FF vs APS-C - Part 3 / Landscape

Or....kind of a landscape. I choose this scene in a local neighborhood. It has grass, blue sky, fine detail and areas of smoothness.

As in part 1 and part 2, the two cameras used are the Nikon D700 and Pentax K-x. The Pentax is a consumer budget model....in this case, my wife's carry around camera. It was mounted with an old model Pentax FA 50mm f1.4.

The Nikon D700 is mounted with the latest model 50mm f1.4G

Both cameras were tripod mounted. Because of the difference in FOV, the Nikon D700 was placed closer. Both cameras were set at base iso. Raw files were processed using Lightroom 3.6. The resulting TIF files were then processed in Photoshop. For the 16x24 print equivalent view, Photoshop bicubic smoother was used to generate a 16x24 print output file at 240ppi.

Included is a sample of the entire scene. As well, two 100% (for those of you who love to measurebate) pixel images were included. Two areas were included here...an area showing shadows and fine detail at 100% and an area showing blue sky.

Please ignore any subtle color differences as I did little to match them....they were fairly close out of camera in Raw. In the sky version, there is a slight difference in DOF, but as this image is about sky noise (ya know....for the people claiming grainy blue skies in APS-C) it shouldn't matter.

So, the final result? Well, on screen at 100%, you need to go right up and examine closely to see any differences at all. In fact, it's safe to say that these cameras are so close that any small differences you can see in detail, are more to do with the lens choice and post process sharpening level than anything to do with the cameras themselves.

For the sky....pretty easy to see that at 100%, there is no difference. If you think you see one....save the image and reduce it in PS by 50% for about a 16x24 print....you won't see any grain in the sky in either.

So, in the end, there is no magical pop in the FF image. No imagined 3D effect. No differences that would show up in even large prints. For a landscape...they are equal.

So, after these 3 tests, it's plainly evident that any differences between cameras are more to do with lens choice, and post processing method, and paper output type. There is no magical benefit for the FF model.

I printed the 16x24 inch prints on an Epson 3800 on HM Photorag 308. To date, more than 70 people have viewed the prints. The verdict....no difference.

End of story.

Here are the samples:

Full scene:

Nikon 100% Pixel

Pentax 100% Pixel

Nikon 16x24 print view

Pentax 16x24 print view

Nikon Blue Sky 100% pixel view

Pentax Blue sky 100% pixel view