Compared to... (contd.)

Studio scene comparison (JPEG)

This is our standard studio scene comparison shot taken from exactly the same tripod position. Lighting: daylight simulation, >98% CRI. Crops are 100%. Ambient temperature was approximately 22°C (~72°F).

Nikon D3S vs. Nikon D300S

Camera settings:

  • Nikon D3S: Nikkor 85mm mm F1.8 lens, Aperture Priority, ISO 200 (default base), JPEG Large/Fine, Manual WB, Default Parameters (Standard), Self-Timer (with exposure delay), ADL off
     
  • Nikon D300S: Nikkor 50mm mm F1.4 lens, Aperture Priority, ISO 200 (default base), JPEG Large/Fine, Manual WB, Default Parameters (Standard), Self-Timer (with exposure delay), ADL off
Nikon D3S
Nikon D300S
5.1MB JPEG (4256 x 2832)
5.1MB JPEG (4288 x 2848)

Again, both cameras deliver image quality that is so similar at their base ISO sensitivity setting as to be practically identical. The larger photodiodes of the D3S don't appear to garner any particular benefits in these conditions, and to any practical extent, assuming parity of framing, the D3S and D300S have delivered equal detail resolution here. The (actually very small) disparity in brightness between these two samples makes fine detail from the D3S appear fractionally better defined than the D300S, but close examination reveals the two cameras to be equally capable. Both cameras also handle the bright reflections from our paperclips very well, and the tonal transitions in these highlights are very smooth. (The difference in sharpness between the two images is due to the slight disparity in depth of field caused by our shooting settings, which are optimized for maximum sharpness at the point of focus.)