops, with only the 15th respectively 16th bit.
The waves and horizontal strips are artifacts of the sensor, as is the vertical separation line, caused by the "stitching" of the sensor chips.
These captures demonstrate, that the two low order bits of Phase One raw files *must not* be used (this is not a speciality of the P30+, I saw teh same on the P25+ and P45+ as well). In other words: the 16 bit recording is worthless with these cameras.
