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What exactly is 'banding?'

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jtank

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I have seen soooo much about banding and the D200, but am embarrassed to say that I don't know what banding really is.

Would someone be kind enough to explain this in layman language, maybe with a couple of images to illustrate?

I do not wish to remain ignorant any longer!

Thanks to all you kind souls who take the time to respond.
 
I did a quick look on Google with "Nikon what is banding" and received heaps of good material on this subject.

This forum also covers banding and what it is in heaps of places.

Bottom line, I suggest you have a further look around before asking here.
--
Pete
http://ngarkat.blogspot.com/
 
Banding is exactly what it sounds like. It is visible lines around dark and bright areas of a photo. For example, the famous light bulb test that everyone (my self included) has preformed, if you have it you’ll see redish lines around the light bulb when zoomed in at 100%. However certain conditions need to be met in most cases, like shooting raw at 400 ISO. Hope this helps.
 
jtank,

The two responses that you received are exactly why I never, and I mean never, ask a basic question on this forum. Generally, you will get only condescending responses.
--
Bill
Occasionally, a blind hog finds an acorn
 
As a novice, I've seen a lot of basic questions answered very well by a lot of helpful users. I think the point to be made is, before asking a basic question, use de search function. The OP would then see that the banding issue has been discussed to death already...
Wapiti said:
jtank,

The two responses that you received are exactly why I never, and I
mean never, ask a basic question on this forum. Generally, you will
get only condescending responses.
--
Bill
Occasionally, a blind hog finds an acorn
Click to expand...
 
There are two kinds of banding - long and short. Long banding is a phenomenon that only a very few early D200s experienced, and it has since been fixed. Short banding is a phenomenon that only pixel peepers see. According to the best and brightest on this forum, short banding is a non-issue and is overblown by the complainers.

Definition of a pixel peeper - someone who isn't really a photographer and is only interested in looking at images at 100% magnification on a monitor. Incapable of actually viewing a photograph as a photograph.

Defintion of a banding pixel peeper - someone who isn't really a photographer and is only interested in looking at images of overexposed light bulbs at 100% magnification on a monitor. Incapable of actually viewing a photograph as a photograph.

--
I Reject Your Reality And Substitute My Own

Web Site - http://www.hgiersberg.com/
 
Thank you, I believe it’s better to talk to someone rather than at someone.
Wapiti said:
Excluding, of course, the response from gnet158.
--
Bill
Occasionally, a blind hog finds an acorn
Click to expand...
 
Wapiti

I couldn't agree with you more! It's just that someof us are mature enough not to respond and start a meaningless slugfest. I find it amazing that someone should assume that one hasn't done a search/some basic homework before posting a query - the query itself said that I'd read a lot about banding - the issue is that I couldn't quite understand what exactly was being referred to.

I took a photo of a light bulb before asking the question, and noticed that the rim of the bulb has a dark outline al around it. I wondered if that was banding. From the responses, and from what i had read earlier, I thought that banding related to the verticle 'corduroy effect' lines that ran at 90 degrees from the rim of the bulb in the image.

To cut a long story short, it's amazing why someone who doesn't have something nice to say simply refrain from sayig anything at all! It takes all sorts to make the world, I guess.
 
Samples of the banding defect can be found on Phil Ashleys D200 review in the sample photograph section, image 12 will give you an example of short banding and the last image, on the underside of the airplane will give you an example of long banding. The best and brightest on the forum have decided for you that this is a none issue.
 
Here is a link to images that clearly show banding at only 50% crop...

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos5d/page25.asp

Its to Phils tests on the Canon 5D. I wasn't able to find a D200 example so severe. You really need to go at least 200% crop to see the D200 banding - but there are some examples you can see at 100%.

That banding on the 5D is appalling (when it happens). This is why Canon made an official announcement on it...

http://www.dslrphoto.com/2006/02/23/chuck-westfall-comments-on-5d-camera-banding-issues/

But of course all digital cameras are prone to banding. The fact the Canon 5D can suffer from so sever banding should not suggest it is worse than any other. In very general terms, banding is trait of the technology and not the brand.

I have noticed though that many who have reported banding with their 5D have been mistaken, in most of the sample I've seen this is moire. Moire is another problem with the 5D that has nothing to do with the 5D banding issue (as described by Chuck Westfall of Canon U.S.A).

Hope this helps.

 
Lots of things exist, ASA. That doesn't make them significant. If something only occurs very rarely, and then, on that rare occasion that it does occur, can only be seen feintly on a monitor at 100%, it's a non-issue. Sorry to break this to you, but sooner or later you're going to have to face reality. Even my D200 will exhibit banding if I overexpose a light bulb. But out of 3000+ images taken so far, not one of them has been ruined by banding. And guess what - virtually every D200 ever made behaves exactly the same as mine does. As for Phil's D200 - it's one of the early ones. Even so, you have to look pretty hard to see any banding at all. Yep, a real non-issue.

By the way ASA, I'm curious, how's the banding on your D200? You do have a D200, don't you?? Do you?? I'd hate to think that you've been going on and on badmouthing a camera you don't even have any first hand experience with. Nah, that would be too hypocritical. Who would do something like that? I'm sure you wouldn't.

--
I Reject Your Reality And Substitute My Own

Web Site - http://www.hgiersberg.com/
 
Hans

who exactly is your curiosity directed at?

By the way ASA, I'm curious, how's the banding on your D200? You do have a D200, don't you?? Do you?? I'd hate to think that you've been going on and on badmouthing a camera you don't even have any first hand experience with. Nah, that would be too hypocritical. Who would do something like that? I'm sure you wouldn't.
 
I assumed you were honestly interested in finding out more about what banding is, and I gave you information as to where you could find two visual examples, I dont quite understand your intent, apparently you are more informed than your question made you appear, why ask if you already know?
 
ASA 100

I was very interested and fully appreciated your response. I was just wondering if the sarcasm from Hans was directed at me, which is why I asked.

Just in case it was, the answer is Yes, I do have a D200. So let's put this to rest - I'm really not the type who gets into slanging on the net.

Jtank
 
I simply want to know if ASA100, who's only role on this forum is to badmouth the D200, even has one. If someone has a D200 and is unhappy with it and wants to complain about it here, fine, I can respect that. But if someone is pontificating about a camera he doesn't even own and has no first hand experience with - well, I think that's a useful bit of information for everyone to have.

--
I Reject Your Reality And Substitute My Own

Web Site - http://www.hgiersberg.com/
 
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