Dirt Jump Test Session

[Photo-John]

Last Friday I went out to one of the local SLC dirt jump spots with the Nikon D3S, Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, Canon EOS 7D, the new Nikkor AF-S 70-200 VR II lens and the new Sigma 8-16mm super-wide zoom lens. And it wasn't only cameras that were being tested. For those of you who know a little about mountain bikes, Chris Canfield was there with a protoype Canfield 29-inch wheel downhill bike.

The 1st and 3rd here were taken with the 7D and the new Sigma lens, which is a ton of fun! The middle photo was taken with the Nikon D3S and 70-200 VR II in single shot AF mode.

[Photo-John]

Here are some more. What I was really there for was back-to-back testing of the Nikon D3S and Canon EOS-1D Mark IV bodies with pro 70-200 f/2.8 lenses. I am really trying to find out if there are any practical auto focus differences between the two systems. I have been shooting Canon for long that I have a natural bias. But to be honest, I am very impressed with the Nikon and don't see any real auto focus advantage with either camera. The pro Nikon stuff is wonderful and the low light ability is magic!

[Photo-John]

You can call this one an outtake. This guy belonged to one of the kids at the dirt jumps. He was having a great time, running around nipping at the jumpers as they landed. I managed to get one good one of him as he ran by, once. He got some slobber on the VR II lens, too. Sorry, Nikon

[Wolfy]

Nice. Where's the shots of you jumping?

-M

[Photo-John]

Nice. Where's the shots of you jumping?

They don't have any small enough for me and my finesse style.

Funny, though. I went with cameras and no bike and still managed to hurt myself. I tripped over a tree branch in the scrub oak and tumbled down a hill through pointy sticks. I've got a sweet purple bruise on my back that's better than anything I've gotten while riding a bike in long time. Apparently, taking pictures is more dangerous for me than mountain biking.

[Wolfy]

I tore my miniscus shooting photos of a big air comp @ Alpine. And by big air i mean Little Air. 10 years and under. I defy anyone to beat the severity of injury / benign-ness of activity ratio of that one.

-M

[Old Timer]

Sweet stuff PJ! Don't know a lot about bike jumping, but I do know great focus and you got it on all of these, regardless of what rig was in your hands.

[Frog]

I would think that dog slobber and the lens still works would be a plus for Nikon.
Know nothing about this stuff and haven't tried to jump a bike since I messed my face up trying to show my kid how to do it a long time ago.
Nice shots.

[racingpinarello]

That first Nikon image is fantastic. The focusing is sharp, but what I like is the subject almost popping out of the image.

Hard to compare since they different lighting, but that Nikon looks really good. I wouldn't turn down any of the above cameras though!

Loren

[kenny]

nice stuff.....i did go the canon route, but still don't have many good lenses and have considered going to the nikon side specifically because i do so much low light stuff.....

[Photo-John]

nice stuff.....i did go the canon route, but still don't have many good lenses and have considered going to the nikon side specifically because i do so much low light stuff.....

Note that the lowest light images here were all shot with the Canon EOS 7D, the least capable of all three cameras in low light

[ianjenn]

Note that the lowest light images here were all shot with the Canon EOS 7D, the least capable of all three cameras in low light

Have a Jedi on the way to begin thrashing upon. Have wanted to ride one since I saw the first pictures of one. Nice shots BTW.

You gonna do any large prints without "upsizing" in PS to see differences? Like 30" plus on the long side. I have a feeling the file size difference between the 1D and 3D would make the Nikon noise benefit a wash in large prints.....?

[racedraper]

very nice. I am debating everyday about going to canon, due to the fact that nikon is to proud of there lenses and there are for of a verity in canon.
did you use any speed lights and if so what where those setting.

[jorgemonkey]

Sweet!

Next time I'm out there you'll have to take me out there. I've always wanted to shoot some dirt jumping.

And I'll help you test the Nikon gear!

[belongus3]

Sweet shot'ss anyone got hurt?....love the 1st one how u focused on the biker with the flash.

[Photo-John]

Sweet shot'ss anyone got hurt?....love the 1st one how u focused on the biker with the flash.

None of the riders in my photos got hurt. One kid took a spill and lost some skin on his hand but it wasn't enough to keep him from hitting the jump again

[Photo-John]

Have a Jedi on the way to begin thrashing upon. Have wanted to ride one since I saw the first pictures of one. Nice shots BTW.

You gonna do any large prints without "upsizing" in PS to see differences? Like 30" plus on the long side. I have a feeling the file size difference between the 1D and 3D would make the Nikon noise benefit a wash in large prints.....?

I always make prints for image quality testing. I usually just make 8.5x11 prints, though. I honestly think that at these low ISO settings the D3S quality isn't going to make that much difference. It's only at ISO 800 and above that it's going to start to matter.

[Photo-John]

very nice. I am debating everyday about going to canon, due to the fact that nikon is to proud of there lenses and there are for of a verity in canon.
did you use any speed lights and if so what where those setting.

I wouldn't switch if I were you. My friend Alan moved to Nikon about a year ago and has no regrets. What Canon lenses are you coveting, anyway?

I did use some flash on these. I don't know if the settings are going to help you since they're so specific to the shots. The first one was shot with a Canon 550 EX on a cable, held in my left hand. I can't remember how I had the flash exposure compensation adjusted but I usually tweak it a bit. The last photo was shot with PocketWizards and the flash on a stand to the rider's left. My ancient PocketWizards require manual flash exposure and I think I had it set to 1/2 power. I always meter for the ambient light too, so that I can pull out more background detail. I had off-camera photos where the background is too dark. That defeats the purpose for me.

Does that help? Let me know if you have more questions

[Homer]

These are great, love the separation between rider and background.

Jim