The Processing
Let’s have a quick word about how we processed the files. We set the cameras all on Neutral file processing and had them shooting JPEG and RAW simultaneously. We’ll take a look at both the JPEGs out of the camera as well as RAW files processed from both the Nikon NX-2 software and Adobe Camera RAW. As you’re painfully aware if you’ve ever bought a brand-new model DSLR, it often takes Adobe a while to catch up and offer processing support for every new make and model that comes along. In this case, however, it’s Nikon’s own software that was a little behind the pace. The D3s RAW files can be processed well in the latest version of Camera RAW, 5.6 (released out of beta on December 18) but up until a few days before this posted, could not be processed in their own Capture NX-2 software. That is simply an embarrassment, and continued example of what we feel is a history of a very haphazard manufacturer software package, and just the sort of thing that led to serious, professional solutions like PhaseOne’s C1 Pro.
This gives us a good feel for how the in-camera processing matches up with software processing and exactly how much we’re losing (or gaining) by shooting JPEGs in the camera. Note, we’re using both Capture NX-2 and Adobe Camera RAW at the Default settings, and with the exception of the final 8x12 prints, we’ve not made any improvements in the color balance or density.
Let’s dive right in and look at the in-camera JPEGs.
Camera JPEGs
Here are the three figure shots, from the D300s, the D700 and the D3s.
What’s interesting here is that, first, none of the cameras have much of a perceptible color cast to them. The rendering on the D300s seems a little flat, the D700 has a much more saturated look and the D3s seems somewhere in the middle. Especially with the rendering of the reds in the dress, the D700 file seems just a bit too snappy.
Viewing at 100% we’re getting the same impression we got with the Canon group. The JPEG processing seems to downplay sharpening in all of them. Out of the three, the D700 files are probably slightly crisper than the others, but it’s still got a fairly soft feel. The D300s and D3s are almost identical.
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| Dust on the sensor of the D700 |
When you apply Unsharp Mask to these shots, you get a much nicer, much snappier result out of the D700 files. The others just don’t want to pop.
By the way, see the big chunk of dust above her head in the D700 shot? The ultrasonic dust reduction is good, but it doesn’t get everything all the time.
Nikon Capture NX-2
Looking at the files that we processed in Nikon Capture NX-2, we’re seeing pretty much the same thing. The D300s file is more conservative and the D700 file is a little snappier.
At 100% we’re seeing even more of a sharpening effect with the D700, while the D300s file seems as soft as the in-camera JPEG. You also get a pretty good feel for the contrast differences between the two cameras.
Adobe Camera RAW 5.6
Finally, in Adobe Camera RAW 5.6 we’re seeing some interesting differences. The cameras are coming a lot closer to each other, yet the red dress is getting pushed pretty far to a strong, saturated magenta hue.
This is something that, if a studio were using all three cameras, would be easily corrected, simply by applying an across-the-board red hue correction. The color cast however, is a familair red-hue shift, though it’s a bit of a surprise that Adobe chose this type of rendering.
As far as sharpening goes, lets have a look at the three, once again, at 100%.
All three cameras’ files look slightly sharper processed in Camera RAW, but they all still have a slightly soft feel. All three do, however, respond to UnsharpMask.
Here are the three without UnsharpMask:
Here they are with UnsharpMask:
We did a few head shots with the strobe set, too. Here’s one from the D300s. Keep in mind, this is a sub-$2,000 camera with an APS sensor.
D300s Headshot (Full Composition) |
D300s Headshot (Detail - 100% Crop) |
Note the detail at 100%. Yes, that is her contact lens you see.
Now, here is a shot from the D3s, which lists for over $5,000
D3s Headshot (Full Composition) |
D3s Headshot (Detail - 100% Crop) |
