Nikon D3s ISO 102,400!

[JohnK]

That is just a crazy high iso, I guess people will be able to get shots at night without a moon or flash now.

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Sure they're grainy and noisey, and there is a loss of detail, but it's ISO 102,400!! In a few years we'll be able to take photos with the lens cap on.

100% crop

[mmeyer]

Did someone get an early Christmas gift? That is amazing, I mean come on, 102,400 ISO. That's crazy. Can you imagine going to the camera store to pick up some ISO 102,400 film. LOL

[JohnK]

Not me, those images were taken by imaging-resource, the link was removed. All they have to do is increase it 4 stops to get over 1 million ISO, only another couple camera versions away - hehe.

[JollyT]

If it was black and white it would remind me of push processed tri-x negative film. Man did I shoot lots of that in the day!

[Steve Foss]

It'll be interesting, now that both Canon and Nikon are three stops over 12,800, to see how they compare. I don't expect there to be much difference, practically speaking, but it looks as though iso is taking over where megapixels might be leaving off as part of the marketing war. Well, I'm sure Mp will continue to grow and be a marketing point, but for me the Mp count on all these cameras could stay where it is for the next couple of versions and have that iso performance get better and better and better . . .

Pretty soon those expensive f2.8 lenses may be relics.

[JohnK]

I agree Steve, both companies are getting a bit crazy with the ISO race. ISO 102,400 is a great marketing bullet point, but probably not a lot of practical use.

I'd like to see Nikon come out with a 16 or 18mp FX camera, but 12mp works pretty well and prints large enough for my needs so far.

[Steve Foss]

I'd like to see Nikon come out with a 16 or 18mp FX camera, but 12mp works pretty well and prints large enough for my needs so far.

Realistically, 12 Mp is more than enough unless there's a lot of cropping going on. A 12 Mp image with sharp glass and low-mid iso will print really large with stunning quality. The more Mp you pack on a sensor, the worse the noise, so 12 Mp on an FX sensor, IMO, means it ain't broke and don't need fixing.

I think the iso race is far more important than the megapixel race as far as practical value for photographers goes. I'd rather have a tremendously clean iso 102,000 image on a 12 Mp full frame sensor than a noisy iso 102,000 image on a 20 Mp sensor. One I can use. The other I can only marvel at. Guess which is more important to me?

But what do I know? I just make my living at it, and Canon and Nikon don't listen to me. They're more interested, as companies tend to be, in fighting for increased market share and profits. Like auto manufacturers who used to produce 40-60 MPG subcompacts in the 80s and then realized they could make more money per unit by convincing Americans that luxury (carp MPG) was more important than usefulness (great MPG). Enter the latest energy crisis = oops!

Sorry, it sounded like a rant when I didn't mean to rant. I'm not sayin. I'm just SAYIN.

And what I'm SAYIN is give me a lower Mp image at iso 102,000 that's actually usable in print. THAT I'd pay money for!

[MARINERMAGNUM]

I agree.

The high iso race is getting silly,as a matter of fact [may as well creep all the way out on the limb] alot of the features they are putting into the new dslrs are silly. 99% of the folks will never use 75% of what these new ones can do anyway. Some of the most compelling images that I've ever seen have come out of the 1st 5D-with it's "old" technology.

I'm going full frame and was pretty set on the 5DMkII,but now I hear reports of lenses falling off them!

I'm seriously considering taking a step back in time and getting a 1DsMkII. 16.7mp on full frame,only 4fps,but when I think back at how many bif and sports keepers I got with my XT at 3fps,I'm not too concerned about the rate. The only thing that bugs me is that the 1DsMkII,the MkIIN,and the 5D all came out at the same time,and the 1Ds had the pee-wee lcd while the others had the 2.5" lcd! WTH?

That body is 3 year old technology,but I've never seen a bad word written about it and from the images I've seen that it can produce,I'm nowhere near it's full potential.

Very hard to find a truly mint one though with ultra low clicks.

[Steve Foss]

Very hard to find a truly mint one though with ultra low clicks.

Geez, dude, just buy the thing. The 1Ds2 was rated to what, 250,000 shutters? (going off memory here). So if you find a good one with 50,000 shutters at a good price, why hesitate?

I'd be perfectly happy in all ways with the original 5D and a 1Dmk3. Best of all worlds with noise, with full frame on one for landscape and effects photography and phenomenal burst rate with great noise performance on the other.

And the best news is they're old news and getting cheaper by the day. One side effect of the relentless race for market share between the Big Boys is that people who understand what's really necessary to turn their vision into reality can "limp along" one or two generations back and be happy as a pig in . . . well . . . you know . . .

I have two 1D Mk2 bodies and a 30D body along with the usual array of Canon lenses listed with CPS, and I bet because of the upgrades that they won't allow either the Mk2 or the 30D to be considered as CPS-eligible for next year. And you know what? I don't care. Photography is not like keeping up with the Joneses. Photography is taking an inner vision and giving it flesh and light and magic, and it don't matter squat what DSLR body you've got when it comes to inspiration.

Take that, Canon and Nikon!

And so, for practical purposes for many pros and amateurs and casual shooter alike, make sure you take great advantage of all those camera bodies that are lightly used and cheap on the used market. If they were good enough to cost hundreds or thousands and take phenomenal photographs two or three years ago, why aren't they good enough today?

Rhetorical question, obviously. The 8 Mp Digital Rebel XT that was one of my backup bodies a couple years ago has once again found its way into my bag. Nearly free, and with a grip/batteries included. And once again, like before, I'll be able to capture photographs with that "ancient" technology that will print to 20x30 and beyond with great results. You'd be surprised at how many of my most popular prints, sales wise, were captured with the 6 Mp original Digital Rebel or the 8 Mp Rebel XT. Amazing potential for IQ limited only by the quality of the glass and the inspiration of the photographer.

Gee, and once again I've rambled on at length. I just hate it when people are so eager to drink the Kool-Aid the major manufacturers are selling. Sorry to get on my but I feel very strongly on this issue.

[MARINERMAGNUM]

Quote:

and I bet because of the upgrades that they won't allow either the Mk2 or the 30D to be considered as CPS-eligible for next year.

Steve,can you elaborate on what this means?

[MARINERMAGNUM]

Quote:

Sorry to get on my but I feel very strongly on this issue.

I can tell. Every time I refresh,you've edited again!

[Steve Foss]

MM, the last "1" series body allowed for consideration for CPS membership at the middle level of membership for 2009 was the 1Dmk2. The original 1D was not allowed. And for consideration at that level, a person could alternately register two 30D bodies. The 20D was no longer allowed.

Since CPS is all about getting its members to continually upgrade and spend more money on the current technology (rather than emphasize inspiration over technology), it would not be surprising for CPS to require two 40D bodies or a "1" series body at least as current as a Mk2n or a Mk3.

There are three levels of CPS membership now. It used to be free and all-encompassing, but CPS did a survey a year or so ago of all members to gauge what changes might be welcome, and so they established three tiers.

The first tier is free, and requires not so much in the way of gear requirements or services offered. The mid tier costs $100 annually, with the gear requirements I mentioned above. The third tier is $500 annually, with more stringent gear requirements.

It's not just gear requirements, either, but how much of your living is based on photography.

Anyway, I doubt my gear will quality next year or, if it does next year, the year after that. But that has no impact on whatever vision, whatever art and inspiration I can achieve with a camera and a lens. So when CPS is ready to cast me off because I don't have the financial endurance to survive the market-imposed treadmill, I'm more than ready to cast them off.

[MARINERMAGNUM]

What if you had 3 20D's,and 2 Rebel's?

Full house beats a pair.

[Steve Foss]

What if you had 3 20D's,and 2 Rebel's?

Full house beats a pair.

CPS may play poker, but they are the House, and they have the advantage of setting the rules of the game.

Anyway, sorry all for turning this thread into a rant. There's no doubt that each new camera body shows improvements in many ways over its predecessors.