Topic: New Kodak SLR, 14n Imager replacement (Read 4469 times)

Jonathan Wienke · « **on:** February 12, 2004, 08:13:42 pm »

I sincerely hope that the sensor upgrade makes the 14N and its successor a realistic competitor to the 1Ds. I've kind of committed to the Canon system, but a little market pressure to keep prices down is a good thing. Are there sample images posted anywhere?

Jonathan Wienke · « **Reply #1 on:** February 12, 2004, 10:43:30 pm »

Very nice, a definite improvement over the original 14n in every respect. The only question I have is about higher ISO: what does ISO 800 or 1600 look like?

Ray · « **Reply #2 on:** February 13, 2004, 10:15:17 pm »

What I find extraordinary about this upgrade/replacement of the 14n is the lowest ISO setting of 6. It would be unreasonable to expect a camera to have great performance at ISO 800 if it's optimised for lowest noise at 6 ISO. Wow! What sort of low noise are we looking at? Where are the sample images at 6 ISO?

MatthewCromer · « **Reply #3 on:** February 14, 2004, 09:32:35 am »

I looked at the DP Review samples and the detail was very impressive and images noise free.

My big problem with the images is the ones with architectural details had nasty color moire.

My other big problem with the camera is the body on it is in no way a competitor to the 1Ds.

I'll probably start saving my pennies for a 1Ds mark II (20MP?) and some good lenses.

The low ISO modes are a superb idea though -- you could use it for a lot of things besides just super low noise.

BernardLanguillier · « **Reply #4 on:** February 17, 2004, 09:00:37 pm »

Based on the samples that have been shown, I am really tempted to purchase one soon.

Thanks to its great resolution and light weight, it looks to me like the 14 SLR/n might be the best piece of gear for landscape hiking photography (where bulk and weight are an issue). I never go higher then 400 ISO on my D100 anyway.

Best regards,
Bernard

Quentin · « **Reply #5 on:** February 12, 2004, 08:07:56 am »

Kodak have just announced a replacement for the 14n, and an imager upgrade to a higher ISO model for the 14n.

The upgraded 14n should have identical image quality to the new model. Upgrade price $1,495.

The new camera has only very minor changes compared to the old.

This seems to be a recognition by Kodak that something needed to be done to address the lack of high ISO capablity with the 14n and noise in the original imager. Whilst I have been happy with my 14n, I confess I have already booked it in the the UK service centre for an imager change

http://www.kodak.com/global....4&lc=en

http://www.kodak.com/global....4&lc=en

Quentin

RichardM · « **Reply #6 on:** February 12, 2004, 08:41:25 pm »

http://www.kodak.com/global....6&lc=en

Richard

Quentin · « **Reply #7 on:** February 13, 2004, 05:00:29 am »

Quote

Very nice, a definite improvement over the original 14n in every respect. The only question I have is about higher ISO: what does ISO 800 or 1600 look like?

To be honest, its not that great at 800 ISO and up in poor light. As I have to decide whether or not to proceed with the sensor upgrade to my 14n, I have spent some time looking at the various samples.

My personal view is that the new camera / upgraded 14n is about 1 and 2/3 to 2 stops better than the old. A 400 ISO shot is about the equivalent to the 14n at 125 ISO.

I have seen one nice sample at 1250 ISO, and another not so good sample at 800 ISO. All samples I have seen at 400 ISO have been fine.

Quentin

Quentin · « **Reply #8 on:** February 14, 2004, 05:21:52 am »

The 6 ISO is only used in long exposures. The camera takes a series of shorter exposures and layers them, so I understand.

The 14n already has this facility, and the result is almost noise free long expoures.

There is an example at Imaging Resources.

Quentin

Quentin · « **Reply #9 on:** February 14, 2004, 01:32:24 pm »

Matthew,

Colour moire is an old bugbear of the 14n and now SLR/n. Its quite easy to deal with if you either use Adobe ACR 2.1 instead of Photodesk to decode the raw file with (because ACR has a color noise slider), or if you use a PS plug-in like Quantum Mechanic pro.

You're right in that the body of the SLR/n is still loosely based on the Nikon N80, in a magnesium shell, but that keeps the cost down. I am assuming that Kodak will devote more resources to the "35mm" line of digital cameras now that they have stopped making pro backs, so maybe we'll see a Kodak dslr using a high-end body sometime soon. Personally, I'd rather save the bucks, as I don't need the weight or additional facilities and cost of a 1Ds type body, although a faster sync speed would be good.

Quentin

MatthewCromer · « **Reply #10 on:** February 14, 2004, 04:27:05 pm »

One thing that might tilt me more towards the SLR/N is lenses. I've been pretty underwhelmed with the quality of Canon's wide and superwide L zooms.

Anyone have some SLR/N samples shot at the wide or superwide end of the spectrum?

Also, any chance of Kodak making a 4:3 aspect ratio variant? I think the 3:2 ratio SUCKS.

Author Topic: New Kodak SLR, 14n Imager replacement (Read 4469 times)

Ray