How to use the 7D's ISO 6400 :)

[Romy Ocon]

This camera might be noisier than we want it to be in the ISO range we normally operate in (ISO 200-800), but its minimal banding at higher ISOs makes it surprisingly useable in lowlight snapshots.

Here's a sample shot at ISO 6400:

7D + Sigma 24 1.8 DG macro, 1/40 sec, f/2.8, ISO 6400, hand held, exposed to the right then exposure was pulled back in RAW conversion




Link to the 8 MP file (3504x2336), DPP settings - 0 sharpening, 3 luminance NR, 12 chrominance NR, converted to 3504x2336 (20D file size), unedited in PS except saved as quality 9 jpeg.

www.pbase.com/liquidstone/image/120517085/original

[Bobby Kintanar]

Thats an excellent ISO 6400 shot Ka Mastah! I noticed you had to downsize it t the 20D file size - what's the noise like if we don't downsize the file from the 7D? I mean if one buys an 18mp camera, one should expect an 18mp output, not a downsized photo, right? :-)

[Romy Ocon]

The noise at full size is more noticeable, but the amazing thing with the 7D's high ISO output is the lack of banding. My 5D2 starts to have some banding at ISO 6400, and this is very tough to clean up in PP. The human eye is more receptive to fine grained noise (film-like, especially in prints), but banding is absolutely objectionable.

If such current sensor tech and signal processing will be applied to bigger pixels like those of the 1D4, we're looking at a useable ISO 12.8K - 25.6K. I welcome such technical progress, but I wish Canon won't allow the lower ISOs (200 - 800) to deteriorate, as these are the sensitivities we almost always shoot in.

[Bobby Kintanar]

Alrighty. got it Ka Masath - and I fully agree that Canon should not compromise the lower ISO's for better HI-ISO performance. They should come up with a 7D-featured camera with say, a 13mp sensor - and call that the 60D! :-)