Capsule Review – Canon 5D Mark III

25 Mar

_MG_4447After using the Canon 5d Mark III for nearly two weeks, I can safely say that this latest model is the best digital SLR I’ve used to date.  Canon has fine-tuned and improved on the features of the 5d series to such an extent that taking photos with the camera is truly a joyful experience. 

The 5d Mark II was a great camera.  However, its autofocus system, ergonomics and certain aspects of the image quality left something to be desired.  For example, only the center focus point on the Mark II would reliably focus with precision and AI Servo mode had a hard time tracking moving subjects, i.e. kids, sports, etc.   Also, trying to push images from the Mark II, even by a stop, caused artificial looking pattern noise to appear in the shadow regions, which was bothersome.  It looks like the Mark III addresses these issues and then some.

Ergonomics

_MG_4449Back in the film days, Canon produced some wonderful camera bodies such as the Canon 1N and 1V series. The camera bodies just felt great in your hand, were solidly built and made to last.  It took Canon over 10 years, since introducing the D30 model, but we finally now have a Canon digital camera that is comparable to the professional film bodies. 

The Mark III also allows you to personalize most cameras buttons to suit your needs. One of the first things I did was to modify the “SET” button to automatically zoom into an image at the focus point. I also programed the joystick on the back to let me select focus points manually by default.

+Build quality and weather sealing now at Canon 1N levels

+Customizable menus and buttons

Low ISO Image Quality

The Canon 5d Mark III seems to have slightly higher resolution and sharpness than the Mark II at low ISO settings (ISO 50-400).  My comparison is based on RAW files processed using both Canon Digital Photo Professional (DPP) and Adobe Lightroom 4.1 RC with all sharpness and lens correction parameters set to zero. 

I shot a full frame image using a Canon 24-105mm f4 L lens @ f8 focused manually using Live View on the cereal box label (left-side of image) below.

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Here is an example comparison using the “High Speed” DPP setting shot at ISO 100 (click on images to see actual size):

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Adobe just released an update of Lightroom, which can handle Mark III RAW files.  Here is a comparison of the RAW files using Lightroom 4.1’s processing engine:

Comparison_5d_LR_4.1_RC

It’s clear that the Adobe RAW converter is pulling in more details from the Mark III RAW file than Canon’s own software.  I’m curious to see what improvements future upgrades to processing software will bring, although I’m quite happy with these current results.

Another quick experiment was to increase “Brightness adjustment” by +2 within DPP to see how the new sensor on the Mark III improves on its predecessor in terms of pattern noise at low ISO.  The shadow areas on the Mark III are smoother with almost film like noise distribution, while the Mark II noise appears to be more artificially generated.

Comparison_5d_shadow

Here is a more practical example of how dynamic range and film-like grain can be useful in the field. I accidently underexposed the image below by a stop or so and had to fix it later in Lightroom 4.1.  With the 5d Mark III, I was able to lift the shadows and get a good quality photo without artificial looking pattern noise showing on the subjects face. 

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Note: The Canon 5d Mark III comes with a software program to process RAW files called the Canon Digital Photo Professional (DPP).  In order to get the highest quality output from Mark III RAW files, I suggest you choose the “High speed” option in DPP versus “High Quality.”  The current version 3.11.10.0 that ships with the Canon Mark III seems to have a software bug that effects the quality of the Mark III RAW files adversely compared to the Mark II.

+Image resolution, color and clarity noticeably better over the Mark II in RAW mode.  Color gradients appear smoother and per pixel sharpness is higher.

+Dynamic range and pattern noise  significantly improved from the Mark II as well.  You can now afford to underexpose an image a stop or two without a headache.

+Grain structure is much more film-like than with the Mark II. B&W photos at high ISOs look great in particular now.  

-HDR mode is fairly basic and didn’t find it super useful.  Would be nice to have simulated graduated filter effects built in.

Sample photos

Here is a sampling of photos taken with the 5d Mark III during the first two weeks of ownership.  It has been the most fun I’ve had using a camera body and produced the highest percentage of sharp / in focus photos of any digital body I’ve used to date. 

Canon 70-300L @ 124mm, ISO 250, f/5.0, 1/320sec

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LeftEyeMiesh

Canon 16-35mm mark II @ 28mm, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/125 sec

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RayanLeftEye

Canon 16-35mm mark II @ 22mm, ISO f/5.6, 1/250 sec

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Canon 70-300 @ 229mm, ISO 160, f/5.6, 1/250 sec

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Canon 200mm 2.8L @ 2.8, ISO 2500, 1/250sec

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Canon 85mm L mark II @ f/1.2, ISO 100, 1/1000 sec

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Battle of the Tablets: Nook Tablet versus the Kindle Fire Review

20 Nov

Already being a Smartphone owner, I was in the market for a lightweight tablet that I could use to read books, magazines, browse the web and occasionally use apps for entertainment.  My Smartphone is great at taking photos, txt’ing,  providing me with the latest news and updates form social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Both the Barnes and Noble Nook Tablet and Kindle Fire seemed to fit the bill and I spent a couple of days with them before deciding which one to keep.   The Nook Tablet has a higher price tag than the Kindle Fire: $250 versus $200.  However, you can get a $25 instant discount towards the Nook at a local B&N store if you enroll as a new member.

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Side-by-side both the Nook Tablet and Kindle Fire are both beautiful devices and easy to hold with one hand.   They both have a 7” screen, which is significantly smaller than the Apple iPad and great for traveling light.  The Nook Tablet is slightly lighter in weight and felt more comfortable to hold for extended periods of time.  Barnes and Noble did well to put a more textured surface on the back of the Nook.

The screen on the Kindle Fire is noticeably more glossy in appearance with slightly more vivid colors.  While, this is great for viewing video in ideal lighting conditions, it does not bode as well when reading either books, magazines or web content for extended periods of time.  I found the Nook Tablet to be much better suited for reading under sunlight and artificial light overhead.  My wife has kindly reminded me that her standard Kindle (with B&W eInk technology) is still the best for reading books with the least amount of eye strain.

Personalization is one of the key features I look for on my electronic devices.  The Nook Tablet let me personalize my home screen with a photograph I’d taken recently and icons for my favorite books, apps and magazines.  The Kindle Fire on the other hand shows a more common flipping interface to enable access to books, apps, music, video, etc.

The Kindle Fire beats the Nook when it comes to music and video content online.  Amazon services are great in this regard and let you chose from a fairly comprehensive library online.  The Nook Tablet gives you access to multimedia content through Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora, which works well enough for me, since I am already a subscriber.

Both the Kindle and Nook have a rich selection of books, magazines and apps.  Barnes & Noble is unique in letting you read books for free while using your Nook at their local store (for up to an hour a day).  This is a great feature, since it lets me delve into books and reference guides in more detail before purchasing them online.  On the Kindle Fire, you can download a sample first chapter to preview before making a purchase decision.

Overall, I enjoyed using both the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet, although my Kindle Fire is going back to Amazon tomorrow.  It is a good device, but the design elegance of the Nook combined with a more readable screen, homepage personalization and access to free in-store book content made my Nook experience more enjoyable.

Winner: Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet

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Updated on 3/26/2012

After a few months of use, I continue to be impressed with the Nook Tablet.  Although, I do miss being able to download movies onto the device when travelling.  The app marketplace also doesn’t offer nearly as much variety as either the Apple iPad or the Amazon marketplace.

First impressions: Zeiss 35mm 1.4 ZE

17 Jun

I love the 35mm focal length on full-frame SLRs such as the Canon 5d! It provides a field of view that’s great for visualizing subjects in their surrounding environment.  I currently own a Zeiss 35mm 2.0 ZE, but after the faster 1.4 version was announced, I was anxious to give it a try.   The faster lens would enable me to further blur out distracting backgrounds for portraiture and photo journalistic style shooting.

One characteristic of a lens, I’ve come to appreciate over time is how a lens renders the area surrounding a subject.  The difference between a good photograph versus a great one, can be the out-of-focus rendition (bokeh).  Fast prime lenses with a minimum aperture of f1.4 enable a photographer to have more creative control and also shoot with higher shutter speeds in lower light conditions.

Here are a couple of shots wide open with the Zeiss 1.4 ZE on a Canon 5d II:

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100% crop of the right eye with moderate sharpening in Photoshop:

Zoom-Eye

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I’m impressed with the quality of rendition from the Zeiss.  Even wide open the lens is sharp, with probably the most sublime bokeh rendition I’ve seen from a 35mm lens.

Here are a couple of shots at f1.8 and f2.0 respectively.   Goes to shows how you can melt away distracting backgrounds with this lens even stopped down a bit.

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The following series shows the bokeh quality at f1.4, f2.0 and f2.8 respectively:

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Zeiss352_0

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When I get more time, I’d post a head-to-head comparison with the Canon 35mm 1.4L and Zeiss 35mm 2.0 lenses.

Well done Zeiss design team! You’ve delivered a truly unique lens, which I’m sure will develop a loyal following among photographers and artists alike.

Updated 12/23/2011

I had a chance to do a quick comparison between the Zeiss 35mm ZE and the Canon 35mm L on my Canon 5d Mark II. The Canon 35L is highly regarded and I wanted to see how the two lenses stack up. With respect to sharpness they seem to be equals, although the Zeiss has an edge in terms of corner sharpness wide open.  I didn’t nit pick in this department and focused my test primarily on bokeh quality. 

Here is the original image for perspective:

Original_Zeiss_1_4

The following shows the region on the  middle-left behind the subject:

Outdoor_Bokeh_01_f1_4

The Zeiss’s rendition is buttery smooth at f1.4, where as the Canon 35L drawing looks more disturbed.  

Outdoor_Bokeh_f2_0

At f2.0 the Zeiss continues to render pleasing bokeh and to my eye is of better quality than the Canon 35L @ 1.4.

The Canon 35L of course has autofocus, smaller and lighter in weight than the Zeiss. Although, if pure image quality and bokeh rendition are the criterion then the Zeiss 35mm ZE is the king of the hill.

Canon 200mm f2.0 prime or a 70-200 f2.8 zoom?

30 Apr

Canon has developed a reputation for building high-quality telephoto lenses and the EF 200 mmCanon 200mm L f/2.0 L is amongst the best in terms of optical quality.  The primary reason for investing in this lens over a Canon 70-200 mm 2.8L II zoom is that it is full stop faster (allows in 2x more light),  which allows for better background blur and faster shutter speeds.  The prime lens is also one of the sharpest lenses in the Canon line-up and performs better with both 1.4x and 2.0x extenders than the zoom.  Nikon has a similar 200mm prime lens, although the Canon version weighs a pound less than the Nikon: 5.6lbs versus 6.4lbs.

The penalty you pay for optimal image quality and fast aperture is the higher price, size and bulk of course.  It takes extra motivation to put this lens in your camera bag, particularly while traveling .  On the positive side, you can use the lens as a dumb bell and get some exercise during your travels : )

Here are a few photos demonstrating the special qualities of this lens:

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The photo above was taken on top of Altare della Patria in Rome, Italy near sunset at f2.0 1/60sec with available light. Notice how the background is rendered buttery smooth at f2.0, which is the effect I was after for this particular shot.  Also, the shutter speed was barely fast enough to avoid blur from camera shake, any slower and this shot would not have worked without a tripod.

The Canon 200mm f2.0 L is an amazing portrait lens, enabling you to capture sharp facial features, particularly eyes with great detail.  Notice in the photo above how the subject’s hand, hair and body are slightly blurred encouraging the viewer to focus in on the eyes.  The color and contrast produced by this lens are superb.

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Shooting wildlife is another area that this lens excels in, especially in combination with the Canon 1.4x and 2.0x III extenders.  Attaching extenders to the Canon 200mm f2.0,  gives you an excellent 280mm f2.8L and a great 400mm f4.0L lens.  With the 2x extender attached I recommend stopping down the aperture to f4.5 or f5.6 to gain additional sharpness.

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Bird park in Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia with Canon 5d II, 200mm f2.0, 1/250sec, ISO 400

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Near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Canon 5d II, 200mm, f2.0, 1/200sec, ISO 100

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Peacock strutting his features at Woodland Park Zoo – 200mm, f2.0, 1/500sec, ISO 100

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Seattle zoo – Canon 5d II, 200mm f2.0 L + 1.4x extender, f2.8, 1/160 sec, ISO 100

The Canon 200mm f2.0L lens has enabled me to capture shots that would not be possible with a zoom lens and I don’t miss the flexibility of the zoom.  If portrait, landscape, sports and wildlife photography is your cup of tea then definitely give this lens a try.

Japan Earthquake: Looking to help?

13 Mar

My hopes and prayers go out to the people of Japan during this difficult period.  Initial reports indicate that over 10,000 people may have been killed in this disaster and millions are now without electricity or shelter.  This is in a country that was probably the best prepared in the world to deal with an earthquake.

You can donate to the victims through the following agencies:JapanQuake

  1. Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami fund:  redcross.org
  2. Save the Children’s Japan Earthquake Tsunami Children in Emergency fund: savethechildren.org
  3. International Medical Corps relief efforts: internationalmedicalcorps.org

Follow the latest developments on Bing news by querying for Japan earthquake.

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