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Posts Tagged ‘predecessor’

Video: Meet Calypso, the predecessor to Nikon’s iconic underwater Nikonos cameras

03 Nov

A customer at Camera West in California recently traded in an interesting piece of photographic history, the Calypso underwater camera. The 35mm film camera was the first of its kind that didn’t need housing to be used underwater.

The Calypso was the brainchild of legendary explorer Jacques Cousteau and Belgian engineer Jean de Wouters. The Calypso was released in 1961 as the first 35mm underwater camera which could be used without housing. Cousteau wanted a small, simple camera you could use on land and underwater without any fuss.

When the Calypso launched, there were a trio of available lenses. Two of the lenses were manufactured by SOM Berthiot, 28mm and 35mm prime lenses. A third lens, a 45mm prime, was manufactured by Angenieux. In the video below, the Calypso is shown with the SOM Berthiot 35mm F3.5 lens. The knob on the left side of the lens barrel is used for focusing and the knob on the right controls the aperture.

The camera includes a distinct shutter design. When firing the shutter, the camera simultaneously winds the film. Since the camera is always ready to fire, there’s a shutter release lock on the top of the camera. The original camera strap is included and as you can see above, there is a built-in mechanism in the links to open the camera for loading film.

The camera’s construction is quite simple. Camera components are in the top portion of the body and the lower area is primarily a shell. The camera is constructed from an alloy and is coated in black enamel. Each component includes water sealing and the grip is faux sealskin. The camera’s top shutter speed is 1/1000s and it does include a port for using a flash.

To construct the camera, you put the two camera body components together and then mount the lens. Each lens includes a notch, allowing you to tell when the lens is fully mounted and sealed against water. At the time of its launch, the Calypso was rated to for use up to 200′ (60m) underwater.

The Calypso camera, as seen in Camera West’s video above. Click to enlarge.

In 1962, Nikon took over the production of the Calypso camera, rebranding it as the iconic Nikonos underwater 35mm camera. This was not Nikon’s first foray with underwater photography, as the Japanese company had already developed an underwater housing for the Nikon S2 camera in 1956. After teaming up with the Calypso’s original manufacturer, La Spirotechnique, the redeveloped Nikonos was released. Interestingly, in Nikon’s history of the Nikonos, Nikon says the camera was water pressure-resistant down to 50m rather than 60m, and the shutter speed topped out at 1/500s.

Ultimately, Nikon released three Nikonos cameras built upon the legacy of the Calypso, with the Nikonos III releasing in 1975. Nikon then went back to the drawing board and designed a full original Nikonos IV-A. This camera was released in 1980 and included new features such as a TTL exposure meter, aperture-priority AE control, an electronically controlled shutter, hinged open-and-close camera back and improved usability. The Nikonos V came next and was sold for 17 years before its discontinuation in October 2001. Nikon also released an autofocus underwater camera, the Nikonos RS AF, which could be used at depths of up to 100m. You can learn more about all the Nikonos cameras by clicking here.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Profoto’s B10 Plus flash with twice the power—and half the battery life—of its predecessor

06 Jun

Lighting manufacturer Profoto has launched a new version of its B10 miniature flash head that offers twice the output of the original model. The Profoto B10 Plus weighs only a pound more than the original and is just over two inches longer, but it provides a maximum output of 500Ws compared to the 250Ws of the B10.

The new head runs off the same lithium ion battery and accepts the same accessories as the B10, and has the same 2500 lumen modeling light with adjustable color to suit videographers working in a range of lighting conditions. In fact, all the features are the same including wireless radio control, TTL exposure and high speed sync with shutter speeds as short as 1/8000sec. The only other difference, of course, is the number of full power bursts achievable per charge – which drops from 400 in the B10 to 200 in the B10 Plus.

The Profoto B10 Plus weighs 1.9kg (4.2lbs), measures 10 x 23.5cm (3.9 x 9.3in) and costs $ 2095 / £1795. For more information see the Profoto website.

Specification
Flash power 500Ws
Flash recycling 0.05-2.5 sec
Continuous light 2500 lumens
Battery capacity 200 full power flashes
75 minutes continuous light
Total weight 1.9 kg / 4.2 lbs
Diameter 10cm / 3.9″
Length 23.5cm / 9.3

Press release:

Profoto B10 Plus – More power of small

With the B10 Plus, shooting on location isn’t about problems, it’s about opportunities.

Because shooting on location forces you to make choices.

For the most part, those choices inevitably come down to how much gear to bring and how much gear to leave behind.

Because if you’re shooting a wedding, for example, you can’t afford for your gear to slow you down. And if the location is remote there’s only so much you can realistically carry. Ultimately, there’s always a compromise.

Here at Profoto, we’re not big on compromise. That’s what drove us to create the Profoto B10 and now, it’s ever so slightly bigger brother, the Profoto B10 Plus.

“Like the Profoto B10, the B10 Plus is a seriously small flash.” Commented Göran Marén, Product Manager at Profoto.

“It’s around the size of a large lens. That means you can fit it in your bag with the rest of your gear and because it’s cordless and lightweight, it’s easy to bring and set up anywhere.”

Despite its small and lightweight appearance, the Profoto B10 Plus packs a considerable punch. Twice as powerful as the B10 the B10 Plus gives you ten times more light than a speedlight. And the quality of that light is exactly what you’d expect from a Profoto flash; completely natural with a beautifully soft fall off.

The B10 Plus is also a powerful light that you can use for both stills and video. And lt’s easy to use. A separate dial on the sleek B10 interface allows you to adjust both brightness and color temperature until it blends perfectly with the ambient light.

“The B10 Plus uses the same stand adapter and battery as the B10” Göran adds, “the stand adapter can be quickly removed allowing you to mount the B10 Plus on any camera tripod. The battery too is just as swiftly replaced, and you can charge it while you’re using it.”

The ‘no compromise’ approach continues with the huge range of compatible Profoto light-shaping tools. Profoto´s compact and lightweight OCF series is the perfect choice for light shaping on location. If they´re not enough, there are 120 more to choose from in the full Profoto range.

Controlling the B10 Plus off-camera is, again, easy. You can trigger and control the B10 Plus from any Profoto Air Remote, or from the Profoto A1 or A1X. Remotes are available for all major camera brands.

And you’ll also benefit from smart connectivity with the Profoto app. With the B10 Plus connected to the Profoto app you can view and control all the settings from your smartphone screen, experience creative capture with your smartphone, and download all the latest updates.

Ultimately, like it’s slightly smaller brother the B10, the B10 Plus is a big light in a small package. And the extra power means the possibilities are enormous.

Göran concluded. “we call it ‘more power of small.’ Because there are more possibilities to be creative with light in so many more ways. The opportunity to let your imagination run riot on any location.”

The Profoto B10 Plus; now, there’s no need to compromise.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Olympus’s TG-6 waterproof camera is a modest update to its predecessor

22 May

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Olympus’s Tough TG-5 is one of our favorite underwater cameras, and the company today introduced its replacement, the TG-6. The TG-6 is a modest update to its predecessor, with the majority of its changes related to macro and underwater shooting. The company also added an anti-reflective coating to the glass surrounding the sensor, to reduce flare and ghosting.

The TG-6 has the same design as its predecessor, though it’s LCD now has 1.04 million dots, compared to 460k dots on the TG-5. Unfortunately, we found that the display scratches just as easily as before: disappointing for a ‘tough’ camera. Its rugged credentials are unchanged: The camera is waterproof to 15m (50ft), shockproof from 2.4m (7ft), crushproof to 100kgf (220lbf) and freezeproof to -10°C/+14°F.

As before, the TG-6 has a GPS with a compass, manometer, thermometer and accelerometer. A tracking feature associates the location a photo with the data captured with above sensors (via an app).

The TG-5’s microscope mode has been improved upon on the TG-6, with the ability to enlarge the subject by over 44x while at its minimum focus distance of 1cm (0.2″). Microscope mode can be now used in program and aperture priority mode, unlike on the TG-5. The camera offers both focus stacking (now with a selectable range of shots) and focus bracketing.

The complete underwater system for the TG-6

On the underwater side, there are new underwater microscope modes, along with new white balance options for shallow, midrange and deep water shooting. As before, the TG-6 has a full system of underwater accessories available, including housings and flashes.

Accessories for the TG-6

Lastly, there’s accessories. The TG-6 continues to support the LG-1 light guide (ring light) and FD-1 flash diffuser, as well as the TCON-01 1.7x telephoto and FCON-T01 fisheye conversion lenses. New accessories include the FCON-T02 fisheye lens, which can switch from circular to diagonal views by adjusting the focal length. There’s also a new lens barrier (LB-T01) that you’d normally find on a point-and-shoot camera.

The Tough TG-6 will be available in your choice of red or black, and will be priced at $ 449 when it ships in late June. Prices for the numerous accessories are listed in the press release below.

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Press Release:

OLYMPUS TOUGH TG-6® RUGGED COMPACT DIGITAL CAMERA

Perfect for Outdoor Shooting with Tough Performance, Macro Functions and a Newly Developed Circular Fisheye Converter

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., May 22, 2019 – Olympus expands rugged and underwater shooting capabilities with the new Olympus Tough TG-6, a compact digital camera with reliable Tough performance for shooting anytime and anywhere. It features a blazing fast, wide-angle f/2.01 lens, back-lit high-speed CMOS sensor and powerful TruePicTM VIII image processor, providing the ability to capture stills and video with brilliant color and stunning detail. The Tough TG-6 is waterproof to a depth of 50 feet (15m)2, dustproof3, shockproof to 7 feet (2.4m)4, crushproof to 100 kgf5, freezeproof to 14oF (-10°C)6, and features a dual-pane protective glass construction for superb anti-fogging performance. Its Variable Macro System goes beyond the limits of the eye with ultra-close-up shooting up to 1cm from the front of the lens7. Full- featured underwater shooting modes and a new fisheye converter lens that supports circular fisheye photography are available for the Tough TG-6, along with a full lineup of other accessories for expanded shooting possibilities, making this truly the strongest field camera available.

Tough Performance for Shooting Anytime

Sealing throughout the entire camera body and double-lock construction on the camera battery cover are designed to provide waterproof performance to a depth of 50 feet for underwater shooting and excellent dustproof capabilities for use in dirty and dusty locations. Its floating construction protects the inside of the camera, clearing drop tests up to seven feet, and the reinforced body withstands loads up to 100 kgf. The Tough TG-6 is also freezeproof down to 14oF, and the nitrogen-filled, hermetically sealed dual-pane protective glass construction prevents condensation and fogging for reliable shooting even in locations with severe temperature fluctuations.

High-Quality Images

The Olympus Tough TG-6 is equipped with a high resolution, high-speed f/2.0 zoom lens and a high- speed back-lit CMOS image sensor, offering excellent high-sensitivity performance and allowing you to capture bright, richly detailed images in low-light settings, ideal for shooting fast moving subjects. Anti- reflective (AR) coating incorporated in the image sensor’s sealing glass minimizes ghosting and flares. The TruePicTM VIII image processor, found in the award-winning Olympus OM-D E-M1X® professional model, is featured on this model, reducing noise levels and improving resolution in low contrast areas. RAW data can be recorded and then edited in post-production using the Olympus Workspace image editing software.

Variable Macro System

Conquer macro photography and creatively capture intricate detail using any of the four shooting modes, opening a new world of macro shooting. This close-up shooting performance allows high-quality image capture of the microscopic world that the human eye cannot see. A closest focusing distance of 1cm is possible for close-up shots even in Program and Aperture modes for more flexible photography.

The Flash Diffuser FD-1 (sold separately) uses the in-camera flash to illuminate the subject, offering a significant increase in the amount of light. This increase in light allows for usage of lower ISO settings and faster shutter speeds, as well as an increased working distance. The FD-1 can also be utilized under water.

Microscope Mode

With Microscope Mode, users can capture high-quality, detailed images of tiny subjects that are difficult to see with the naked eye, such as the antennae and feet of insects, the veins of a leaf on a tree, snowflakes, etc. A maximum shooting magnification of 7x8 is possible when the optical zoom is set to the telephoto end and the subject is 1 cm away from the front of the lens, delivering magnified shots similar to using a microscope.

Microscope Control Mode

Switch display magnification ratios with the press of a single button similar to switching microscope objective lenses for observing and photographing subjects at 1x, 2x, and 4x. When the subject is 1 cm from the front of the lens while using this mode, the image on the rear LCD monitor can zoom in up to 44.4x.

Focus Stacking Mode9

Focus stacking mode captures multiple shots while automatically shifting the focus from the foreground to the background. Only the areas in focus are extracted and merged, resulting in a full pixel photo with a deep depth of focus. This is particularly effective for macro shooting when shots have a shallow depth of field and a narrow range of focus. Between 3 and 10 shots can be set on the Tough TG-6 so users can fine tune settings for different subjects and precision in their finished image.

Focus Bracketing Mode

With a single shot, this function captures up to 30 images while shifting the focus from the foreground to the background. Three levels of focal shift and number of shots can be selected to perfectly match the subject and shooting conditions. This feature is convenient for instantly setting the focal position when shooting flower petals or the wings of insects, etc.

The LED Light Guide, LG-1 (sold separately) uses the LED on the front of the camera to evenly illuminate the subject while the image is being taken. The LG-1 also assists with composing the image, acting as a constant light source to illuminate the subject.

Dive Deep Into Underwater Photography

To expand the possibilities of underwater shooting ever further, the Tough TG-6 is equipped with five underwater shooting modes optimized for various situations, allowing the user to capture sharp, colorful underwater photos at all depths. The popular Underwater White Balance mode now offers three options, providing appropriate color adjustment for deep water shooting. The new Fisheye Converter FCON-T02 (sold separately), for circular fisheye photography is now available, offering a versatile lineup of accessories to further expand shooting creativity.

Five Underwater Modes

  • Underwater Wide: Optimized for shooting in dim underwater conditions and capable of shooting in deeper water.

  • Underwater Snapshot: Records subjects using the natural lighting in pools and other shallow water for natural-looking photos.

  • Underwater Macro: Perfect for close-up shots of small subjects such as little fish.

  • Underwater Microscope: Captures even smaller subjects up to 1 cm from the front of the lens.

  • Underwater HDR: Dramatically recreates the scene without losing details in dark areas.

Three Underwater White Balance Modes10

  • Underwater Shallow: Recommended for use in water depths up to approximately 10 feet deep to improve the red tones that tend to occur in shallow water.

  • Underwater Mid-Range: Optimally tunes the color for general use in water from 10-50 feet deep.

  • Underwater Deep: For use with the new Underwater Case PT-059 (sold separately) in water deeper than 50 feet, particularly for improving the blue tones in photos.

Fisheye Converter, FCON-T02

The new Fisheye Converter FCON-T02 (sold separately) delivers both circular fisheye photography and diagonal fisheye photography via zooming control. It can function even underwater for zoomed-in shots. The Converter Adapter CLA-T01 (sold separately) is required to attach this lens. FCON-T02 is only compatible with the Tough TG-6.

Advanced Video Functions

The Olympus Tough TG-6 is equipped with Ultra HD 4K Movie, ideal for recording beautiful scenery in amazing detail. Full HD 120fps High-Speed Movie is also included to capture high quality split-second moments with playback in stunning slow motion.

Field Sensor System

The Olympus Tough TG-6 is equipped with a Field Sensor System, using tracking information obtained from various sensors in the camera to record data, including the GPS11, manometer, temperature sensor, and compass. Data can then be synced to photos and video and viewed in the free Olympus Image Track (OI.Track) smartphone app. Simply press the INFO button, even when the camera is off, to display data.

Pro Capture Mode

Never miss a shot! Pro Capture Mode shoots sequentially at 10 frames-per-second (fps) for 0.5 seconds before the shutter button is pressed fully, making it perfect for capturing shots where timing may be difficult, such as an insect in flight or a drop of liquid splashing.

High Definition LCD monitor

The new rear LCD monitor now features a 1.04 million-pixel high-definition resolution for improved visibility. The brightness and color saturation are optimally tuned for use outdoors.

Date Imprint

It is now possible to embed the date and time of capture into still images for convenience and reference later. Users can turn this feature on and off to best fit their needs.

Lens Barrier, LB-T01

The new lens barrier LB-T0112 protects the lens surface from scratches and dirt. The barrier opens and closes easily for smooth operation, even while wearing gloves.

Silicone Jacket, CSCH-127

This accessory protects the surface of the camera body from scratches. It also provides a solid grip on the camera when shooting during winter sports and water sports. LED Light Guide LG-1 and Flash Diffuser FD-1 can function with the silicone jacket attached to the camera.

Underwater Case, PT-05913

Designed exclusively for the Tough TG-6, this case can function down to a depth of 148 feet. The camera control dial is operable even when the camera is stored in the case for easy exposure compensation control underwater. Two external flash units for underwater photography (UFL-3) are compatible for multi- unit flash photography in a compact system.

Lithium Ion Battery Charger, UC-92

This new, compact battery charger can fully charge the Lithium Ion Battery LI-92B using a USB port in approximately 2 hours.

Pricing and Availability

The Olympus Tough TG-6 will be available in red and black beginning in late June 2019, with suggested retail prices of $ 449.99 USD and $ 579.99 CAD.

Accessory Pricing

PT-059 Underwater Housing: $ 299.99 USD; $ 329.99 CAD Lens Barrier LB-T01: $ 49.99 USD; $ 59.99 CAD
Flash Diffuser FD-1: $ 51.99 USD; $ 64.99 CAD
LED Light Guide LG-1: $ 40.99 USD; $ 40.99 CAD

Circular Fisheye Converter FCON-T02 & Adapter CLA-T01 Tough Pack Kit: $ 224.99 USD; $ 292.99 CAD Fisheye Converter FCON-T01 & Adapter CLA-T01 Tough Pack Kit: $ 139.98 USD; $ 139.98 CAD Teleconverter TCON-T01 & Adapter CLA-T01 Tough Pack Kit: $ 129.98 USD; $ 129.98 CAD
CLA-T01 Adapter: $ 19.99 USD; $ 19.99 CAD

Lens Cap LC-40.5 (fits on CLA-T01 Adapter): $ 7.49 USD; $ 9.99 CAD Lens Filter PRF-D40.5 PRO: $ 51.99 USD; $ 51.99 CAD

  1. At the wide-angle end of 25mm (35mm equivalent)
  2. Waterproof performance is JIS/IEC protection class 8 (IPX8) equivalent. All measurements are according to Olympus testing conditions, and do not guarantee protection from damage or malfunction under all conditions
  3. Dustproof performance is JIS/IEC protection class 6 (IP6X) equivalent. All measurements are according to Olympus testing conditions, and do not guarantee protection from damage or malfunction under all conditions.
  4. Compliant with MIL-STD810F. This model cleared drop tests under Olympus in-house testing conditions; however, Olympus does not guarantee protection from damage or malfunction under all conditions. Olympus in-house shockproof testing conditions: Drop height: 2.1 m, Drop surface: Plywood (lauan laminate), Drop orientation: 26 directions for each surface, each side, and each corner. Drop test was performed once for each direction.
  5. Kilogram force (kgf) is the unit for measuring force exerted on an object. All measurements are according to Olympus testing conditions, and do not guarantee protection from damage or malfunction under all conditions.
  6. The number of recordable still images is reduced at low temperatures.
  7. Super Macro setting required
  8. 35mm equivalent.
  9. Use of a tripod is recommended. Processing may take longer than usual.
  10. White balance can also be changed manually.
  11. GPS: Global Positioning System. To use GPS Assist data, information must be updated via the internet. A PC or smartphone with an internet connection is required. GPS Assist Data must be updated every 2 weeks. Depending on the country/region of use, different laws and regulations may be applicable regarding the use of the GPS function. Be sure to follow local laws and regulations.
  12. Cannot be used together with Silicone Jacket CSCH-127.
  13. The Field Sensor System will not operate properly when the camera is stored in the underwater case. Make sure to set the Log Lever to the off position when using the case. Use together with silica gel for best results.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony a7 III dynamic range and high ISO improve over its predecessor

17 Mar

Sony recently announced the a7 III, a comparatively affordable full frame mirrorless camera that incorporates a host of advanced features derived from the a9 and a7R III. The combination of price point and feature set makes it attractive to both enthusiasts and pros, particularly those looking to get into full frame or perhaps even make the switch to mirrorless. While we’ve already shot quite a bit with it and offered our thoughts on the camera as a whole, we hadn’t had a chance to take a deep dive into its image quality performance.

And we know many of you are wondering: what’s the dynamic range like? The high ISO performance?

Let’s take a look.

Low light (high ISO) performance

a7 III
ISO 25,600
a7R III
ISO 25,600
a7 II
ISO 25,600

Low light performance has improved markedly over the a7 II, putting it more or less in-line with the a7R III (and therefore a9) when images are viewed at the same size (we’ve downsized the a7R III shot to 24MP). These are 100% crops here (if you’re viewing on a smartphone or Retina / 4K display, see this footnote* below). Roll over the captions, or click on any of the images to view our full studio scene images for each camera.

This is a great result, but also comes as no surprise: noise performance is broadly determined by a combination of sensor size and technology, and we’ve recently seen some significant improvements to sensor technology made by Sony. In particular, the backside-illuminated (BSI) and dual gain architecture of most recent Sony sensors helps squeeze every last bit of performance out of these already low noise imaging chips. Furthermore, the original a7 and a7 II lagged in high ISO performance, often failing to surpass the best APS-C sensors.

Dynamic range vs. the a7R III

The a7 III more or less matches the base ISO dynamic range of the a7R III, when both are viewed at common size (we’ve normalized all our graphs to 8MP). That means both cameras will give you similar ability to make use of (brighten) shadows in Raw files if you want to show a wider dynamic range than shown with the default tone curve.

In numbers, that’s 14.6 EV and 14.8 EV for the a7 III and a7R III, respectively, which falls within our margin of error. You might see a difference in extreme pushes or exposure adjustments, but it’s not likely to be photographically relevant.

a7 III (orange) vs. a7R III (blue). There’s a slight chance you might notice the 0.2 EV advantage of the a7R III at base ISO or the 0.3 EV advantage of the a7 III at higher ISOs, but we doubt it. As our test scene images show, the two cameras look very similar when viewed at the same output size.

Note the jump in dynamic range at ISO 640 for both cameras. That’s essentially the camera’s second ‘base’ ISO, where the second stage of the dual-gain architecture kicks in. At ISOs 640 and above, most recent Sony sensors use a higher gain mode that essentially amplifies the signal at the pixel-level to get it above the (already pretty low) noise floor.** In laymen’s terms, that just means ‘more picture, less noise’, particularly in shadows – hence the increase in dynamic range.

Our analysis shows the a7 III to just edge out the a7R III at these higher ISOs, albeit only by about 0.3 EV (which happens to be right around our margin of error). You might see this in the deepest shadows – in fact, if you look very closely at the darkest patch in our ISO 25,600 rollover above, you can kind of see a tad bit less noise in the a7 III, but is that photographically relevant? Up to you.

… but it shows a marked improvement over its predecessor

While base ISO dynamic range remains the same as its predecessor, the dual-gain design brings a marked improvement at high ISO. Shadows at high ISO will be notably cleaner on the a7 III, and that’s before you consider the better overall high ISO performance – even in brighter tones – likely due to either a more efficient sensor or lower upstream read noise.

Compared with the a7 II (green), the a7 III (orange) shows much better dynamic range (at least 1.6 EV) at higher ISOs. Also, whereas you can see noise reduction being applied to the a7 II’s Raw at 25,600, it doesn’t kick in until ISO 64,000 (beyond the graph) on the Mark III.

Compressed continuous drive performance

If you shoot compressed Raw, the camera drops to 12-bit sensor readout in continuous drive modes. This negatively impacts dynamic range, dropping 1.4 EV at base ISO and roughly 1 EV at ISO 640. Dynamic range catches up at higher ISOs, though never quite matches the performance of 14-bit readout. Even at ISO 6400, 12-bit files are roughly 0.4 EV behind – though this is unlikely to significantly impact your photography. The differences at lower ISOs and at ISO 640, on the other hand, you might notice in more extreme pushes.

a7 III Uncompressed (orange) vs. Compressed 12-bit (light orange) performance. We’re not sure about the jumps at ISO 160 and 800, but for the most part there’s a drop in dynamic range at lower ISOs that more or less evens out at the higher ISOs.

In Single drive mode, compressed Raw continues to use 14-bit sensor readout, so measured roughly the same dynamic range as Uncompressed (it dropped 0.1 EV, but that’s within our margin of error).

And if you’re confused about when the camera drops to 12-bit – which is the only time you’d see these drops in DR – the only combination that diverges from 14-bit is when you shoot compressed Raw in (any) continuous drive mode. All other combinations of Mechanical or Electronic shutter, drive mode or Raw type are 14-bit.

vs. a7R II

We threw this one in here because the a7 III and a7R II are currently being sold for roughly similar price (the latter is $ 400 more expensive), so we’re aware of some discussion about choosing between the two. You’re unlikely to notice our measured 0.2 EV higher base ISO dynamic range of the a7 III, but you might notice the 0.5 EV advantage at ISO 640. At higher ISOs the cameras even out.

Realistically though, there’s not much difference between these cameras.

a7 III (orange) vs a7R II (red) dynamic range. You might notice the 0.5 EV advantage of the a7 III at ISO 640, but for the most part performance is similar.

Summary

We’ve summarized our results in numbers in the table below.

ISO 100 (24MP) ISO 100 (8MP) ISO 640 (24MP) ISO 640 (8MP)
a7 III 13.8 EV 14.6 EV 13.4 EV 14.2 EV
a7 III (compressed 12-bit) 12.4 EV 13.2 EV 12.3 EV 13.2 EV
a7 II 13.9 EV 14.7 EV 11.8 EV 12.6 EV
a7R III 14 EV 14.8 EV 13.1 EV 13.9 EV
a7R II 13.6 EV 14.4 EV 12.9 EV 13.7 EV
a9 12.6 EV 13.4 EV 12.4 EV 13.2 EV

So what’s the take-away? The a7 III’s image quality more or less matches what we’ve come to expect from modern, well-performing full-frame sensors. There’s really not much difference between the a7 III, the a7R III, the a7R II, or the Nikon D850 for that matter.

The a7 III does show a marked improvement over its predecessor at high ISOs, both in dynamic range and general noise performance, thanks to a number of sensor improvements (efficiency, BSI, dual-gain, etc.). Interestingly, the a7 III, which we’d imagine shares a similar sensor to the a9 minus the stacked design, offers roughly 1 EV more dynamic range than that camera at ISOs 100 and 640 (though the cameras even out at the highest ISOs). General noise performance of the a9 – if you’re not pushing your files – is similar though.

The a7 III’s image quality more or less matches what we’ve come to expect from modern, well-performing full-frame sensors

The a7 III offers great image quality performance at an affordable price point. That said, it’s not image quality that sets this camera apart from its contemporaries but, rather, its significant other capabilities like autofocus, silent shooting, video and a number of other things we’ll be delving into in our full review.

* Retina & smartphone optimized 100% crops:

a7 III
ISO 25,600
a7R III
ISO 25,600
a7 II
ISO 25,600

** Technically speaking, it’s not exactly more amplification. Rather, the sensor switches to a different circuit within the pixel that has different capacitance at the floating diffusion node. This essentially generates a larger voltage swing (signal) per photoelectron captured, which means the signal – your picture – is less affected by the noise floor of the sensor and electronics.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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