Lowest noise at ISO 800 = 20D?

[mark_richards]

I have been using a (family-owned) digital P&S for the last 18 months,

but I have finally had enough of its limitations. It can take nice

photographs, but only when there is an abundance of natural light:

<p>

<img src="http://www.pinkcustard.com/kat_400x300.jpg">

<p>

(Canon PowerShot S45 - 17.5mm [90mm equivalent], F4.5, ISO 100, 1/200 sec)

<p>

<img src="http://www.pinkcustard.com/kat_crop.jpg">

<p>

(100% crop from 2272x1704)

<p>

In low light conditions (i.e. indoors on a overcast day), this camera

really struggles:

<p>

<img src="http://www.pinkcustard.com/kat_crop_ii.jpg">

<p>

(100% crop from 2272x1704 - 12mm [60mm equivalent], F4.0, ISO 400,

1/80 sec)

<p>

There are lots of other limiting things about this camera (soft lens,

slow zoom etc.), but any replacement will take care of those. However,

I am more worried about noise than anything else.

<p>

I just did an experiment in the kitchen whilst the kids are here (the

child in these pictures is my niece); it is a dull day, and the kids

are being very silly/cute/photogenic/etc (as are other things), but I

can only get usable shutter speeds (i.e. 1/40-50 sec and faster) with

the 50mm lens wide open (F1.8) and an ISO setting of 800.

<p>

So, what kind of performance can I expect from the current crop of

DSLRs at these light levels (1/50 sec @ F1.8 & ISO 800)?

<p>

(I can keep using my manual focus film camera + Tamron SP adaptall

lenses for the time being [the last set of prints weren't bad], but I

really want to upgrade soon [not necessarily to a DSLR, but I prefer

digital to film for upfront versus running costs reasons [and

convenience etc.])

[jbq]

Looking at a pixel level, I would count on about a 3-stop difference between your S45 and a 20D: the 20D at ISO 800 will produce about the same amount of noise as your S45 at ISO 100, and the 20D at ISO 3200 will be similar to the S45 at ISO 400.

 

At the level of the overall image, the much higher pixel count (1.6x linearly) will give you an extra stop - i.e. same size prints from the 20D at ISO 1600 should be as good as from the S45 at ISO 100.

 

Add to that the fact that the 20D will be able to use faster lenses (count on a 2-stop advantage over your S45 with either a 50/1.8 or an image-stabilized lens), and don't forget that when light becomes really too low a bounced 420EX makes miracles.

[grizzlymarmot]

Try noise/grain reduction software

[johnrwoods]

You will be quite pleased with the high ISO performance of the 300D/10D/20D, I know I was.<p>

 

Canon 10D, 50mm f/1.8 @ 1.8, 1/80, 800iso...<p>

 

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/theoperativeword/gjgchain_06.jpg">

[Troll]

If the pictures are good, the technical details aren't all that important. The critics who complain about digital noise are unrealistic.

[carl smith]

I agree Bill, particularly with the DSLRs where noise performance is often good enough that at high ISOs you've got less noise than you would grain in 35mm film for example.

 

The small point and shoots tend to be a different story, and noise reduction can kill some detail, but noise performance of just about any of the DSLRs out there today is really quite spectacular.

[kelly_flanigan1]

As a total goof; I present a cellphone image in low light; from an Audiovox 8900; to compare with the new Canon 20D.<BR><BR> Image is VGA; ie 480x640. The "camera" outputs 3 resolutions; 480x640; 240x320; 120x160.<BR><BR> The manual says it is a 0.3 megapixel device. Images at 240x320 have little noise; I believe the cell phone makers have a 240x320 sensor; not a 480x640 sensor; and upsize it to VGA; ie 480x640 just to make the image bigger.<BR><BR> The noise is abit radical in VGA mode; and ALOT smoother in 1/4 VGA mode; ie 240x320....<BR><BR><BR><IMG SRC=http://www.ezshots.com/members/tripods/images/tripods-508.jpg>

[kelly_flanigan1]

notice how the film rails in the zorki on the left have a pixelated appearance. A straight 240x320 image has little. The crafty cell phone guys are upsizing the 1/4 VGA sensor output by 2x; and calling these masterpieces 0.3 megapixel /VGA cameras/

[carl smith]

Kelly, that's pretty interesting to see, but how does that relate to this discussion?

[jbq]

Kelly: the "pixellation" is probably caused by a very primitive color reconstruction - and such a camera is possibly using CMY filters instead of RGB, which could in patterns that we're not used to with our RGB cameras.