Cameras, Lenses, Technique, Art, Software / Nikon, Canon, Zeiss, Voigtlander, More!
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Free CodeWeavers Crossover TODAY ONLY PERMALINK

As part of their Lame Duck Challenge (price of gas has dropped to a threshold), CodeWeavers is offering a free copy of their CrossOver Mac (or Linux) software. This offer is today only.

The software allows running Windows software on your Mac OS X or Linux system. According to CodeWeavers, “the CrossOver products make it possible to run Windows programs on Mac OS X and Linux without needing a copy or license for Windows itself”.

The web site is apparently inundated and so the main site is down, but the form is online to request a serial number

Opening and saving files in Photoshop is SLOW PERMALINK

The following is an excerpt from Buying and setting up a high-performance Mac Pro. Why not subscribe to DAP and read the entire article?

With Photoshop CS4, I hoped that Adobe would provide some real, everday value for the steep upgrade price. After all, an upgrade should improve usability, which means making common, everyday tasks faster and easier. Unfortunately, opening and saving files is still just as slow as in CS4 as in CS3. It’s clear that no attention was paid to this crucial area, in spite of the now-prevalent 2/4/8 core systems. Just making the save/open operation non-modal (so you could on another image) would be a big step forward, even if it remained brain-dead single-threaded.

I measured saving a 5616 X 3744 pixel file consisting of four 16-bit image layers (pixel layers). This file saves as 722.1MB uncompressed. Photoshop CS4 remains single-threaded for saving and opening files (see Multi-core Computers). This means that even if you have a Mac pro with 8 cores, only one of them gets used! It also means that a fast disk is almost irrelevant for save and open operations

What’s going on here is that Photoshop CS3/CS4 is using only one CPU core for the save operation. The save can run only as fast as that CPU, so a fast hard drive makes little improvement. My 4-way striped RAID only needs about 2 seconds to save a 722MB file. If that time were zero, then the 48 second save would still be 46 seconds—effectively the same.

The compression and other stuff (whatever it is) in PSD or TIF format is a killer: it takes 7-8 times longer to save a file than without compression. If your work is being held up by this factor, save as uncompressed TIF, and onto a striped RAID. The latter provides a speedup of 13 times!

Albino alligator PERMALINK

The stunning new California Academy of Science in San Francisco has a rare albino alligator on display. This guy really looks satisfied, as if he had just enjoyed a nice tender child or two.

Albino Alligator
Canon 1Ds Mark III + Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG @ f/5.6

Also not to be missed is the Fragile Planet presentation in the world’s largest 180° digital planetarium—very impressive show, though I walked out feeling slightly nauseated from the sense of motion.

Mac Pro alternatives PERMALINK

As an adjunct to Buying and Configuring a High-Performance Mac Pro, I’ve added an Alternatives page. Read it now (login required).

Photoshop CS4 and OpenGL — poor redraw speed PERMALINK

A fast video card is supposed to speed up graphics operations, and Photoshop CS4 has support for “Open GL” a programmer’s API for making use of the processing power of the video card’s memory and CPU (GPU).

Therefore, it’s a big surprise to experience a performance downgrade when OpenGL is enabled on my quad-core 3.0 GHz Mac Pro (original model), which has the ATI Radeon X1900XT [specs] with 512MB of video memory. I have dual displays connected, a 30" and a 24". The X1900XT is listed as supported by Adobe.

I switch between color channels frequently (red/green/blue and/or L/a/b). I also click layers on and off frequently. I found that I had to disable OpenGL for a quite substantial improvement in redraw performance eg to make it behave on par with Photoshop CS3.

In short, do not assume that OpenGL is faster; try it with and without for your particular workflow. The list of purported benefits seems marginal, at least for the way I use Photoshop. And Adobe’s technical note only makes me leery of using OpenGL at all. Users with the current model Mac Pro and/or a different video card should not assume my results will be theirs; try it: enable/disable Open GL via Enable OpenGL Drawing, see below.

I also tried with 75% instead of 100% on the Let Photoshop Use memory setting—no difference. Speaking of that setting, I’ve never found that using the Ideal Range is better. Also, Available RAM is a misleading term; my machine has 16GB (16384MB). The terminology should be “Accessible RAM”.

Turn OpenGL OFF for best redraw performance

Of course, disabling OpenGL may result in diminished performance in other areas, though I don’t know what those areas might be yet. The list of benefits seems marginal for my tasks.

I did try Advanced Settings, turning off the Use for Image Drawing checkbox, etc, but redraw performance was still much better with OpenGL disabled entirely, as shown above. On my system, disabling (unchecking) Vertical Sync resulted in the screen not drawing at all.

The default OpenGL settings

Adobe CS4 upgrade hassles PERMALINK

After paying for and downloading Photoshop CS4 and DreamWeaver CS4, I encountered a few issues:

• When I ran the installer, it wanted serial numbers, stating they were to be found in the email I should have (and never) received. Logging in online, the order is shown, but no serial numbers. I never received the email, and it took 10 minutes on the phone to get them.When I finally did get an email confirming my order: no serial numbers. Adobe claims the activation requirement is not a hassle for users, but see the next item too.
• When I ran “Check for Updates” in Photoshop CS4 and it updated Adobe Camera RAW, at the next launch it claimed my serial number was invalid, and I had to re-enter it.
• Photoshop CS4 and DreamWeaver CS4 ignored all CS3 preferences, window positions, etc. I saw no menu item to read the CS3 settings, so I had to redo everything.

At first glance, both Photoshop CS4 and DreamWeaver CS4 appear to be warmed-over CS3 versions (that is certainly the case for DreamWeaver, I’ve been using the beta for months). It might not be true for Photoshop, time will tell.

Some changes have been made to command key shortcuts, notably the cmd ~/1/2/3 shortcuts for switching between color channels. Read John Nack’s blog on this, which links to a plugin to restore the CS3 shortcuts.

Another hassle is that the upgrades function only against a previous installed version. So if I need to reinstall from scratch (eg buy a new computer), I have to dig out various old versions, or so it seems. Such things are anti-customer in my view. After all I’ve bought and upgraded Adobe Photoshop since version 2—surely they can issue me a standalone version with each upgrade, so I could throw away those old boxes!

One longstanding performance disappointment has not been fixed: opening files remains single-threaded. You may have 2 or 4 or 8 CPU cores and a fast RAID, but Photoshop still uses only one of the cores when opening files, reading data at 1/8 the speed my RAID offers.

Get 15% off Adobe software — promo code PERMALINK

Today I decided to purchase the upgrades to Adobe Photoshop CS4 and Adobe DreamWeaver CS4 (see my Oct 17 comments).

Sometimes it pays to use web search (google). I came across promo code NEWPIA, which was good for a 15% discount ($60) off the otherwise $399 upgrade. Not too bad for a minute’s work! Just paste the discount code into the box when you check out from Adobe’s site. Sorry, I don’t know how long the code will be good, or whether it covers all products.

Subscribe to DAP — it’s worth it! PERMALINK

Not a subscriber to DAP yet? You’ll get a lot right now, and a lot more going forward. Take a look at the table of contents.

Here’s what new subscriber James N had to say today:

I finally subscribed to the paid service. It really IS worth it!

Well, it certainly is. Already the content that’s there is a terrific value (containing 4 previous Pro Reviews and much more), and you get a full one year subscription going forward too.

Just in: Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM PERMALINK

I just received the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM in Canon EF mount from LensRentals.com (this unit looks brand-new). I’m planning on comparing it to the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L, EF 50/1.4, EF 50/1.8 and perhaps the Zeiss ZF 50/1.4. My findings will go into DAP, but I’ll likely share some images here in this blog as well.

Update: initial impressions are favorable, with some limitations in certain areas, details to follow in DAP.

And something very odd happens when using Canon’s Digital Photo Professional 3.2.0.6 to process files produced using the Sigma 50/1.4 and Lens Aberration Peripheral Illumination. Heck it might even be useful for some images! It only seems to affect images shot at f/1.4 and f/2.

Image from Canon 1DsM3 + Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG
Bug in Canon’t Digital Photo Professional

Not a subscriber to DAP yet? You’ll get a lot right now, and a lot more going forward. Take a look at the table of contents.

Buying and setting up a high-performance Mac Pro PERMALINK

Just published in DAP: how to buy and configure a Mac Pro (not just for Mac Pro users, concepts are general). Read it now (login required).

Discusses buying and configuring a Mac Pro for top performance, including memory and hard drives. How to set up a RAID stripe for high performance and/or a RAID mirror for high reliability. Photoshop scratch disk: test results and downloadable actions for testing Photoshop scratch disk performance. Also, how the diglloyd Mac Pro is configured, and recommendations for system and data storage approaches.

Not a subscriber to DAP yet? You’ll get a lot right now, and a lot more going forward. Take a look at the table of contents.

Selective depth of field PERMALINK

This image shows just how much selectively-used depth of field can focus the viewer’s attention—without consciously resisting, the eye is forced to the bright and relatively sharp center. The effect is usually not seen this way with subject matter both blurry and sharp at the same distance; it causes tremendous visual tension (for me at least).

Treetops
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III + 85mm f/1.2L II @ f/1.2

Review equipment from LensRentals.com PERMALINK

I’m going to be working with LensRentals.com going forward. They rent a wide variety of lenses, cameras and accessories, with some compelling customer-friendly policies—read for yourself. This is a great way to try out equipment you are interested in, such as Zeiss ZF Lenses. If you’re wondering about Canon or Nikon or Olympus or Sony—they have it. It’s a very cost effective way to try before you buy.

By having access to a wide range of equipment that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive, the DAP “menu” can be greatly expanded to include exciting new offerings, such as the new Sony 24.6MP a900 DSLR, the Canon 24mm f/1.4L II, etc. In the past, access to specific equipment has been a limiting factor: that problem is now solved.

Not a subscriber to DAP yet? You’ll get a lot right now, and a lot more going forward. Take a look at the table of contents.

Lens reliability — Sigma vs other brands PERMALINK

If you’re considering Sigma lenses for your Nikon or Canon body, be sure to read the comments on reliability found at lensrentals.com. Read the entire page for details.

Since day 1 the Sigma brand has always been a bit of a money loser for us: they broke more frequently than the other brands. Our techs coined the phrase “Sigma’d” to describe any lens that didn’t function. When they did break, the repair turnaround time was, to be charitable, leisurely.
...
Sigma lenses failed at a rate of 30% per year, compared to less than 5% for Canon, Tamron, Nikon, Tokina, and Zeiss. We weren’t losing a little bit of money anymore, we were losing a fair amount. More importantly, far more importantly, we had customers who rented lenses for important shoots and the lenses failed to work properly. Sigma was about 5% of our rentals but almost one-third of our customer complaints.

While I’ve had out-of-the-box optical issues with Canon and Nikon, I’ve had no outright failures (none) with 50 lenses or so. I have had some minor glitches with both Canon and Nikon, but that’s it. And I’m not sure how a Zeiss ZF lens could ever fail (excepting the lens hood).

Real-world Sharpness II: D3/1DsM3 updated PERMALINK

I’ve added (a few days ago) to DAP some extra raw-converter variants from Capture NX2 and RAW Developer to the Canon EOS 1DsM3 / Nikon D3 sharpness comparison. The results show that careful processing can make a significant improvement in perceived sharpness of the D3 files, though it can’t change the 21 vs 12 megapixel situation.

Not a subscriber to DAP yet? You’ll get a lot right now, and a lot more going forward. Take a look at the table of contents.

RAW files in DAP articles PERMALINK

At the request of several readers, I’m now including selected Nikon D3 and Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III RAW files with DAP, including those from the Noise and Sharpness articles (DAP login required).

Not a subscriber to DAP yet? You’ll get a lot right now, and a lot more going forward. Take a look at the table of contents.

Monochrome sensors — guest author Pete Myers PERMALINK

I’ve posted a short editorial by guest author and fine-arts photographer Pete Myers: Digital Monochrome A-Go-Go. See previous entries on monochrome sensors, including 1, 2, 3.

Raney’s Ranch Revisited by Pete Myers

Retro lenses: Olympus 50m f/1.2 PERMALINK

A few years ago I converted an Olympus 50mm f/1.2 to Nikon mount. Images below were shot on the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III (using a Nikon to EOS adapter). All images taken at f/1.2, where the Olympus 50/1.2 has considerable uncorrected aberrations, making it suitable for creative uses.

Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III + Olympus 50mm f/1.2

Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III + Olympus 50mm f/1.2

Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III + Olympus 50mm f/1.2

All About Mac Pro Memory update PERMALINK

I’ve updated my All About Mac Pro Memory to include an interview with Larry O'Conner of Other World Computing (OWC) on some history of Mac Pro memory modules, and how OWC builds and tests their offerings.

MacPro memory riser card, fully populated

Adobe CS4 Sticker Shock PERMALINK

Adobe is shipping its CS4 suite, and I don’t know about you, but sticker shock is my reaction. I use Photoshop CS3 and DreamCrasher (oops DreamWeaver) CS3. Upgrading each costs $199 or $400. The DreamWeaver upgrade is an especially annoying rip-off—the beta I’ve been using crashes more than the CS3 version, and is rife with bugs of all kinds, just like all previous versions. I wouldn’t mind paying for products that are actually supported, but fixing bugs these days is not how the game works, and real support costs big bucks (extra). Not that “support” means fixing bugs.

So I looked at upgrading to one of the suites (where you get to pay even more for future upgrades, such as the 64-bit Mac version of Photoshop, which Adobe conveniently omitted from CS4). I might want to use InDesign or Acrobat Pro. Upgrading to the suite is $799, but DreamWeaver still has to be upgraded for $199. So that’s $1000. Here’s the kicker: if you upgrade Photoshop and DreamWeaver to CS4, and later want the suite, it’s still $799. So much for customer appreciation.

I’ve grown to dislike Adobe policies. It would be one thing if they fixed bugs and the software didn’t crash (it’s a rare day both Photoshop and DreamWeaver don’t crash for me). But they have not fixed bugs as a priority, which means my work is impacted every day. New releases with new bugs are not the answer—I first want high reliability, and then paying the upgrade fees would feel a lot better.

To be clear on “Adobe”, there is the corporate Adobe to which I refer, and then there are the many hardworking individuals working under deadlines and other pressures. My comments are on the policies which I think can stand improving.

Anyone with tips out there on upgrading, send them along and I’ll post them here. I used to have a friend at Adobe who could get me greatly reduced-price versions. Now that was nice...

Update: I made contact with my old friend at Adobe, who at first offered the deep employee discount to me. But then he read this blog entry, and he had such a strong reaction that he retracted the offer! Well, one has to write the Truth as one sees it. Too bad for Adobe is my view, this entry apparently hit a nerve with plenty of Adobe customers who feel as I do, judging by the emails I’ve received. In the long term, that bodes ills for Adobe.

Real-world Sharpness II: D3/1DsM3 updated PERMALINK

I’ve updated my Nikon D3 vs Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III shootout to include comparisons using RAW Developer 1.8.1 (vs Capture NX 2). The results are intriguing, showing that RAW Developer might be valuable for D3/D700 users looking to make large prints. Thanks to reader Leping Zha for making this suggestion.

Read it now (DAP login required).

Not a subscriber to DAP yet? You’ll get a lot going forward. Take a look at the table of contents.

Nikon 70-200 VR sharpness workaround PERMALINK

Reader Mike P offers a valuable suggestion when using the Nikon 70-200VR (see article): attach the TC-14E II teleconverter for a 98-280mm f/4 zoom. He reports that at f/8 detail is sharp out to the corners on FX frame. I haven’t verified these findings, but it makes sense; with the teleconverter the “sweet spot” of the lens will be used.

XKCD PERMALINK

Following up on my Sept 30 comments on The Creature, a friend of mine (Geoff F) forwarded me some really well done humor on the situation, by the genius at xkcd.com. Really really funny!

Site xkcd.com also some some very funny comics 1, 2, 3, 4, especially humorous if you’re a software engineer.

xkcd.com

Fans of GPS and geocaching might also like spontaneous GPS adventures.

Finally, you’re a music pirate, no matter what you do! I stick to CDs myself.

Real-world Sharpness II:
Nikon D3 / Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III PERMALINK

I’ve added to DAP a second and very different example to yesterday’s Canon EOS 1DsM3 / Nikon D3 sharpness comparison, this one take with the Coastal Optics 60mm f/4 UV-VIS-IR APO macro.

The results were so intriguing that I spent most of the day shooting and analyzing confirmation images with 4 other lenses: the Zeiss ZF 50/1.4 Planar, 50/2 Makro-Planar, Voigtlander 58/1.4 Nokton and Nikon 60/2.8D macro. If you’re wondering about 21 vs 12 megapixels, you’ll want to read this report.

Read it now (DAP login required).

Not a subscriber to DAP yet? You’ll get a lot going forward. Take a look at the table of contents.

Real-world Sharpness:
Nikon D3 / Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III PERMALINK

My latest addition to DAP delves into the sharpness differences between the 21.1-megapixel Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III and 12.1-megapixel Nikon D3, using the Zeiss ZF 100mm f/2 Makro-Planar. Read it now (login required). I have another comparison coming wtih a very different subject.

This is just one of many articles to come on a variety of topics—why not subscribe to DAP today? It’s already chock full of content you won’t find anywhere else.

Handheld shooting and ISO PERMALINK

Although I use tripods regularly (preferring the Gitzo GT 3540 XLS with the Arca Swiss C1 Cube Geared head), I greatly prefer handheld shooting for its creative freedom, and it is one reason I like the Nikon D3, in spite of its having “only” 12.1 megapixels (see my Sept 24 comments on the 5D Mark II). It’s a shame Canon couldn’t offer two versions of the 5D Mark II: one at the announced 21 megapixels and another at 12 megapixels, with the latter optimized for high ISO performance.

While there’s no arguing with megapixels (something coming to DAP on this subject soon), the noise that comes with higher ISOs closes the gap between the 21 megapixel EOS 1Ds Mark III and Nikon D3 (see my DAP research on noise).

In the image below, the extra resolution is fun in discovering a reasonably detailed bug hitching a ride on this floating leaf (I liked another composition much better, but the bug didn’t cooperate). But the noise at ISO 1600 is pronounced enough that it’s questionable whether the 1DsM3 offers any real advantage over what would have been a much cleaner Nikon D3 image. For that matter, the depth of field even at f/8 is so limited that most of those megapixels go unused.

Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III + Leica 90/2 APO-Summicron-R, handheld @ 1/60 sec, f/8

Actual pixels

For those curious about the use of the Leica 90/2 APO-Summicron-R on the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III, I use a Novoflex Leica-to-EOS adapter, available at B&H Photo. The Leica 90/2 I purchased used for a great price, and Leica did a stellar job making it look just like new.

Who says color balance has to be “correct”? The late season and late day shade in the creek-bottom felt much more like this rendering.

Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III + Leica 90/2 APO-Summicron-R, handheld @ 1/60 sec, f/8

Canon’s Highlight Tone Priority mode and its effect on noise PERMALINK

Following up on my Nikon D3/Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III noise evaluation on Oct 7, my latest addition to DAP delves into Canon’s Highlight Tone Priority mode, which subdues the contrast of highlights—but at what cost to noise behavior in dark tones? While the feature is a great one for some applications, there are downsides. Read it now (login required).

This is just one of many articles to come on a variety of topics—why not subscribe to DAP today? It’s already chock full of content you won’t find anywhere else.

Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III + Leica 90/2 APO-Summicron-R

Visit the High Country of Yosemite in October PERMALINK

The tourists are gone, the high country amenities are shuttered (this keeps the tourists away, no coffee or junk food or gas). October is the time to see Yosemite National Park in its full autumn glory. Go, if you can, and let your spirit soar. Take a long hike, or just plunk yourself down on a nice boulder in Dana Meadows or numerous other lovely places. One rule: make yourself hike at least 1/4 mile in some direction away from the road! One day, when my kids are grown and I have no job, I’m going to spend the whole month of October in this small region scratching my backside.

Yosemite’s Dana Meadows near Tioga Pass
Nikon D3 + Nikon 14-24/2.8G

Life force PERMALINK

Life is precious and precarious. Why should a road-kill squirrel merit notice? Yet it does when one feels a kinship with other living things. So freshly extinguished, with the eye still glistening with moisture, I felt a strong inhibition against photographing it. Then I realized that my reaction was precisely why I should. What makes a squirrel a squirrel one instant, vibrant and alive in all its squirrel-ness, and something else a moment later?

Spark Extinguished
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III + Leica 90/2 APO-Summicron-R

Nikon PC-E 24mm f/3.5D ED available at B&H PERMALINK

The Nikon PC-E 24mm f/3.5D ED has been out of stock and hard to find. It’s in stock at B&H Photo as I write this for $1899.

The PC-E 24/3.5D ED is reviewed in DAP and I also cover it in my July 10 blog entry. It’s an outstanding lens, one I recommend for landscape photographers in particular, but also for creative uses and stitched images.

Same old new cameras — the EOS 5D option PERMALINK

With Nikon’s 12-megapixel D700 available for some time now (a lovely camera), and Canon’s 21-megapixel 5D Mark II just around the corner (less lovely perhaps, but still lusted after), which should you buy? Fewer, cleaner pixels, or more noisier pixels?

Perhaps neither, unless you have close to US$3000 burning a hole in your pocket. Cameras are accessories. Put your money into optics that will serve you for a long time to come. Good optics will still be good 3 or 5 years from now. The fancy new D700 and 5D Mark II will seem like yesterday’s stale bread in 3 years, even though they’ll perform as good as when new.

So here is an alternative worth considering, at least for some photographers: soon the market will be flooded with used Canon EOS 5D bodies. WIth the new 5D Mark II priced at US$2699, a very nice used EOS 5D with low mileage should sell for around $1500 or so, perhaps even less (the 5D sold in large volumes). If money is no object, by all means get the latest and greatest, and don’t buy a used 5D if you have any doubt whatsoever about the seller’s integrity.

The 5D has its shortcomings and annoyances (see my extensive Nikon D2x vs Canon EOS in DAP), but it’s a damn good image maker. I still use mine, converted permanently to infrared use, where it offers outstanding detail, having no anti-aliasing filter after the IR conversion. Especially if you shoot black and white, an EOS 5D can be an excellent choice. You could also “hot rod” it at maxmax.com (eliminate the anti-aliasing filter).

The Canon EOS platform also offers bountiful optical choices, because Canon, Nikon, Leica and Olympus lenses can be used with adapters. If your photography is specialized or contemplative and/or just doesn’t require fast autofocus, very high ISOs, big bursts, etc, a used Canon 5D might just do the trick.

So think carefully about your type of photography, and whether the “latest and greatest” really will make a difference in the images you produce and whether the money saved could be used instead on a lens that might serve you for years to come. Maybe that means a Zeiss ZE lens (ZE is ZF for EOS mount). Maybe it means a Leica 90/2 APO (a good deal on the used market).

You can still buy the original 5D new for $2199. The 5D Mark II is $2699 and the Nikon D700 is $2759.

Only 6.8 cents per day for DAP — your help needed PERMALINK

Readers have noticed a focus on diglloyd’s Advanced Photography (DAP) lately. DAP already contains a large amount of content including The Sharpest Image and other past Pro Reviews. But because I’ve just launched DAP, I’m putting intensive effort into adding content, and in the short term this means less time available for preparing blog content. I’m aware of that drought, and I do plan to continue to provide the insights readers have come to value. But I also need your help.

Yosemite pond near Tuolumne Meadows
Nikon D3 + Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G

A subscription to DAP runs for a full year for just $24.99 (6.8 cents per day). Check out the contents page for details of what’s already present and what’s coming.

DAP is one of the best investments you can make in your photographic pursuits. It is brand-neutral, free of sponsor bias, and already covers or will cover everything from cameras and optics to storage and software and technique and art. (Please note that DAP does not include Zeiss ZF Lenses or Guide to Digital Infrared, but you can get them with DAP at a discount if you purchase them together).

Please encourage your friends to subscribe to DAP—thank you, I am truly grateful for any assistance you can provide.

Finally, suggestions for topics are welcome!

Evaluating noise with the Nikon D3 and Canon 1Ds Mark III PERMALINK

I commented on Canon EOS 1DsM3 noise in my June June 14, 2008 blog entry. My latest addition to DAP delves into the noise behavior throughout the ISO range with the Nikon D3 and Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III. Read it now (login required).

Nikon D3, ISO 25600, actual pixels

Reader Martin D comments:

I've found your noise and lens reports comparing the D3 and the 1DsMk3 fascinating. It's pretty clear that Canon is cranking up the megapixels because they can, not because they should. This is personally irritating because I'd love to be able to buy a 12 Megapixel 5DMk2. Instead, Canon is offering bodies that deliver an enormous amount of superfluous bytes at the expense of better high ISO performance across the board: how much better could the Canon's contemporary high ISO engineering be with bigger photosites? Will we ever know?

I think it would be interesting for you to try to bring the diffraction picture together with the noise picture and try to define the sliver of circumstances under which a 1DsMk3/5DMk2 deliver an image quality advantage.

DIGLLOYD: Yes, my plan is to follow up the noise research with other topics on the D3 and 1DsM3, including sharpness issues.

Nikon 35mm f/2.8 PC-Nikkor reviewed PERMALINK

Following up on my review of the Nikon PC-E 24mm f/3.5D ED, I’ve now published in DAP my review of the Nikon 35mm f/2.8 PC-Nikkor, along with a comparison on the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III against the Olympus Zuiko 35mm f/2.8 PC. Nikon D3 results are also included.

The dated design of the Nikon 35mm f/2.8 PC-Nikkor fails to impress, and can’t compete with the newer PC-E models, but the results are still instructive as to what can be expected, as well as the alternatives.

Nikon PC-E 24mm f/3.5D ED reviewed PERMALINK

Following up on my review of the Nikon PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm f/2.8D ED, I’ve now published in DAP my review of the Nikon PC-E 24mm f/3.5D ED. Click the image to read the review (login required).

23.6MP stitched image from Nikon D3 + Nikon 24/3.5 PC

Like the PC-E 45mm, the PC-E 24mm f/3.5D ED is a terrific lens, one all landscape shooters should have in their kit. The tilt function alone offers tremendous technical and artistic possibilities. Get it at B&H Photo or Adorama. (It’s constantly out of stock, be patient).

Zeiss ZF 18/3.5 Distagon review update PERMALINK

To my Zeiss ZF Lenses review, I’ve added a revealing comparison of color uniformity across the frame between the Zeiss ZF 18/3.5 Distagon and the Nikon 14-24/2.8G zoom (Nikon D3) and Canon EF 16-35/2.8L II (EOS 1Ds Mark III). Also, some comments from the Zeiss optical experts. And some new examples. And Photoshop correction layers for correcting color casts with the ZF 18/3.5 Distagon. See the revision history (login required).

Black and white shooters will love the contrast of the Zeiss ZF 18/3.5 Distagon. Get it at B&H Photo (or Adorama or Amazon, see ads at top right).

Ghosting flare can be seen in the image below, but otherwise the ZF 18/3.5 Distagon maintains very high contrast even shot into the sun. Much more detail on this in my review. Russian Ridge is an open-space preserve on the San Francisco peninsula, just west of Palo Alto.

Russian Ridge late afternoon
Nikon D3 + ZF 18/3.5 Distagon @ f/11

Russian Ridge sunset
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III + ZF 18/3.5 Distagon @ f/8

Russian Ridge grasses
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III + ZF 18/3.5 Distagon @ ~f/8

Russian Ridge lines
Nikon D3 + ZF 18/3.5 Distagon @ f/8

Nikon PC-E Micro NIKKOR 45mm f/2.8D ED reviewed PERMALINK

Now published in DAP (subscription required): my review of the Nikon PC-E Micro NIKKOR 45mm f/2.8D ED. Click the image to read the review (login required). I cover not just optical performance and ergonomics (and more), but the uses of tilt and shift.

The PC-E 45mm f/2.8D ED is a terrific lens, one all landscape shooters should have in their kit. The tilt function alone offers tremendous technical and artistic possibilities. Get it at B&H Photo or Adorama. (It’s constantly out of stock, be patient).

Nikon Capture NX Picture Control and settings PERMALINK

Nikon’s Picture Control is available both for in-camera JPEGs as well as in Capture NX 2 RAW-file processing. I’ve added some examples and commentary on how I like to process images in Nikon Capture NX 2 to my Nikon Capture NX 2 article. I’ve also added a preferred settings section.

   
Same original, different looks

Zeiss ZF 18/3.5 Distagon review now complete PERMALINK

My review of the Zeiss ZF 18mm f/3.5 Distagon is now complete, though I plan to add additional material for it and the other ZF lenses on a continuing basis, not to mention the ZF 21mm f/2.8 Distagon when it arrives on our shores. Existing Zeiss ZF Lenses subscribers please see the revision page for details on what’s been added for the ZF 18/3.5.

I think that the 18/3.5 Distagon will appeal especially to those who prefer black and white. Its superb contrast and tonal rendition is especially beautiful on the Nikon D3. (I am not so fond of its color rendition, details on that are in my review.) The image below was converted using Photoshop’s faux infrared filter; I am certain that such images can be made to really “sing” by someone well-versed in black and white post-processing techniques. Get the 18/3.5 Distagon at B&H Photo.