Sigma sd Quattro-H: DNG vs X3F Image Quality (Updated)
Related: digital sensor, Sigma, Sigma mirrorless, Sigma sd Quattro-H, true-color sensor or image
See my Sigma mirrorless wish list.
See also Sigma sd Quattro H File Size: DNG vs X3F.
Yesterday’s post discussed the DNG vs X3F file size issue. But setting aside the huge storage hit from using DNG, how does image quality work out for DNG vs X3F?
Sigma sd Quattro H: DNG vs X3F (Dolls, Daylight)
Sigma sd Quattro H: DNG vs X3F (Dolls, Long Exposure)
Image at sizes up to full 25.5 megapixel resolution, with RawDigger histogram and both ACR and SPP settings shown.
Curiously, there is one major behavioral difference seen in the longer exposure that is not seen in the shorter exposure, a behavior that adds to the negatives for DNG.
The choice of DNG vs X3F is not all all clear-cut, involving file size issues, workflow issues, and now as shown in this comparison—very different results from ACR than from Sigma Photo Pro, with no way to get the two to look the same, at least not that I could find.
It’s a bitter pill to finally have DNG support but with all this baggage. I urge any Sigma sd Quattro shooter to consider the choice carefully, at least not assuming anything without making a similar assessment.
sd Quattro H + lensNA @ 66mm equiv (50mm)
[low-res image for bot]
