Canon 1ds2 goes beyond the limits of its glass
Discussion
theres an interesting article in last weeks BJP accompanied by tests that suggests the 1ds2's increased resolution pushes so far it exceeds the limits of the glass currently availble.
the conclusion suggests that even with its top L lenses when used at the finer ends of both stops and focal length .. that they cannot cope. certainly suffering shading in the corners, and poor resolution when wide open..
if anyone wants to read it drop me a line and I will send a scan. it makes intersting reading.
the conclusion suggests that even with its top L lenses when used at the finer ends of both stops and focal length .. that they cannot cope. certainly suffering shading in the corners, and poor resolution when wide open..
if anyone wants to read it drop me a line and I will send a scan. it makes intersting reading.
Interesting don't you think, that some people say that the 1DS mkII still doesn't come close to film.... 
Anyhow, it's probably better than quite a few lenses, but not all. For example, I bet there's some 70-200mm's that are up to the job, and some that aren't.
Another part of the problem is it's full frame. Most other digitals don't drive the lense to the edges....
Anyhow, it's probably better than quite a few lenses, but not all. For example, I bet there's some 70-200mm's that are up to the job, and some that aren't.
Another part of the problem is it's full frame. Most other digitals don't drive the lense to the edges....
More of a discussion about that article going on here
Optics is definitely important. I think the shortfall on some lenses quality wasn't apparent in the days of film. You looked at the images through a net curtain of grain which veiled those imperfections. Digital is very clean and shows up all the flaws. Most lenses have an 'optimum' aperture. they are usually soft in the corners wide open, some better than others. There is also a point when stopping down beyond that optimum aperture, the image will again get progressively softer.
This does give the lens more of a challenge. I certainly get a little chromatic aberration at 17mm on the 1ds. The argument for the Nikon DX sized sensors seemed to me quite valid...... until I saw the bad chromatic aberration on www.naturfotograf.com D2X review. Go figure.
edited to add some illustrations. Not Nikon bashing at all but I am surprised to see the CA in this example compared to the Canon. (This comes from the Spanish review site and is from the edge of the frame). One can only assume that trying to extract more detail out of a smaller area has it's own problems.
Nikon:
Canon:
>> Edited by Bacardi on Sunday 6th March 00:11
Optics is definitely important. I think the shortfall on some lenses quality wasn't apparent in the days of film. You looked at the images through a net curtain of grain which veiled those imperfections. Digital is very clean and shows up all the flaws. Most lenses have an 'optimum' aperture. they are usually soft in the corners wide open, some better than others. There is also a point when stopping down beyond that optimum aperture, the image will again get progressively softer.
ThatPhilBrettGuy said:
Another part of the problem is it's full frame. Most other digitals don't drive the lense to the edges....
This does give the lens more of a challenge. I certainly get a little chromatic aberration at 17mm on the 1ds. The argument for the Nikon DX sized sensors seemed to me quite valid...... until I saw the bad chromatic aberration on www.naturfotograf.com D2X review. Go figure.
edited to add some illustrations. Not Nikon bashing at all but I am surprised to see the CA in this example compared to the Canon. (This comes from the Spanish review site and is from the edge of the frame). One can only assume that trying to extract more detail out of a smaller area has it's own problems.
Nikon:
Canon:
>> Edited by Bacardi on Sunday 6th March 00:11
Bacardi said:
The argument for the Nikon DX sized sensors seemed to me quite valid......
That argument is double sided though - what you gain by not using the corner of the lens, you lose because you attempt to get more detail from the smaller section. This is the same reason you get more detail in MF than 35mm, even though 35mm lenses tend to be sharper
fergusd said:
Perhaps comparing two pictures of the same thing at the same size would be a better comparison . . . ?
Your Canon example is at significantly lower magnification than your Nikon example . . .
Not my samples. Taken from this page. To date, the only review I've seen with a good selection of comparative, side by side pictures. I believe they are shots taken from the same point of view covering the same field of view. Both crops are labeled as 100%. If you look further down the page you can see a crop from the old 1ds which is very similar to the D2X. It doesn't exhibit the same CA.
Anyway, I'm not comparing the Canon to the Nikon as such. My point was that when the 1ds came out two years ago there was a lot of talk about the CA with wide angle lenses. The thoughts were to do with it being full frame and the lenses not being able to cope. There was also talk of the smaller frame DX sensors not having this problem because it was a smaller chip and didn't use the edge of the lens. That's why I'm surprised to see it, and moreover, to see it that bad.
This wasn't a particulary scientific test (I just nipped out during an ad break in the middle of the GP!), but here's a shot from my 1Ds II at ISO 400 with a 17-40mm L lens, at 17mm and f8.
And a 100% crop of the above pic
I've not touched these in PS apart from resizing and saving to web.
Not sure what this shows, but I can't see anything in the pic that I'm unhappy with (apart from it being a crap photo!)
>> Edited by ehasler on Sunday 6th March 18:45
And a 100% crop of the above pic
I've not touched these in PS apart from resizing and saving to web.
Not sure what this shows, but I can't see anything in the pic that I'm unhappy with (apart from it being a crap photo!)
>> Edited by ehasler on Sunday 6th March 18:45
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