Friday, September 28, 2007

Low light


Some of the first low-light photos to be show, from the Nikon D3. Highly interesting, to say the least, for people who like to photograph in available light.

These are small samples, though. There are some large samples here.
These are awesome. It's at least a two-stop improvement in low light performance over the D2x. If you consider what a two-stop improvement costs you in terms of money and weight in a lens...! For those not familiar with that, we are talking something like a half or a whole kilo more weight-wise, and a thousand dollars more, maybe two. And beyond that you also "pay" in much reduced depth-of-field and more critical focus. None of these things applies to a gain in the camera sensor, it's "free". Fantastic.

If Nikon manages to build in this image quality into a much lighter and cheaper body (similar to Canon 5D), they will have a huge bestseller on their hands.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm waiting for a Canon 5D MkII with similar low light performance in february :-)

Xavier

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Yes, I would happily get that one instead. I already have the 5D. (I use both systems.)

Anonymous said...

Those pics look phantastic!

One outcome I expect from this new low light technology is more pics of bands playing in clubs. Nowadays you don't see much good photos taken in those situations because it's next to impossible to shoot there.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Quite right.

And much more. 80% of our lives is happening indoors or in poor light, so this will improve all documentary photography.

Pascal [P-04referent] said...

TTL said...
"it's next to impossible to shoot there."


A real man would use his gun.
At least in Lebanon.