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EOS-1D Mark II sharp, no worries here

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Phil Askey

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Having just started to evaluate the Mark II I'm surprised to read questions over this camera's sharpness.. There are a few important points to remember:

1. The image processing for the 1D series apperas to be different (to a higher standard) than other EOS digitals, tonal transitions are smoother, sharpening artifacts virtually non-existant.

2. An eight megapixel sensor is going to pick out any sharpness / resolution issues with the lens and focusing. A good lens, accurately focused and with the correct DOF is needed for 1:1 pixel sharpness.

3. This is the most important point - The default sharpening on the EOS-1D Mark II is a very conservative level 0 (zero), this is the same as the EOS-1D and 1Ds. It's a much lower sharpening level than most other digital SLR's and provides you with noise free and sharpening artifact free images. HOWEVER if you prefer your images sharper out of the camera just increase sharpening to around level 2.

I went out on my first shoot with the camera the other day and before even starting created a parameter set with sharpening level '2', I'm pretty pleased with the results.

The images below are 100% crops from some 1D Mark II JPEG images. Lens used was the EF 28-70 mm F2.8 L.







PS. Please don't ask me when the review will be posted.

--
Phil Askey
Editor / Owner, dpreview.com
 
Phil, these are exactly the words I wanted to hear. Now I can sleep easy and wait to pick up my Mk2 next Thursday. You must have been very busy with reviews of several different cameras over the last few weeks, and I understand that things take time. I look forward to your review when it comes, but your initial remarks seem to be saying that the camera is AOK.
Thanks,
Peter in Tokyo
 
Thanks for the heads up on the focus. We will be waiting for another of your great reviews.

Jim
Phil Askey said:
Having just started to evaluate the Mark II I'm surprised to read
questions over this camera's sharpness.. There are a few important
points to remember:

1. The image processing for the 1D series apperas to be different
(to a higher standard) than other EOS digitals, tonal transitions
are smoother, sharpening artifacts virtually non-existant.

2. An eight megapixel sensor is going to pick out any sharpness /
resolution issues with the lens and focusing. A good lens,
accurately focused and with the correct DOF is needed for 1:1 pixel
sharpness.

3. This is the most important point - The default sharpening on
the EOS-1D Mark II is a very conservative level 0 (zero), this is
the same as the EOS-1D and 1Ds. It's a much lower sharpening level
than most other digital SLR's and provides you with noise free and
sharpening artifact free images. HOWEVER if you prefer your images
sharper out of the camera just increase sharpening to around level
2.

I went out on my first shoot with the camera the other day and
before even starting created a parameter set with sharpening level
'2', I'm pretty pleased with the results.

The images below are 100% crops from some 1D Mark II JPEG images.
Lens used was the EF 28-70 mm F2.8 L.







PS. Please don't ask me when the review will be posted.

--
Phil Askey
Editor / Owner, dpreview.com
Click to expand...
 
To be frank I'm very surprised with some 'owners' comments here, you kinda wonder...

But the 1D Mark II is no different than the 1D or 1Ds, Canon deliberately leave sharpening 'off' by default.. it's up to the photographer to choose their weapon, stick with the basically unprocessed images and sharpen later or choose to allow the camera to sharpen. In my opinion the 1D Mark II's sharpening algorithm is one of the best and thus there's little issue in using a higher sharpening setting (2 or 3 for tack sharp out-of-the-camera JPEG's). The trade off is the potential for sharpening artifacts and more visibility of noise at high ISO's.
chateaulatour64 said:
Phil, these are exactly the words I wanted to hear. Now I can sleep
easy and wait to pick up my Mk2 next Thursday. You must have been
very busy with reviews of several different cameras over the last
few weeks, and I understand that things take time. I look forward
to your review when it comes, but your initial remarks seem to be
saying that the camera is AOK.
Thanks,
Peter in Tokyo
Click to expand...
--
Phil Askey
Editor / Owner, dpreview.com
 
For the most informative digital camera resource that I have seen.

I won't ask you for an ETA on the review. But I will say I very much look forward to it, as I do all of your reviews.

Mike
Phil Askey said:
Having just started to evaluate the Mark II I'm surprised to read
questions over this camera's sharpness.. There are a few important
points to remember:

1. The image processing for the 1D series apperas to be different
(to a higher standard) than other EOS digitals, tonal transitions
are smoother, sharpening artifacts virtually non-existant.

2. An eight megapixel sensor is going to pick out any sharpness /
resolution issues with the lens and focusing. A good lens,
accurately focused and with the correct DOF is needed for 1:1 pixel
sharpness.

3. This is the most important point - The default sharpening on
the EOS-1D Mark II is a very conservative level 0 (zero), this is
the same as the EOS-1D and 1Ds. It's a much lower sharpening level
than most other digital SLR's and provides you with noise free and
sharpening artifact free images. HOWEVER if you prefer your images
sharper out of the camera just increase sharpening to around level
2.

I went out on my first shoot with the camera the other day and
before even starting created a parameter set with sharpening level
'2', I'm pretty pleased with the results.

The images below are 100% crops from some 1D Mark II JPEG images.
Lens used was the EF 28-70 mm F2.8 L.







PS. Please don't ask me when the review will be posted.

--
Phil Askey
Editor / Owner, dpreview.com
Click to expand...
 
My concern was how natively sharp it was compared to the Mk1 or 1DS but your crops from JPGs answered that nicely - I have a 28-70L (Mine actually works at 70mm F2.8 ;-) so can get a handle on your crops ..

Thanks for intervening in all this madness - I'll just leave the 35-80 at home when I take the Mk2 out and have to take the 35F2 instead as a pocket emergency lens (and buy an 85 F1.8 as well) ..

--
Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist

EOS-1D & Sigma SD9 - Sharper than a Saville Row Suit!
 
I think some of the sharpness issues come from folks who have used the 1D or perhaps the digital rebel. There have been some posts comparing images from the 1D mk11 and 1Ds. In that comparison, it was hard to see any difference in the level of out of camera sharpness . The 1Ds and the original 1D images come out of the camera looking very different. Less post-processing sharpening is required for the 1D vs 1Ds images. I appreciate this post to confirm what i had suspected based on my reading and comparing different images on this and other web sites. Thanks. Mark
Phil Askey said:
Having just started to evaluate the Mark II I'm surprised to read
questions over this camera's sharpness.. There are a few important
points to remember:

1. The image processing for the 1D series apperas to be different
(to a higher standard) than other EOS digitals, tonal transitions
are smoother, sharpening artifacts virtually non-existant.

2. An eight megapixel sensor is going to pick out any sharpness /
resolution issues with the lens and focusing. A good lens,
accurately focused and with the correct DOF is needed for 1:1 pixel
sharpness.

3. This is the most important point - The default sharpening on
the EOS-1D Mark II is a very conservative level 0 (zero), this is
the same as the EOS-1D and 1Ds. It's a much lower sharpening level
than most other digital SLR's and provides you with noise free and
sharpening artifact free images. HOWEVER if you prefer your images
sharper out of the camera just increase sharpening to around level
2.

I went out on my first shoot with the camera the other day and
before even starting created a parameter set with sharpening level
'2', I'm pretty pleased with the results.

The images below are 100% crops from some 1D Mark II JPEG images.
Lens used was the EF 28-70 mm F2.8 L.







PS. Please don't ask me when the review will be posted.

--
Phil Askey
Editor / Owner, dpreview.com
Click to expand...
 
MF2 said:
I won't ask you for an ETA on the review. But I will say I very
much look forward to it, as I do all of your reviews.

Mike
Phil Askey said:
Having just started to evaluate the Mark II I'm surprised to read
questions over this camera's sharpness.. There are a few important
points to remember:

1. The image processing for the 1D series apperas to be different
(to a higher standard) than other EOS digitals, tonal transitions
are smoother, sharpening artifacts virtually non-existant.

2. An eight megapixel sensor is going to pick out any sharpness /
resolution issues with the lens and focusing. A good lens,
accurately focused and with the correct DOF is needed for 1:1 pixel
sharpness.

3. This is the most important point - The default sharpening on
the EOS-1D Mark II is a very conservative level 0 (zero), this is
the same as the EOS-1D and 1Ds. It's a much lower sharpening level
than most other digital SLR's and provides you with noise free and
sharpening artifact free images. HOWEVER if you prefer your images
sharper out of the camera just increase sharpening to around level
2.

I went out on my first shoot with the camera the other day and
before even starting created a parameter set with sharpening level
'2', I'm pretty pleased with the results.

The images below are 100% crops from some 1D Mark II JPEG images.
Lens used was the EF 28-70 mm F2.8 L.







PS. Please don't ask me when the review will be posted.

--
Phil Askey
Editor / Owner, dpreview.com
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Thanks Phil

This camera is no different than the 1ds when it comes to sharpening, you just have to work your files. It is NOT a point and shoot were the sharpening is turned up
--
GUY
 
http://www.dpreview.com/temp_img/GR2O0135.JPG

2.9 MB. In-camera sharpening level 2, 28-70 mm F2.8 L.
Phil Askey said:
Having just started to evaluate the Mark II I'm surprised to read
questions over this camera's sharpness.. There are a few important
points to remember:

1. The image processing for the 1D series apperas to be different
(to a higher standard) than other EOS digitals, tonal transitions
are smoother, sharpening artifacts virtually non-existant.

2. An eight megapixel sensor is going to pick out any sharpness /
resolution issues with the lens and focusing. A good lens,
accurately focused and with the correct DOF is needed for 1:1 pixel
sharpness.

3. This is the most important point - The default sharpening on
the EOS-1D Mark II is a very conservative level 0 (zero), this is
the same as the EOS-1D and 1Ds. It's a much lower sharpening level
than most other digital SLR's and provides you with noise free and
sharpening artifact free images. HOWEVER if you prefer your images
sharper out of the camera just increase sharpening to around level
2.

I went out on my first shoot with the camera the other day and
before even starting created a parameter set with sharpening level
'2', I'm pretty pleased with the results.

The images below are 100% crops from some 1D Mark II JPEG images.
Lens used was the EF 28-70 mm F2.8 L.







PS. Please don't ask me when the review will be posted.

--
Phil Askey
Editor / Owner, dpreview.com
Click to expand...
--
Phil Askey
Editor / Owner, dpreview.com
 
I think it all boils down to those who prefer CCD and those who prefer CMOS. They both have different looks. I love the images the 1Ds produces and the 1D II seems to give similar results.
mark kay said:
Phil Askey said:
Having just started to evaluate the Mark II I'm surprised to read
questions over this camera's sharpness.. There are a few important
points to remember:

1. The image processing for the 1D series apperas to be different
(to a higher standard) than other EOS digitals, tonal transitions
are smoother, sharpening artifacts virtually non-existant.

2. An eight megapixel sensor is going to pick out any sharpness /
resolution issues with the lens and focusing. A good lens,
accurately focused and with the correct DOF is needed for 1:1 pixel
sharpness.

3. This is the most important point - The default sharpening on
the EOS-1D Mark II is a very conservative level 0 (zero), this is
the same as the EOS-1D and 1Ds. It's a much lower sharpening level
than most other digital SLR's and provides you with noise free and
sharpening artifact free images. HOWEVER if you prefer your images
sharper out of the camera just increase sharpening to around level
2.

I went out on my first shoot with the camera the other day and
before even starting created a parameter set with sharpening level
'2', I'm pretty pleased with the results.

The images below are 100% crops from some 1D Mark II JPEG images.
Lens used was the EF 28-70 mm F2.8 L.







PS. Please don't ask me when the review will be posted.

--
Phil Askey
Editor / Owner, dpreview.com
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Phil Askey said:
Having just started to evaluate the Mark II I'm surprised to read
questions over this camera's sharpness.. There are a few
Click to expand...
Phil,

Have you any comments on claims about Mark II focusing accuracy being not as good as with 1D? I'm referring to http://www.digitale-slr.net/foren/canon/index.php click "gäste-login" (and go to forum "EOS 1D, EOS 1D Mark II und EOS 1Ds " and header "MKII Tag II (gestern)").

(In short: poster said about Mark II that about 70% of shot AF was not hitting the subject. 1D was 100% accurate. He took the camera to repair for check but they could not check it yet because it is so new.)

I'm quite sure that was only a defective unit, or bad lenses.

I wonder what happens after people have got their lenses adjusted to 10D and then put them on Mark II?

--
Pekka
http://photography-on-the.net
 
Phil Askey said:
3. This is the most important point - The default sharpening on
the EOS-1D Mark II is a very conservative level 0 (zero), this is
the same as the EOS-1D and 1Ds.

I went out on my first shoot with the camera the other day and
before even starting created a parameter set with sharpening level
'2', I'm pretty pleased with the results.
Click to expand...
Sure, I think Phil is a Legend too, however, I am going to disagree with him in saying that these photo's are sharp. Given that +2 sharpening has been applied, I still see quite a 'softness' in his images. I know that this setting can be changed further but what is this saying about the RAW images which would be produced or at a setting of '0'.
 
InVision said:
Phil Askey said:
3. This is the most important point - The default sharpening on
the EOS-1D Mark II is a very conservative level 0 (zero), this is
the same as the EOS-1D and 1Ds.

I went out on my first shoot with the camera the other day and
before even starting created a parameter set with sharpening level
'2', I'm pretty pleased with the results.
Click to expand...
Sure, I think Phil is a Legend too, however, I am going to disagree
with him in saying that these photo's are sharp. Given that +2
sharpening has been applied, I still see quite a 'softness' in his
images. I know that this setting can be changed further but what is
this saying about the RAW images which would be produced or at a
setting of '0'.
Click to expand...
--
http://www.pbase.com/greentank
10D, 17-40L, 70-200 2.8L IS, 50 1.4, 28-135 IS
 
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1032&message=8538323

I'm sorry but that looks sharp to me.

Teski
InVision said:
Phil Askey said:
3. This is the most important point - The default sharpening on
the EOS-1D Mark II is a very conservative level 0 (zero), this is
the same as the EOS-1D and 1Ds.

I went out on my first shoot with the camera the other day and
before even starting created a parameter set with sharpening level
'2', I'm pretty pleased with the results.
Click to expand...
Sure, I think Phil is a Legend too, however, I am going to disagree
with him in saying that these photo's are sharp. Given that +2
sharpening has been applied, I still see quite a 'softness' in his
images. I know that this setting can be changed further but what is
this saying about the RAW images which would be produced or at a
setting of '0'.
Click to expand...
 
Just got my 1D2, and done the obligatory cat and flower shots :)

Seriously though, with my 100mm macro, the detail is stunning.

I've put a pic up, converted with ACR 2.2 with default settings, oh and it's iso800. I'm perfectly happy with the sharpness (and noise).

http://www.pbase.com/image/28266013

Right, off to take more pics. Going to Brands Hatch tomorrow too, so hopefully I'll have some great stuff to show tomorrow night.

--
Cheers,

Stuart Rider.
 
Thanks for posting the image. Wonder if you could allow us to download a full blown RAW image similar to this jpeg, so we could experiment on our own? I'll have my own Mk2 by Tuesday, but it would be nice to have something to play with over the weekend. Again, thanks.

Ray Amos -
1D Mk2, 1v and EF lenses from 17-500mm.
 
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