What’s Up?
On Monday I started doing my core exercises and took my first ice bath in nearly three months. On Tuesday I did the same and got back in the pool for the first time since mid-October. I did an easy 1/4 mile as opposed to my usual easy 1/2 mile. Though the water was a chilly 72 degrees it felt great. Without the ice baths I rarely slept more than an hour without having to get up for a pit stop. I am seriously considering green light laser prostate surgery. Those who have done that procedure are invited to shoot me an e-maildetailing their experience.
E-book sales were brisk with many opting for the download rather than the CD itself.
A Big Decision
Yesterday I opted not to make the trip to Greece. I sent this e-mail to the four IPT participants.
Dear Sheila, Adit, Mike, and Anita,
After much soul-searching I am writing—with apologies–to let you know that I will not be making the Greece IPT out of concerns for my long term health. As most of you know, I recently had a run of upper respiratory infections that persisted for more than eleven weeks and am finally feeling pretty good. Having just returned from San Diego and with a scheduled trip to Japan leaving on February 7, it does not make sense for me as I approach age 70 to travel 7 time zones to the east and then travel 10 time zones in the opposite direction a week after my return. A relapse at this point might prove to be most problematic.
I apologize for not having thought this through more clearly in advance and having painted myself into this corner. I have of course let Denise Ippolito know of my decision. I can assure you that she will provide you with beyond top-notch instruction both in the field and during your informal image review and Photoshop sessions.
Later and love, artie
In a follow-up e-mail to good friend Mike Gotthelf I wrote:
I wanted you to know that I am truly sorry that I had to cancel but as a doctor, you know that making both trips would have been totally stupid, not to mention potentially suicidal: death by travel and time zone stress.
artie
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Used Gear Apologies
Apologies to those who have written recently asking about selling their used gear through BAA. I did a lot of catching up last night and will finish this morning–Wednesday, January 20. I have been swamped with the travel, the San Diego IPT, the exhibit, last Saturday’s morning program, and several writing projects.:)
Selling Your Used Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advice, usually sells in no time flat. In the past few months, we have sold just about everything in sight. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the original 400mm IS DO lens have been dropping steadily. You can see all current listings by clicking here or by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the yellow-orange tab on the right side of the menu bar above.
Douglas Bolt sold his Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD Zoom lens for Canon in like-new condition for $699, Diane Miller sold her 300mm f/2.8L IS lens, the old three, for $2899, and Roberta Olenick sold her Canon EOS-1D Mark IV camera body in excellent condition for $1279 USD, all within the last week.
New Listing
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II Lens
Donald Mullaney is offering his Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II lens in mint condition for the record-low BAA price of $9499. The sale includes an AquaTech Soft Cap, a black LensCoat, a Kirk lens plate, the lens trunk and the original leather front lens cover, the lens strap, and insured ground shipping to US addresses only. This lens was purchased on Bought 2/24/14 and used less then a dozen times. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Don via e-mail.
The 600 II is the world’s premier super-telephoto lens. It is super-sharp and features Canon’s amazing four-stop Image Stabilization system. This, the current version, weighs more than 3 pounds less than the previous model. When I am not weight-restricted, the 600 II is my first choice in super-telephoto lenses. I use it at Bosque, at Nickerson Beach, and from my car on a BLUBB when working down by the lake near my house. When you need maximum reach, the 600 II is the only way to go. As the lens currently sells new at B&H for $11,499, you can save $2,000 by grabbing Don’s lens right now. artie
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Side by side image comparisonImages courtesy of and copyright 2016: Patrick Sparkman |
Four Simple Questions
Which image is sharper?
Which image appears cleaner to you?
Which image offers a higher degree of pleasing contrast?
Which shows the best image quality?
Would you say that the differences are dramatic, subtle, or non-existent?
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Typos
In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right 🙂
1-4 right image
5 dramatic
5DR on left 5DSR right
I am going to be so bummed if the left image is the 1dx and the right is 1dx II. Because I just purchased the 1dx 3 months ago due to the price drop. The reason I would be bummed is the one on the right is in my opinion way sharper and cleaner looking. I guess I am just going to have to be happy with what I got. Look forward to seeing the answer.
My opinion, 4 rights and Dramatic. I will be very curious which bodies, but my guess is the right was taken with your new favorite, 5DSR. I was not aware there has been a preliminary release of the new 1Dx. Looking forward to the answer on the body.
I would say:
Left side 5DSR Body
Right side 1 DX II – yes the new version!!!
Or also possible
Left 1 DX
Right 1 DX II
I am betting 5dr2 on left and 5dsr on right.
I made similar comparisons back in early September when I bought a 5dsr.
and 100mm macro v2.
Don
that would be the 100mm 2.8L version, not the original 😉
Don
The right certainly has more resolution and higher contrast. Assuming these images are from 2 different sensor sizes, then 1 of the images has been downsized or up sized to make the sizes match. Assuming further that the right image is a downsized file from a 50mpx sensor, then it has an advantage of being higher resolution to begin with, and then downsized which increases apparent sharpness, while decreasing the visibility of aberrations. And maybe that’s the point! Very High res sensor images can be downsized to create phenomenal files at “normal” size. Looking forward to tomorrow’s reveal!
I’m going to be bold and say 1dx on the left, 5dsr on the right.
The image on the right is sharper. I think this is the difference between the 1DxII and the 1Dx since the other day you said you were going to show something on Wednesday. Just sayin’
Right Photograph: Sharper, cleaner, higher degree of pleasing contrast, best image quality.
Dramatic difference: Much sharper, tonal differences, more contrast with all tones. Letter E shadow and “lace” work more defined and pronounced. That is my 100 cents worth.
The one on the right looks better to me. I think its because the near-white background is brighter and lighter and the ink/writing is darker. The contrast is more striking. I don’t know that its any sharper. I take sharper to mean more detail, but maybe I’m thinking about it wrong.
So I would say:
1. no difference
2. Right
3. Right
4. Right
5. Dramatic.
I’m most interested to see what you think (and why), though.
To my eye the first four answers are “RIGHT”. The fifth answer: “SUBTLE”. Almost seems like the same shot but the slight green color cast on the left “muddies” up the image.
Mike
Hmmmm…..
It would “appear” that the right side is sharper then the left. In view of this it would appear that the image on the right is the answer to questions 1, 2 and 4. But the image on the left seems to have more pleasing contrast. The image on the right jumps out at you, but depending on subject matter you may not want that effect. Kind of like the difference between watching a TV program with the lights on in the room (image on the left), and watching with the lights off (image on the right). I would think that the change is more than subtle but not what I would say dramatic (of course what is subtle or dramatic is subjective to the viewer).
Having said all that, is the image on the right really sharper, or does it just have more contrast. I recall a discussion with the owner of a camera store many years ago (in ye olde film days) about the apparent difference between two very well known higher end lenses. Looking at side by side comparison photos, one appeared sharper than the other. However, as it turned out, they both were equally sharp. Just one lens resulted in a photo with more contrast than the other.
So in the images above, the right side might appear sharper than the left, but is it really sharper, or does it just have more contrast resulting in the appearance of being sharper.
In answer to your five questions, the image on the right is dramatically better.
I must be spaced out, I can only see the images of the dollar bill. How do I get to see the other four??
And Artie, is there any possibility that we could do some kind of side by side like this on our own computers to compare the photos we take ourselves with one or two of your original photos. All at hi resolution of course.
Dorothy
Hi Dorothy, Yes to spaced out 🙂 The dollar bill on the left and the dollar bill on the rights, the two close to identical halves, are the same photo made with the same lens with a different camera body. I am asking folks to compare the part of the dollar on the left with the part on the right….
What other four?
Most photographers are not quick to be sharing either RAW files or the optimized versions of their best images with others and that includes me. That’s why God invented JPEGs. Best way to get my best stuff on a good screen is to join an IPT.
later and love, artie
The title says “five image comparisons”…. I think dorothy didn’t get it right. but honestly, i expected to see five images, too! 🙂
Not exactly 🙂 You gotta read the whole thing: Five ….. Image Comparison Questions.
a
Right on 1-4 although color accuracy seems better on Left. Between subtle and dramatic – closer to dramatic (or is that an option??)
As others have said the right images is superior on all counts and the difference is obvious. I am going to guess this is the 1D vs 5D? If so, that is pretty amazing.
5DsR on the right, 7DII on the left, betcha.
How much? a
Mom always said, “No more than a nickle”. 🙂
Since the pixel size and density is pretty much the same on these two camras, the images would not look so different. i guess…
I did not say that Bill was right… a
ps: But I did not say that he was wrong…. Stay tuned.
I’m almost certain that Wtlloyd’s guess is right on.
The image on the right appears to be cleaner and have better contrast, it almost looks like a different exposure. I suspect the image on the left could be made to look practically the same with some processing. The image on the right appears sharper but I cannot tell if this is due to better tonal separation and cleaner looking whites. So bottom line the image on the right would appear to be the better quality and offer a better starting point for subsequent processing than the image on the left.
I am assuming that the images represent the raw file opened and converted to jpeg without any processing other than conversion, and if any sharpening was applied it was equal in both instances.
The exposures were identical as were the RAW conversions. a
ps: lots more revelations and implications tomorrow.
I agree with the other posters…right on all counts by a mile.
I think these images show the difference in sharpness between the 600 II (maybe with the 1,4X III TC) and the 800 mm.
They were posted here around two-three years ago.
Good try but that would be a big no. I would not expect such dramatic differences with the above… This pair is about camera bodies… a
The right image is significantly sharper in the fine detail and has more contrast. The paper looks whiter and the ink blacker. I wonder if this is a demonstration of the difference between the 5DS and the 5DSr with the same lens.
The image on the right is by far the better image.
This is a nice test. It’s obvious to me that the image on the right is better across the board. I look forward to your post revealing the facts behind them.
Hands down, the image on the right is better in all categories. ( Dramatic )
What Lens????
All revelations tomorrow 🙂 a
Questions 1-4: Right
Question 5: Dramatic
I feel like I’m at the ophthalmologist’s office. In answer to the first four questions, I’d say the image on the right. I’d say that there was a significant difference between the two images.