Digital comparison

[evgeny]

Hi,

I had fun last night.  This is a not very accurate test, but it shows something. Images are slightly sharpened in Photoshop (Adaptive Sharpening % in Sharpener Pro plugin). The real color is produced by the multi-shot back

Nikon D40 with 50mm f1.4, f16, ISO 200 (min), 5942K, CS4 sharp 40%


Contax 645 with 140mm, Aptus 65, f13, ISO 50, CS4 sharp 24%, mirror up


Contax 645 with 140mm, Aptus 65, f13, ISO 50, CS4 sharp 24%, mirror up, Grey Card


Contax 645 with 140mm, Aptus 65, f9.5, ISO 50, CS4 sharp 24%, mirror up


Contax 645 with 140mm, Aptus 65, f9.5, ISO 50, CS4 sharp 24%, mirror up, Grey Card


Contax 645 with 120mm, Sinar 54H, f9.5, ISO 40, 1 shoot, CS4 sharp 24%, shutter triggered from Macbook


Contax 645 with 120mm, Sinar 54H, f9.5, ISO 40, 4 shoot (4 seconds delay), CS4 sharp 24%, shutter triggered from Macbook


Contax 645 with 120mm, Sinar 54H, f9.5, ISO 40, 16 shoot (4 seconds delay), CS4 sharp 48%, shutter triggered from Macbook


Contax 645 with 120mm, Sinar 54H, f9.5, ISO 40, 1 shoot, CS4 sharp 24%, shutter triggered from Macbook, Grey Card

[Snook]

As expected the colors look like crap from the Nikon...:+}
Snook

[HarperPhotos]

As expected the colors look like crap from the Nikon...:+}
Snook

Hi Snook,

Well it just goes to show personal preference. I think the Nikon has the nicest colour.

Cheers

Simon

[pixjohn]

I personally think its hard to tell since the exposures are different. The Nikon looks much brighter then the Leaf Files. I think I would want to see the RGB numbers of the raw files, and then process them.

[Kitty]

I personally think its hard to tell since the exposures are different. The Nikon looks much brighter then the Leaf Files. I think I would want to see the RGB numbers of the raw files, and then process them.

Agree. There is no shadow detail in the right doll's leg.
Exposure different make a lot of color differences.

[evgeny]

I personally think its hard to tell since the exposures are different. The Nikon looks much brighter then the Leaf Files. I think I would want to see the RGB numbers of the raw files, and then process them.

Hi.
You can download the original 5Mb Nikon RAW file.
Please note, the color temperature of the original is 5000K. The image I posted here has color temperature 5942K to match the Leaf temperature.

[Graham Mitchell]

Wouldn't the advantages of multishot be totally lost by the time you reduce the file to this size? (except for moire reduction which doesn't appear to be an issue here)

[evgeny]

Wouldn't the advantages of multishot be totally lost by the time you reduce the file to this size? (except for moire reduction which doesn't appear to be an issue here)

Graham, the size does matter.

[Carsten W]

Are these links still good? I just get missing-image-icons.

[ThierryH]

Same here.

Thierry

Are these links still good? I just get missing-image-icons.

[evgeny]

Hi  

I just renewed my internet domain, it expired yesterday. The images should be back

[evgeny]

Agree. There is no shadow detail in the right doll's leg.
Exposure different make a lot of color differences.

The minimum ISO in Nikon D40 is 200.
So, I set f16 to use the same shutter speed and light.

[evgeny]

There is a noticeable difference between Aptus and 54H in red color, look at the left doll "t-shirt".

Update: I set camera with Aptus to f13, while camera with 54H was set to f9.5. The reason is to get "128" value in the Aptus gray card, which indicates proper exposure.

[Carsten W]

There is a noticeable difference between Aptus and 54H in red color, look at the left doll "t-shirt"

As others have pointed out, the Nikon shot is too bright in comparison to make any conclusions, even about colour, but anyway, comparing a back to an ancient 6MP camera is not that useful. What I find interesting is the large colour difference between the Leaf and Sinar shots, with the Sinar colour being much closer to the Nikon colour. The reds on the Leaf are very muted, almost dark, in comparison, whereas the oranges are almost untouched. Weird. And the yellow is greenish in places in the Leaf file.

If you are in the mood, could you make a new comparison just between the Leaf and 1-shot 54H, with a brighter exposure? Larger images would also be interesting, if you can host them.

[evgeny]

As others have pointed out, the Nikon shot is too bright in comparison to make any conclusions, even about colour, but anyway, comparing a back to an ancient 6MP camera is not that useful. What I find interesting is the large colour difference between the Leaf and Sinar shots, with the Sinar colour being much closer to the Nikon colour. The reds on the Leaf are very muted, almost dark, in comparison, whereas the oranges are almost untouched. Weird. And the yellow is greenish in places in the Leaf file.

If you are in the mood, could you make a new comparison just between the Leaf and 1-shot 54H, with a brighter exposure? Larger images would also be interesting, if you can host them.

I hope to find the time to do more tests.

Please suggest how to better test these sensors, such as, which better subject that I can easily find, ISO, f-stops, exposures, light, etc.

[Carsten W]

I hope to find the time to do more tests.

Please suggest how to better test these sensors, such as, which better subject that I can easily find, ISO, f-stops, exposures, light, etc.

Actually, it is a nice test, IMO. Perhaps a colour checker next to the dolls, and a separate shot of someone to see the skin colours.

[Cfranson]

There is a noticeable difference between Aptus and 54H in red color, look at the left doll "t-shirt".

The 54H has a tendency to oversaturate reds when using the default profile in Captureshop.

[jmvdigital]

Hi Snook,

Well it just goes to show personal preference. I think the Nikon has the nicest colour.

Cheers

Simon

I don't see how anyone can judge what color is the nicest or the most accurate without seeing the original subject. Maybe the Nikon's colors are the "nicest" but that is subjective and has no bearing on accuracy. Perhaps a grey card or step chart should have been included so that exposure differences could have been compensated for, and there would be a consistent base white balance. Even then, the OP would have to tell us which shot produces the most accurate colors in relation to the physical, real, doll.

[evgeny]

the OP would have to tell us which shot produces the most accurate colors in relation to the physical, real, doll.

Hi, what is OP?

I will include grey card in the image next time.

I use grey card, don't have colour checker. Do I really need colour checker?

[jmvdigital]

Hi, what is OP?

I will include grey card in the image next time.

I use grey card, don't have colour checker. Do I really need colour checker?

OP = Original Poster

I don't know what you really "need." I'm just making the point that the rest of us simply cannot judge on color accuracy without a "reference". Therefore, some sort of "known" standard like a color checker or grey card would be a start, but ultimately, it's probably your own judgement, since you're the only one who can see the original scene and the captures simultaneously.

-J