Originally posted by SteveB The AA filter has quite an effect on softness/sharpness/moire also.
Yes, but JinDesu is correct in that you have to be
really careful when looking at DPR's studio shots. On some cameras the focus is slightly more toward the back of the scene, and on others it's more front-focused. This problem is then exacerbated by the fact that cameras have differing effective DOF (e.g. FF vs. APS-C). I'm sure they work hard to keep this to a minimum, but some variance is unavoidable. You need to look hard at the various parts of the scene to determine where the focal point ended up for that particular camera. You'll notice some cameras "excel" at the front part of the scene while others excel toward the back.
This is further complicated by the fact that different lenses are used on each camera, although DPR tries to use quality lenses, such as 50mm primes.
So, practically speaking, JinDesu is nearly correct. Unless you take great pains to make sure you're observing and including all of these factors, your conclusions are likely to be askew.