Excerpted From Ken Rockwell's "Nikon D300, D200, D40 and Canon 5D High ISO Comparison"
"All the DX Nikons are about the same. There is more variation from one speed to the next, or in the camera's use of noise reduction which you can do later in software, than there is from any DX Nikon to the next. The D300 has the least noise of the Nikons at high ISOs, but that's because it's also FUBARing (blurring) the image almost to beyond all recognition at high ISOs just to smother the noise.
"The 5D is the easy winner for high ISOs, because it stays sharp while the Nikons' noise reduction blurs the images along with the noise. I crown the 5D because it has the highest detail (signal) to noise ratio. With this, I can apply NR in software and get the smoothest image of all if I let it get as soft as the Nikons.
"Get a D300 for its spectacular treatment of bold color and outstanding highlight rendition. Don't throw money at a D300 if all you want is better high ISO performance.
"If you want better high ISO performance, get a 5D which costs about the same as a D300.
"If you're loaded, I expect the Nikon D3 will be at least as good as the Canon 5D due to The Full-Frame Advantage. For instance, the D3's US User's Manual says (page 299) that the D3 doesn't use any noise reduction (blurring) until you hit ISO 2,000, while the D300's US User's Manual (page 263) says the D300 uses noise reduction starting at ISO 800.
"This means you're blurring your images on the D300 at ISO 800, but at ISO 1,600 the D3's images are still unfettered. Noise reduction tries to leave sharp edges alone, but it smoothes over milder image textures along with the noise."
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1 comment:
Wonderful article. I think they are both absolutely great cameras and one of the best in the market. But what is more affordable with all the accessories, lenses, etc.
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