GEAR TALK - LIFE WITH A PHASE ONE P25
Entry #7: Comparing the Phase One P25 files to a Canon 5D - Part II
MEDIUM FORMAT VERSUS CANON 5D PART II
FOLLOW-UP TO YESTERDAY’S ENTRY
Below are some FOV comparisons at F8. Images were processed in Capture One 4.01 with the default sharpening. White balance, levels and contrast were edited to normalize the general appearance.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Canon 5D with 24-105L IS
50mm @ F8 ISO 100
645AFD II & P25 with 80mm F2.8 AF
80mm @ F8 ISO 100
During the past month I have done similar comparisons multiples times and there have been some common themes:
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•The P25’s colors and Canon’s are fundamentally different; trying to align them is futile. What is interesting is that I try to match the Canon file to Phase One file. The Phase One colors are richer, deeper and more vibrant. The P25 shows a magenta-red bias which can be neutralized with a white balance adjustment.
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•The 645AFD II set-up excels with close-up subjects. When focused at infinity or close to it, the keeper rate dips. The P25 image in the third set of images (the putting green) has a focus error. Both systems were focused on the distant trees. Popping off quick shots like these is easy with the Canon dSLRs, with the 645AFD II focusing requires an amazing amount of added concentration.
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•The P25’s auto white balance is woefully inaccurate. Often I use the Canon AWB values as a starting point for the P25 file. Unfortunately K does not equal K. 5200K on the P25 is about 4600K on the Canon 5D.
Undoubtedly the P25 captures more detail than a Canon 5D. With the same lens mounted on a 5D and Mamiya 645 AFD II, distance kept equal, aperture kept equal - the 100% crops are quite similar. Yesterday’s blog entry did a better job of showing that.