11 August 2008
TWIP Podcast #42 - Making Sense of Sensors
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Audio Podcast
Episode 42 is in the feed or you can download the MP3 at Pixelcorps.TV.
Hosts: Alex Lindsay
Guest: Stu Maschwitz
Contributors: Ron Brinkmann, Steve Simon
Locations: San Francisco, Hermosa Beach & Vancouver
Intro Music by Scott Cannizzaro
Producer & Show Notes Author: Aaron Mahler - Twitter: halfpress
Bandwidth for This Week in Photography is provided by Cachefly.
TWIP is sponsored by Audible. For a free downloadable book visit www.audiblepodcast.com/twip
NEWS & DISCUSSION
- Nikon Announces A Flawed Potential G9 Challenger - 13.5 -effective- MP, external flash and wide-angle lens options, Wired LAN connectivity, a build-in GPS, high ISO sensitivity, and RAW format support. Therein lies the problem. The RAW format is proprietary and currently requires a combination of Nikon software and Windows-only software. Mac users are screwed - at least right now - on RAW from this new camera. Beyond that, the RAW implementation appears to be pretty questionable. This design decision is bad enough that Alex has even stepped back from pulling the trigger on a D700 or D3.
- One camera that does have folks excited (and Stu in particular) is the Panasonic Lumix-LX3. This class of camera has been really growing lately. This one has a shorter, faster zoom lens with a designation on it that Leica has not previously permitted to be used on point and shoot cameras. Stu has owned the LX1, LX2 and will definitely grab the LX3 at the first possible moment. Sample shots on their website show much improved noise at ISO 800.
- Panasonic and Olympus have announced their new Micro 4/3rds system which will be discussed a little later in the show and notes as well.
- Olympic committee bans ‘professional’ cameras for visitors - Speculation is that they mean DSLRs with large lenses, but there is no precise definition of what constitutes “professional”. Such vague rules could end being a nasty surprise for a lot of people once they reach the door.
- Liquid Image’s underwater digital camera mask now available… in Japan - diving and swimming goggles with a digital camera right in the center between your eyes. Ron wants to walks around with them on the street. Steve declares “fun in the tub”! 
- PictureCode releases Noise Ninja plug-in for Aperture - Steve owns a D3, so he has no real need for this.
SITE OF THE WEEK
- PhotoWorkshop.Com
- From their site: “PHOTOWORKSHOP.COM is an interactive community, open free to the public. We bring together various Learning Centers made possible by the greatest names in photography and digital imaging. We are committed to providing an education in photography, where the quest for knowledge is fueled by inspiration.”
- Two levels of paid membership: The Workshop Level ($39 a year) and The Showcase Level ($89 a year)
FLICKR CHALLENGE & POLL
- We’re in week two of our current challenge: ‘8′ (During this challenge, we’ve passed 8-8-08 in the calendar)
- Alex and Ron get into an amusing discussion about their Sigma 8mm lenses and how long it takes to realize the low profile lens cap ring comes off. I (Aaron) did precisely the same thing for the first hour with mine some years ago. And, yes, they are VERY amusing to use for more than just VR panoramic shots: Snuffle Cow 1, Snuffle Cow 2
- We’ve got videos to help you sign up for Flickr as well as videos showing how to upload to Flickr.
- Our TWiP Flickr group is over 6,000 Members with over 3,000 in the TWiP Flickr Critique group.
- Last poll results: Is your photography primarily designed to:
- Please yourself - 84.4%
- Please your family - 5.5%
- Please clients - 4.6%
- Please your friends - 3.2%
- Please your peers - 2.2%
New Poll: Which focal length do you primarily shoot?
- Super wide
- Wide
- Normal
- Telephoto
- Super telephoto
DISCUSSION - Sensors
- Time to geek out, folks.
- Generally I transcribe a lot of the conversation for the show notes. In a more technical show like this, though, it’s a bit more sensible to summarize some of the points made in the discussion but mostly provide links to the various technical resources to which we refer. So the notes on this topic this week are going to be a little thinner. I recommend that listeners pair the audio discussion with the links I’m going to provide below for reference.
- Wikipedia’s top-level article on image sensors.
- The two major sensor types: CCD and CMOS. You’ll hear discussion, too, of Foveon and 4/3rds. Foveon is CMOS-based but is most unique by being an alternative to the Bayer pattern that you will also hear described. 4/3rds does not actually define a type of sensor but rather an overall semi-open camera design standard to be shared among vendors.
- An important thing to understand with sensors is the Bayer pattern. A sensor has an X by Y grid of photo-sensitive elements on it and their sensitivity is specific to red, green and blue light. These are interwoven in a pattern that often provides more green elements than red or blue (eyes are more sensitive to green). As Stu states in the show, taking a photo that is predominantly blue, for instance, means you’re getting an image that is based on often less than 1/3rd of the megapixel resolution (sensitivity-wise) of your camera. The Foveon elements discussed later differ from Bayer in that three sensors are essentially stacked on top of one another with each being completely sensitive to red, green or blue. The full stated resolution of the sensor is equal among all three colors. Each has benefits and drawbacks. The patterns are well illustrated here.
- One key difference between CCD sensors and CMOS sensors is how they are “drained” by the camera when capturing the image. CCD sensors tend to submit their light samples to the camera one line of elements at a time (very rapidly, of course). CMOS sensors can generally submit their sample in one shot. This can have an impact on time between shots.
- RAW images coming off the sensor have a natural tendency to be soft and are therefore sharpened to an extent within the camera. There is also a process called de-mosaicing that has to be performed with the data (taking apart the Bayer grid pattern and producing a representation of the final image).
- Historically, Canon was the major initial user of CMOS sensors in their DSLRs. Nikon is now a CMOS user as well with the D3 and D700.
- A good comparison between CCD and Foveon can be found here. One of the most accessible DSLRs using Foveon technology is the Sigma SD14.
- The Foveon stacking mechanism creates an apples and oranges comparison in the megapixel debate. A given normal CCD or CMOS sensor at X megapixels actually uses approximately 1/3rd or less of its sensors per color. Foveon claims that its sensors, even at an overall lower megapixel count, should be considered to be 3x resolution from a color perspective due to how it samples the light.
- The group enters into a great discussion on the relative merits of megapixels and how they has become a misleading marketing metric. Stu is particularly pleased with Panasonic’s LX3 marketing specifically targeting the hollowness of this claim and focusing on other more important improvements in their design. Low light sensitivity, lens quality and other interface elements are FAR more important in a camera now once one crosses approximately the 8 megapixel boundary.
AUDIBLE PICK OF THE WEEK
- This week, Alex suggestions:
- Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
- Author: Jared Diamond
- From the Audible site: “In this groundbreaking work, evolutionary biologist Jared Diamond stunningly dismantles racially based theories of human history by revealing the environmental factors actually responsible for history’s broadest patterns. It is a story that spans 13,000 years of human history, beginning when Stone Age hunter-gatherers constituted the entire human population. Guns, Germs, and Steel is a world history that really is a history of all the world’s peoples, a unified narrative of human life.”
- TWIP is sponsored by Audible. For a free downloadable book visit www.audiblepodcast.com/twip
LISTENER QUESTIONS
- Q: Listener, Greg Hale writes: Thanks for the show. I’ve learned so much in the last few months > since I > purchased by first Digital SLR after using a film SLR several years > ago. > I have a new Rebel XSI, which I love, and have quickly moved to > shooting in > RAW. My XSI’s Standard Picture style setting already adds some > sharpness. I > usually don’t need to add sharpness when processing the images > because of this. > Is there any disadvantage to allowing the camera to add some > sharpness since > most images would get some sharpening anyway or should I always > shoot in the > neutral style and add sharpness later? It seems I can reduce > sharpness later in > the Raw processing if needed. The camera’s Standard Style sets > sharpness at 3 > out of 10. I assume this question might also apply to saturation or > color tone > which can also be set in-camera. > > Also while we are talking about sharpness can you give examples of > compositions > where you wouldn’t want any sharpening? > > Thanks again for your show and keep up the great work!
- A: This sharpness is permanently applied to JPEG images from the camera, but in RAW it just comes in the form of a “recommended” sharpness than can be overridden in Lightroom, Aperture or most any good RAW processor. Once again… the beauties of shooting RAW.
- Q: Listener, Timothy Van de Riet writes: Hello TWIP Staff, > > I really enjoy your show. My question pertains to prime lenses.I’m > an entry > level photog with a Nikon D40 and a Nikon 50mm f1.8. I understand > that these > lenses should provide the clearest possible pictures. I am having a > difficult > time getting my images to not look blurry or out of focus. As you > know, this > lens/camera combo does not support autofocus. Have you heard any > good things > about the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM? What advice can you offer me? > > Sincerely, > Timothy Van de Riet > (last name pronounced van dee reet) > St. Louis, Missouri
- A: If your ability to gauge focus visually is decreasing (possibly with age), then autofocus is going to be tremendously helpful in the Sigma. Nobody on the TWiP team knows of any negative quality issues with this lens and, to the contrary, have had a very good experience with many other model Sigma lenses.
TIP OF THE WEEK
- This is a followup tip from a previous episode from listener, Jared:
- Hello TWiPers, Thank you for sharing my Flickr tip about changing the upload date to bring your photo to the front. I’d like to offer up another tip to keep up-to-date on your contacts’ photos. If you use a feed reader like Google Reader, you can subscribe to a feed with all of your contacts’ latest pictures. This way, you see every photo that your contacts upload. To get the feed URL, browse to your contacts page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/friends/) and scroll all the way to the bottom where you will see a link that says, ” Feed ‚Äì Subscribe to new uploads from your friends.” Add that address to your feed reader and stay up-to-date!
WRAP-UP
- Stu can be found at his blog, ProLost, and can also be found on Twitter: 5tu
- Alex can be found at http://www.pixelcorps.com and http://www.pixelcorps.tv. Twitter: alexlindsay Alex would also like everyone to give This Week in Media a spin: http://pixelcorps.tv
- Steve Simon can be found at http://www.stevesimonphoto.com. He’s also doing a workshop August 15th - 17th in New Jersey and more information can be found at http://www.mentorseries.com.
- Ron Brinkmann can be found at his blog, http://www.digitalcomposting.com. Since the second edition of his book has just started shipping, he’s also going to pimp his main site: http://www.digitalcompositing.com. Twitter: ronbrinkmann
- Aaron can be found on his blog (which is painfully in need of updates… soon) and via Twitter: halfpress
Send your thoughts, suggestions and questions to: twip at pixelcorps.com
Story ideas and other items of webly interest can be submitted via the TWiP Ideas Del.icio.us bookmarks
Share photos with your fellow TWiP listeners through the TWiP Flickr Feed
Submit your photos for “ruthless compassion” through our TWiP critiques forum.
24 Comments so far...
Brady Says:
11 August 2008 at 5:39 pm.
Hi Scott,
thanks for putting out this podcast, i hope you can answer my question. i cleaned my sensor, but at high shutter speed etc. 1/1250 and faster or bigger fstops f10.0 or higher i get this weird line through every image, i changed the lens to make sure it wasn’t the lens. so i was wondering if it was my shutter or my sensor? i got a mark2n about 2yrs old and about 90,000 actuations. this is the sample image http://bradyoshiro.com/bad.sensor.jpg. thank you for your help in advance.
Brady
Tyroga Says:
11 August 2008 at 11:49 pm.
We have similar restrictions on “professional” cameras at games of the Australian Football League (AFL) bag checks are done but are not very thorough. I’m lucky now that I have a photographers pass and now get to sit on the ground and take photos.
Further at the Australian Open there are restrictions on the lenses you can take into a match. You are restricted to 200 mm or less.
In both cases these restrictions are printed on the back of your entry ticket and I’m sure you guys have something similar for MLB games in the US.
Steve Says:
12 August 2008 at 11:55 am.
@Tyroga
How did you go about getting a photographers pass for the AFL? Would love to know who to approach.
Amin Says:
12 August 2008 at 1:03 pm.
Great show. Two comments:
First, the Panasonic LX3 is not the first small sensor Panasonic camera for which Leica has permitted the label “Summicron”. The Panasonic LC1/Leica Digilux 2 has that distinction. As far as I know, “Summicron” is reserved for f/2 lenses and does not otherwise connote a special degree of quality. Along the same lines, the Panasonic/Leica 25mm Summilux for Four Thirds gets the label “Summilux” because it is an f/1.4 lens.
The second comment is that Alex is overestimating the noise benefits of lowering megapixels on signal to noise ratio. Limiting a small sensor camera to 6MP is not going to allow good ISO 6400 low light ability as Alex has implied in a couple of shows. The dominant factor in overall signal/noise is sensor size, not pixel size. Furthermore, sensor technology isn’t improving as quickly as one might hope. This is from the LX3 press release:
“While the LX2 also featured a large CCD – its 1/1.65″ CCD was just slightly smaller than the LX3’s 1/1.63″ unit – in the LX3 Panasonic maximised the size of the photodiode size to boost sensitivity by around 19% and saturation performance by around 15%. ”
In other words, a few years of sensor technology improvement on a sensor of the same size and megapixel count resulted in less than 1/5 of a stop of improvement in detail/noise. If we apply the same incremental increase to the 6MP Fuji F31 (probably the best low light sensor amongst previous generation compacts), I’d guess that the best one could hope for with current technology in a small (1/1.6-1/1.8″) sensor would be a good ISO 800 and usable ISO 1600. I agree that keeping small sensors to 6MP would help most people get better results, but no one’s getting good ISO 6400 out of a small sensor barring a major technological breakthrough.
Regards,
Amin
JayMonster Says:
12 August 2008 at 1:37 pm.
So many things on this weeks episode -
Restrictions on Professional Equipment - All the major sports venues in the NY area also have rules against “professional equipment.” Yankee Stadium constitutes “professional” as lenses 6″ or larger. I get around this with a 70 - 200 lens and a 2x Extender.
Nikon P6000 - I realize that most (if not all) of the TWIP crew uses Apple Computers, but realize that 90% (or so) of the world does not. The possibility is that Nikon just doesn’t think that the vast majority of people that will buy this camera are not people that will lay out an additional two or three hundred dollars for CaptureNX or Lightroom, and thus they are trying to offer this dumbed down RAW version for more of the “everyday” user. I am not saying that they are necessarily right, and ultimately sales numbers will tell the story, but this may not (especially if somebody ultimately offers a solution to open it on a Mac) be a huge a faux pas as you made it out to be.
I thought the biggest slap in the face with this oddball Raw, is that even if they figured they couldn’t get somebody to spend the “hundreds” to buy the more expensive format, this seems then like a slap in the face to Adobe. Why not just make the output DNG?
It should also be noted that the Panasonic LX3, which was hailed for staying at 10.1 MP, is stuffing them onto a slightly smaller (1/1.63″) sensor that the Nikon (1/1.7″). Of course both of these cameras (plus the G9), it is worthy of noting, have considerably larger sensors than typical Point-n-Shoot camera, a point that is usually overlooked as just “a small sensor” (but that is a whole other post really)
I am not saying the camera isn’t flawed, it certain has its share of head scratchers, but overall I thought you trashed it a bit hard.
Micro Four Thirds - I though Alex in particular would have made a much bigger deal of this. In more than one episode he has pined for a “point n shoot with interchangeable lenses” and that is basically the idea behind the Micro Four Thirds format. Plus considering that the Sensor Size would be the “full” Four Thirds, it will be 9 times larger that the typical 1/2.5″ sensor in many point -n- shoots, meaning less noise that your standard point-n-shoot camera.
And Speaking of 4/3 Format… How do you have a show dedicated to “Making Sense of Sensors” and not mention this format? No it is not great (particularly in low light), but in the sense of making dSLRs that are smaller and lighter, the size of the sensor definitely plays a role.
50 MP sensor - Just for clarification… The Kodak 50MP sensor that is used in the recently announced Hasselblad is a CCD and not a CMOS as suggested. (Canon announced a 50 MP CMOS sensor, but as far as I can tell, it is not in any camera… at least not yet).
So, next perhaps we can have a discussion on Processors? For example, I “know” in theory that the new Expeed processor makes a world of difference in Nikon cameras, but how much? Is Digic II considerably better than Digic III? And so on.
Scott Says:
12 August 2008 at 2:51 pm.
@JayMonster you said “Nikon P6000 - I realize that most (if not all) of the TWIP crew uses Apple Computers, but realize that 90% (or so) of the world does not. The possibility is that Nikon just doesn’t think that the vast majority of people that will buy this camera are not people that will lay out an additional two or three hundred dollars for CaptureNX or Lightroom, and thus they are trying to offer this dumbed down RAW version for more of the “everyday” user.”
This is a false dichotomy. The number of Mac users v. PC users is utterly irrelevant here. What matters is how many serious photographers use Macs v. PCs. Given the research before me, the numbers get much closer to being equal when you ask the right question.
Nikon screwed up. Period. Game over. This camera is no G9 killer. Maybe they’ll figure it out next time like they did when they tried to encrypt White Balance RAW info.
Tyroga Says:
12 August 2008 at 4:39 pm.
@Steve - I work for the company that is the official photographer for the AFL. http://www.slatterymedia.com/images
Wayne Says:
12 August 2008 at 7:14 pm.
Microsoft research in the UK have developed a camera the hangs around the neck and continually takes pictures of your whole day, it has several senses that track temp, movement. Its called the “Sensecam” ,I don’t have a web page as it was published in a mag.
Cycomachead Says:
12 August 2008 at 7:26 pm.
I want to point out something over the word ‘effective’ During the show effective sounded like a bad thing. In reality it pretty much just there. It doesn’t mean too much (expect perhaps with the foveon). With sensors the edge and corner pixels are often not used because the are deemed to be to soft or inadequate in some way. With the foveon there a 3 4.7MP effective sensors. There’s a total of 14.1MP, but what you print will have a max res of 4.7MP. The LX3’s sensor is 11.4MP, but it is rounded. The 10.1MP number comes from the total used MP in all three aspect ratio formats. However the max MP is 9.9MP in 4:3 mode. The .2MP would be the edges and corners of the 3:2 and 16:9 images that aren’t already in the 4:3 shot.
Another thing not mentioned is the sensor size measurements for compact cameras. The 1/1.7″ measurement isn’t always accurate. The problem is that is the diagonal of the sensor not the area. If sensor A is a 8MP 1/1.6″ 3:2 picture (would be pretty good for a compact) and sensor B is a 8MP 1/1.6″ 4:3 sensor then most would assume that they have the same pixel density or photosite size. When you look at geometry the area for a box that is closest to (or) a square (1:1) will have a larger area than an elongated box (say 16:9 or even 3:2) with the same diagonal. The way to tell the difference in area between 2 sensors with the same diagonal is to take the aspect ratio (3:2, 4:3, etc.) and divide the bigger number by the smaller number. The closer the quotient (result) to 1 the better. Look at the LX3’s sensor. Each aspect (4:3, 3:2, and 16:9) uses the same sensor area to keep the 24MM angle for each. (Change the sensor size change the crop factor and effective focal length.) In 4:3 there is 9.9MP, 3:2 9.5 and 16:9 8.9MP. Obviously, the photosite sizes (2 microns) aren’t changing when you flip the aspect ratio switch and the diagonal stays the same. Thus (as stated above) the amount (area) of the sensor being used is changing.
If you want to calculate the area of a sensor you may be able to find it online. Or you can do math. A^2 +B^2 = C^2 is the equation to use where C is the diagonal. Substitute 4x and 3x for A and B for a 4:3 sensor or 3x and 2x for a 3:2. So the equation for the G9 looks like this:
[4x]^2 + [3x]^2 = [1/1.7]^2. You still need to solve for x and plug it back in. So then you have 4x*3x (or [12x]^2) = the area of the chip. You can do the work to find the size of an individual photosite but there’s really no point. Know that more MP in the same area means smaller photosites and you’re good.
So there’s some geeking out and also DPReview has done the math for many common camera already. You can also look at the pixel density they’ve done. (Smaller numbers are better.)
Tim Says:
13 August 2008 at 5:42 am.
Scott said: “Nikon screwed up. Period. Game over. ”
100% agreed! Macs have been a force in serious imaging and media applications for years. It makes absolutely no sense to come out with a serious high-end P&S camera with raw support that excludes that portion of the market. I think sales numbers for the P6000 will reflect that…
I dearly hope there’s a fix coming.
Tim
JVL Says:
13 August 2008 at 8:11 am.
@ Alex, Ron, TWIPPERS any links to samples photos of the Sigma 8mm? Crop sensor or full? just curious to see what’s out there.
Photography For Real Estate » New Contender For A Canon G9 Pole Camera Says:
13 August 2008 at 8:55 am.
[...] I was standing in a line (with my G9 in my pocket) listening to a recent TWIP podcast in which Alex Lindsay and Stu Maschwitz were talking about the two latest G9 contenders just [...]
JayMonster Says:
13 August 2008 at 9:36 am.
@Scott - I do not necessarily disagree with you, especially when you (correctly) factor in “serious” photographers, that these numbers are much closer. However, with the features like the upload only going to their own web sharing site, and the creation of a new RAW format that they actual are not targeting “serious” photographers (as disappointing as this is for those waiting for a G9 competitor from Nikon).
I agree that it is no G9 Killer, I was merely speculating on their rationale, as it certainly seems by the choices they made that the don’t have the confidence in this camera to directly compete with the G9 (or LX3 for that matter), and are trying to “dumb it down” to attract a different niche. Whether or not they are right, like I said will ultimately show up in unit sales, and if it is as dire as you see it, then perhaps they will learn from it and fix it in the P7000 (or maybe in a firmware fix).
@Tim
It is a given (at least to me) that Macs are a force (if not a leader) in serious imaging. But when you start to talk about sales numbers, especially when it comes to “not serious” products the story changes completely.
Scott had pondered on a previous episode, why it is that Adobe treats Macs “like a stepchild” when it comes to Adobe Elements. Well, ask Adobe, and I bet you will find that CS3 sales are equal (if not higher) on the Mac, but when it comes to the down market products, the sheer volume of PC users makes Elements sales far more lucrative on the PC than on the Mac (especially since the serious Mac users are using CS3 instead of Elements).
Jon Says:
13 August 2008 at 4:43 pm.
I was surprised you didn’t mention the FujiFilm S5 Pro since it and its predecessors are special in their high dynamic range ability and sensor design. http://www.dpreview.com/news/0609/06092502fujifilms5pro.asp
Brian Says:
13 August 2008 at 6:10 pm.
I think there was a little confusion on the podcast about what exactly Windows Imaging Component(WIC) does. It is a generic set of programming instructions to perform simple tasks on image files i.e. encode, decode, read meta data. In order to use WIC, a codec must be written that understands how to perform all these operations. WIC iteslf knows nothing about how all the information is arranged in a photo format unless a codec is provided to tell it how to read the data.
To sum things up, there is nothing about WIC that automatically understands this new .NRW format and makes it Windows specific. Nikon still has to write a codec that tells WIC how to interpret this. A programmer who understands the NEF or CR2 formats could just as easily write a codec for these formats to have them supported in WIC.
Hope this helps to clarify things.
Stu Says:
13 August 2008 at 8:45 pm.
Amin, regarding the LX3’s lens, I was referring incompletely to this sentiment on seriouscompacts.com:
“Leica has not used the label “DC Vario Summicron” with any Four Thirds zooms, nor have they applied this term to any small sensor camera lens collaborations with Panasonic save one, the Leica Digilux 2/Panasonic LC1.”
Were we too hard on the Nikon P26000? Listening back, I don’t think so. I think Nikon needs a firm slap for both the raw blunder and the excessive megapixels. Of course, on the latter we should really wait until we see images before we protest TOO much!
Daniel Says:
13 August 2008 at 11:18 pm.
>> Olympic committee bans ‘professional’ cameras for visitors -
I usually get banned when I try to take a Canon 30D w/ a 70-200mm 2.8 to a LA Kings game at Staples Center. Seems to be normal for most major sporting events.
Nikon P6000. Avid Mac user who uses Aperture and Lightroom… but I pre-ordered it as soon as it popped up on Amazon a few days ago. I have enough PC’s around to deal with the RAW issue… and sadly, I am more willing to do that than to carry around a APOD GPS tracker and deal with syncing the GPS logs.
Hopefully it will be Mac friendly by the time it hits the market here.
Derek Says:
14 August 2008 at 9:21 am.
This comment is in regards to Timothy Van de Riet question. It was my impression that the Nikon D40 and supported AF on Nikon AF-S lenses. Therefore mounting the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM lens on the D40 would only allow MF, which would leave Tim in the same situation. I might be wrong, if so, disregard this.
Thanks,
Derek
Derek Says:
14 August 2008 at 9:22 am.
Grammer error on my previous entry. Where it states “It was my impression that the Nikon D40 and supported AF… ” I meant to say “It was my impression that the Nikon D40 only supported AF…”
Thanks,
Derek
JeffDM Says:
14 August 2008 at 11:03 pm.
Amin: “The dominant factor in overall signal/noise is sensor size, not pixel size.”
How? My understanding is that the way larger sensors gets better SNR is because it gives you larger photosites, all other things being equal, including number of pixels. You’re the first I’ve seen to contend that it’s the die size itself and not so much photosite size. The larger photosite allows more light to be collected per photosite, generally meaning better SNR.
latoga Says:
19 August 2008 at 3:44 pm.
During this podcast, you discussed the explosion of workshops and some of the reasons why we have seen an explosion of more workshops being offered. Then not more than a few minutes later one of you mentions how “professionals photographers are going to have to separate themselves from the pack of very competent amateur photographers”.
I was surprised that those two dots weren’t connected. What I have seen is that a lot of photographers have moved to teaching workshops to augment their income. Is this because they aren’t able to make as much from doing their photography? Or because they are moving out of the day to day professional job but still want to stay engaged in photography? Interesting aspect of the industry to look into; I’m sure it’s more than just those photographers wanting to share their knowledge…
Marco Says:
28 August 2008 at 8:42 am.
“Microsoft and Nikon Enter Into Patent Cross-Licensing Agreement”
Here is an interesting Nikon press release from today: http://www.nikon.com/about/news/2008/0828_01.htm
This might explain the move with the raw format on the P6000.
Allen Says:
28 August 2008 at 1:58 pm.
Hey is there an easy way to tell Nikon to get their head out of their butts and make the P6000 as operating system / image editing neutral as say a D40x? I really want the next G9 but am already a Nikon user so it would have been awesome.. and now, well. Looks like I’m going to get the G9 upgrade when it comes out.
so.. an email or web link?
Raymond Yong Says:
4 October 2008 at 12:42 am.
Have you guys at TWIP got the Panasonic LX3 yet? I would love to hear your thoughts on the LX3. The LX3 is already here in Singapore and here’s a link to a forum where quite a lot of the pictures taken using the LX3’s has been posted.
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=411392
