Sony sensors produce much better images in real-world conditions than Canons due to the roughly two extra f-stops of dynamic range (ability to record both light and dark tones in the same image). Nikon adopted the Sony sensors in its flagship D800 and similar cameras.
Canon has announced a somewhat bizarre answer to the challenge presented by the superior image quality of Sony and Nikon: the 50 megapixel 5Ds. dpreview:
As far as dynamic range is concerned, we’re told that the new 5DS and 5DS R should give the same performance as the current EOS 5D Mark III. If true, this means that the new cameras won’t be able to offer the same industry-leading dynamic range of Sony’s current APS-C and full-frame sensors, but at least it isn’t a step backwards. And hey – 50MP!
What good is 50 megapixels? The maximum resolution of this camera is 8688 pixels on the side of the image. Assuming a perfect lens, tripod, and focus technique, this means a beautiful quality enlargement to about 43 inches on a side. The Nikon D800 creates images that are 7360 pixels on the long side, thus enabling a similar quality enlargement to only about 37 inches in width.
Not planning to use a tripod, sandbag, $4000 Zeiss Otus lens, etc.? The extra megapixels likely won’t be worth much.
Short summary: If the report regarding dynamic range is true, this is another sad day for Canon EOS lens system owners.
One day closer to the death of medium format digital cameras. 50mpix equals the resolution of the low end Hasselblad. Perhaps the other specs aren’t as good as the sensor on the Hassy, but marketing will mostly overcome that problem.
I’ve done some research on this, and when you compare the actual perceptual megapixels (the amount of detail you can see in a final photo) the detail almost always goes up with more megapixels, even when using lower-quality lenses like the Canon 24-105.
Because the sensor is performing an analog-to-digital conversion, square pixels never capture all the detail of the light coming through the lens. For example, the Nikon 70-200 gets 17 perceptual megapixels (according to dxomark) on the 24-megapixel D600. On the 36-megapixel D800 (which otherwise has a similar sensor) it gets 20 P-Mpix… about 15% more detail.
So, neither number comes close to the actual megapixel count, but more megapixels does get more detail from the same lens.
But removing the anti-aliasing filter helps out even more, and this is a first for Canon. Nikon did something similar with the D800E, which jumps to 27 P-Mpix with that same lens.
I guess my point is that 300 dpi doesn’t really mean anything–the perceived resolution will always be something lower than the actual megapixel count. So, having 50 physical megapixels can help you actually get 30 perceived megapixels.
Well, I don’t want to spam you, but if you check my YouTube channel I put up a pretty detailed overview of the 5DS & 5DSR yesterday. My projections show that the cameras will give photographers much better detail from many existing Canon lenses.
It’s a specialized studio camera, and they are hoping amateurs fixated on megapixel counts will spring for it (not sure with what lenses, Canon’s wide to normal primes mostly stink).
To have a sensor competitive with Sony, Canon would have to invest something like the $500M they put into their current, obsolete fab. Given cameras are a declining market, it’s understandable they don’t want to make that commitment and are content instead to put more lipstick on the pig.
I find the absence of GPS and WiFi inexplicable, when it is present in the much cheaper 6D. Wireless tethering is pretty much a killer feature in a studio camera these days, as in the absence of it is a killer, and the clunky non-integrated bolt-on transmitter solutions from either Canon or Nikon are completely sub-optimal.
David Pogue tried an actual study of how extra megapixels contribute to the quality of 16×24″ enlargements several years ago. The result? People couldn’t tell the difference.
Interesting post. Bring on the A/B testing, with prints! I have a 4 MP D2h for comparison.
There is web page called “Digital Camera Trend through 2014”
In which it shows that built-in lens camera market has collapsed
from 110 million shipped in 2010 to 35 million in 2014.
Even interchangeable lens is around 15 million for 2014 and declining.
All this is market is taken oven by smartphone whose
best chip comes from Sony.
Sony pioneered BSI which is used even in video cameras.
Apple’s current advantage is their own ISP which does all the image processing really fast.
So strong suit is in companies that will be able to put software in their own chip faster. Apple is already ahead as ProRes is being used as default codec for Profession Video cameras. It they do the same for Photos watch out.
When you shoot in 14 bit image RAW and convert to 8-bit for printing
how much more resolution and accurate color is possible when in future
even display will not be 8-bit.
8-bit color means 16 million color.
10-bin color means 1 billion color.
Printing will be stuck at 8 bit forever.