Lightroom presets with 7D

[Benredikk]

Hi,


First of all thanks for a great forum and all the members who give a lot of good advises and tips to newbies like myself:-)


Yesterday I was reading a tread regarding the image quality of the 7D compered to the 5D MKII. I can

[bob williams]

Kenneth, Welcome to TDP,


I can

[Daniel Browning]

RAW files from the 7D needed more processing in ex. Lightroom to get the same IQ as the 5D


It was probably referring to the fact that the 7D needs its green channels blurred together to hide the mazing artifacts caused by one of its hardware flaws (imbalanced gain). This causes the 7D to be softer than would be expected of an 18 MP camera (so much so that it's hardly any more resolution than the 50D), so a lot of people compensate with increased sharpening. That is where the "more processing" comes in.

[Benredikk]

Hi and thanks for your replies!


I

[Daniel Browning]

I thought the difference in IQ when viewing the RAW file in both DPP and Lightroom had to do with how the programs read the RAW file from the camera and that DPP had an advantage since it's Canon?


Canon does have some advantages, especially if you use picture styles, but the main reason the "IQ" looks different is because they both use totally different algorithms and settings.

[neuroanatomist]

Hi Kenneth,


The thread you can't find was started by Rick (HDNitehawk), here's the link ("/photography_gear1/f/7/t/5158.aspx?PageIndex=1).


RE your original issue, I can't comment specifically as I don't routinely use LR, but certainly different RAW converters give different results. DPP is the only one that respects the Canon metadata tags, including Picture Styles, ALO, etc. Canon's Standard picture style is more saturated and warmer that the default settings in most RAW converters. In particular, I don't know of a RAW converter other than DPP which can duplicate the effects of ALO. Personally, I find DxO Optics Pro to be the best RAW converter (here's the link ("/photography_tips_techniques1/f/13/t/5120.aspx?PageIndex=1) to a comparison I ran with DPP). I especially like the way DxO handles noise.


RE getting the 5DII for sports, that's a mixed blessing. I agree that 'new' is nice (the gear collection listed in my profile ("/members/neuroanatomist/default.aspx) is certainly evidence of that), but I also believe in using the right tool for the job. True, the 5DII has much better ISO performance - I find ISO 3200 produces decent results, whereas I prefer not to go above ISO 800 on my 7D (although with DxO, ISO 1600 is ok, and 3200 is useable). Quantitatively, the FF sensor has 1.33 stops less noise. But the penalty is AF performance and frame rate. The 7D has twice the frame rate, and a far better AF system, in particular the AI Servo performance. My 5DII's AI Servo has trouble keeping a lock on my 3.5 year old daughter running toward me, something my 7D can manage even with the slow AF and ultrathin DoF of the 85L at f/1.2. Both of those outweigh the 1.33-stop noise advantage of the 5DII for fast-moving subjects, IMO. One possibility to keep ISO lower on your 7D is a faster lens - if you're using a zoom, f/2.8 is the fastest (at best, maybe slower); depending on the focal length you need, you can gain 1-2 stops (or more if your zoom is f/4 or variable to f/5.6) with a prime. The 85mm f/1.8 and 100mm f/2 are great indoor sports lenses, as is the 135mm f/2L if that fits your budget and focal length requirements (do be aware of the thinner DoF that results from the wide aperture, though). Bottom line, 5DII is great for portraits, landscapes, etc., but for action shots I'd stick with the 7D (or if you want 'new/better' be looking at the 1DIV).


Hope that helps...


--John

[Benredikk]

Hi John,


You found it:-) It makes perfectly sence that DPP reads the files best since it beeing Canon. I do like Lightroom and I think it's more about my skills with Lightroom:-) I heavn't tried the DxO Optics but I will check out the trail version.


I moved the part about the 5DII for sports to the gear section: http://community.the-digital-picture.com/photography_gear1/f/7/p/6041/56139.aspx#56139


Thanks for your help!


-Kenneth