APS-C sensors are better than m4/3 aren't they?

APS-C sensors in DSLR's are better than m4/3 at dynamic range and noise etc. aren't they? This piece of "common knowledge" is often quoted again and again in photographic forums.


The following are taken with a Canon 550D fitted with a 10-22mm zoom at ISO200.


Some blowups from the image.





The in-camera jpg. (At full-size on flickr)





See what you think.

550D Images

Some images with the 550D.



Canon 550D 10-22 Zoom




Canon 550D 85mm f1.8



Canon 550D 85mm f1.8


The Canon 550D is nice to use as a landscape camera. The day was hot and humid with heavy cloud cover and there was a lot of waiting around for the sun to appear for brief bursts. We're going to try the 18-135mm zoom to have an all in one lens, for these landscape stock trips. The reviews of the lens seem good and while we doubt it will turn in the same performance as the Leica 14-140mm does for m4/3 but it will bring down the combined weight of what we carry.



Canon 550D 10-22 Zoom



Canon 550D 10-22 Zoom


Words & Images - A

Canon 550D- DSLR's and "compact" cameras.

Its been a while since I used the Canon 550D on a stock photography shoot. After using smaller and lighter cameras for a long time, the 550D with its speedy AF and instant shutter seemed like another world. It was quite exhilarating for a while.

I used an 85mm f1.8 (curious cat) which was excellent as usual, and the 10-22mm zomm f3.5-4.5 USM (bridge and house) which seemed to produce great results on initial inspection, but after a closer look revealed some unnatractive properties.

This image looks fine.

This is a detail from the centre.

Nice and sharp - nothing wrong with that.

However this is the top right hand corner.

This is the right edge.

Its not as if this is an isolated case. Every Canon zoom I've ever used, from kit zooms to L series has had really nasty CA and purple fringing.

OK its shot at f3.5 and 10mm, but shouldn't a zoom costing £600 perform better than this?

On the use of "compact cameras" Charlie Waite, he of the Hassleblad 6x6 tripod mounted Velvia 50 landscape persuasion had just released a DVD extolling the virtues and quality of compact cameras.

Details here:- http://www.charliewaite.com/news-item.asp?NewsID=86

This is his YouTube video.

This follows on from the David Clapp review of the GF1 earlier in the year.

http://www.davidclapp.co.uk/blog/reviews/43-panasonic-gf-1-in-the-landscape.html

To which he's added this piece:-

http://www.davidclapp.co.uk/blog/reviews/53-panasonic-gf-1-and-sigma-10-20-43s-review.html

Heavy Metal - Day 2

Canon 550D 10-22mm, 28mm, 50mm, 85mm lenses. Panasonic GH1 Lumix 20mm, Nikon 50mm, 85mm lenses.

Stills from 1080p movie files.

Images by D & B

Heavy Metal - Day 1

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Just over two years ago we began work on the website for a company in the West Midlands. This included shooting stills in a remarkable and historic industrial setting.

See:- http://soundimageplus.blogspot.com/2009/07/industrial-photography.html

Yesterday we began shooting a video there. One of our aims is to show the extraordinary skill and hard work put in by the workers in incredibly severe conditions.

Its often been said that the UK doesn't manufacture anything anymore. It may be true that we produce less than we did in years past, but large scale industrial manufacturing is still alive and well in many areas of the country. The Black Country traditions and expertise in producing heavy duty machinery and equipment that serves the entire world, is still going on using skills handed down through generations.

Words - D

Images - D & B

Rock and Roll at ISO 6400

Canon EOS 550 / Ts1 / Kiss X4 at 6400 ISO. 10-22 zoom, 50mm f1.8 and 85mm f1.8.
Manual exposure set - mostly 1/320th sec at F2. Results are remarkable. Grainy yes but still very clear and sharp.

Music was good too.

Special word of praise for the drummer, who is both our weddings additional video cameraman and the nephew of two of us and the brother of the other.

Words and images - D

Canon 550D Full HD Video.

Taking advantage of YouTube now showing full 1080p HD Video here is an example shot with the Canon 550D.

To get the full advantage, click on the YouTube link and wait for it to load, as its a huge (471MB) file and it will take time. There may be some "stuttering" coming off the server but it should give a decent impression of what this camera is capable of.

Lenses used were:- EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 Zoom, EF 28mm f1.8 USM, EF 50mm f1.8 II, EF 85mm f1.8 USM and EF 55-200mm f4-5.6 Zoom. Settings were full manual exposure & focusing. Shot at 24p. Edited on an iMac with iMovie.

Very impressive quality. At these ISO settings indistinguishable from the 5D MK II. Because of the later design also easier to operate than the 5D Mk II. Using full manual its simple to juggle the ISO speed, shutter speed and aperture.

Much of the video is shot at f1.8.

Recent Canon 550D shots

Some recent shots with the 550D. These were taken with the EF-S 10-22 zoom.

These below are taken with a 55-200 zoom bought on ebay from the Canon UK Store which sells refurbished and discontinued equipment. This was in mint perfect condition but had a dirty box. Its the old version of the lens, which fits full-frame but has no image stabilisation. Its a fairly typical Canon cheap zoom. Very light, sharp but terrible bokeh. The 550D with this + the 10-22 zoom makes a very light versatile outfit.