20D shots...and my impressions thus far.

[I_Fly]

Adorama finally delivered my wife's new 20D last Friday and I "borrowed" it Saturday to take some shots of game traffic from the Arkansas v. Alabama football game.

It's noticably softer than my 1D straight from the camera. I expected that but haven't quite figured out how to best sharpen the pictures. Even so, I got a few really nice shots and see the potential for some others that I can't do with the 1D because of the 1.3 v 1.6 crop factor.

First impressions: it's tiny, it's light, it feels like a toy. Of course I've been shooting a 1D for almost a year so that's my baseline now. I had the same impression when handling my A2 film camera recently. The LCD is bright, the ability to zoom is very nice! It needs a vertical grip; even my wife made that comment.

Within a few minutes, and not reading the manual, I was able to figure out how to change the ISO, white balance, focus mode (AI servo/one shot), file quality (it came set to JPG fine, I prefer RAW) and metering mode. It's quiet compared to the 1D.

I haven't figured out how to get a histogram yet. Guess I'll have to break the manual out and do a little research.

So far, I think it'll make a nice supplement to my 1D, when Collette lets me use it. The files seem huge compared to the RAW files coming from my 1D.

Anyway, here are a few of the first shots:

A shot from the tower of the main ramp, showing the Boeing 737 at one end and a variety of Lears, Citations, Falcons and Beechjet/DiamondJets. One thing to note, when I reduced this for the web it got really soft. Taken with a 75-300 USM IS lens.


Here's a crop from that image, although closer to 100%, it was still reduced slightly in size. It's a little soft, even after sharpening this image was soft at the edges. I haven't had time to determine if it's the lens, the camera, my skills at PS or a combination of factors.


And one of my favorites. Reducing this image for the web has really robbed it of detail and sharpness. In the full size image you can see the rivets around the windshield and easily read the lettering on the wheel chocks. This reduced image also looks blown-out whereas on the original you can the shading in the white nose. This was taken with the 18-55mm kit lens.

[Speed]

Adorama finally delivered my wife's new 20D last Friday and I "borrowed" it Saturday to take some shots of game traffic from the Arkansas v. Alabama football game.

It's noticably softer than my 1D straight from the camera. I expected that but haven't quite figured out how to best sharpen the pictures. Even so, I got a few really nice shots and see the potential for some others that I can't do with the 1D because of the 1.3 v 1.6 crop factor.

First impressions: it's tiny, it's light, it feels like a toy. Of course I've been shooting a 1D for almost a year so that's my baseline now. I had the same impression when handling my A2 film camera recently. The LCD is bright, the ability to zoom is very nice! It needs a vertical grip; even my wife made that comment.

Within a few minutes, and not reading the manual, I was able to figure out how to change the ISO, white balance, focus mode (AI servo/one shot), file quality (it came set to JPG fine, I prefer RAW) and metering mode. It's quiet compared to the 1D.

I haven't figured out how to get a histogram yet. Guess I'll have to break the manual out and do a little research.

So far, I think it'll make a nice supplement to my 1D, when Collette lets me use it. The files seem huge compared to the RAW files coming from my 1D.

Anyway, here are a few of the first shots:

A shot from the tower of the main ramp, showing the Boeing 737 at one end and a variety of Lears, Citations, Falcons and Beechjet/DiamondJets. One thing to note, when I reduced this for the web it got really soft. Taken with a 75-300 USM IS lens.

Here's a crop from that image, although closer to 100%, it was still reduced slightly in size. It's a little soft, even after sharpening this image was soft at the edges. I haven't had time to determine if it's the lens, the camera, my skills at PS or a combination of factors.

And one of my favorites. Reducing this image for the web has really robbed it of detail and sharpness. In the full size image you can see the rivets around the windshield and easily read the lettering on the wheel chocks. This reduced image also looks blown-out whereas on the original you can the shading in the white nose. This was taken with the 18-55mm kit lens.

Nice shots as always. Nice 737. 400 series?

"It's noticably softer than my 1D straight from the camera."

Do you suppose that they designed it that way? Possibly as a way to "improve" portraits? We know some films are better than others for portraits, based on their manufacturing (be it process or chemicals). I'm just throwing out hypotheticals. Ask the other 20D shooters if their images have a soft look.

And keep wringing that thing out. If you can get it away from Collette! ;-)

[Sebastian]

CMOS vs. CCD

The "softness" is just the way the sensor and AA filter render the image compared to CCD. The detail is there, no doubt about it, you just have to work at it a bit more to get it to show.

But, in turn you get less noise...

[I_Fly]

was painted on the side. I just know it's a big airplane, although not a lot bigger than the Gulfstream G-IV's that come in.

As for the image softness, some of the websites I've been checking say that once you sharpen the images, you can get a lot more detail than from a 1D image. I'm still learning PS so I'm hoping that I can figure out what I need to do to get great images from it.

As for wringing it out, I'm going to do my best. Collette wants me to teach her how to use it so I'm going to have to become proficient at using it...right?

I'm really looking forward to trying it with my 50mm 1.8 MkI lens on a tripod shooting portraits, both available light and with a flash. I'd also like to try some landscape type shots when I have more time to set up a decent shot. Most of my airport shots have been while I'm on a break or after I went off the clock and was trying to catch the last of the day's light.

More to come in the near future!

Nice shots as always. Nice 737. 400 series?

"It's noticably softer than my 1D straight from the camera."

Do you suppose that they designed it that way? Possibly as a way to "improve" portraits? We know some films are better than others for portraits, based on their manufacturing (be it process or chemicals). I'm just throwing out hypotheticals. Ask the other 20D shooters if their images have a soft look.

And keep wringing that thing out. If you can get it away from Collette! ;-)

[I_Fly]

that's another comparison I want to do sometime. My 1D is extremely noisy at ISOs above 400. I knew when I bought the camera that the initial images were going to be soft so I wasn't suprised or upset. All I have to do is figure out how to sharpen images effectively, consistently!

Thanks Seb.

CMOS vs. CCD

The "softness" is just the way the sensor and AA filter render the image compared to CCD. The detail is there, no doubt about it, you just have to work at it a bit more to get it to show.

But, in turn you get less noise...

[Liz]

I'm really looking forward to trying it with my 50mm 1.8 MkI lens on a tripod shooting portraits, both available light and with a flash

I would be interested to see the results using the 50mm lens. I always got soft images from the kit lens. I know you said the images are sharp until you posted them. However, I think you will get better results with the sharper lens.

Liz

[I_Fly]

I'll try to post some soon. The 50mm lens is the sharpest I own by a huge margin! It's the best investment I've made in a lens so far.

I'm really looking forward to trying it with my 50mm 1.8 MkI lens on a tripod shooting portraits, both available light and with a flash

I would be interested to see the results using the 50mm lens. I always got soft images from the kit lens. I know you said the images are sharp until you posted them. However, I think you will get better results with the sharper lens.

Liz

[Fotowillem]

It’s a long time ago I post some pictures here, but I am back and this one is for Liz;-)

Greetings,

Willem.

[Liz]

I think Willem meant to post this elsewhere - he began a new thread. I replied there.

Liz

It’s a long time ago I post some pictures here, but I am back and this one is for Liz;-)

Greetings,

Willem.