Composition aside & no pixel-peeping, which of these do you prefer; technically...

MD Optofonik · 06-18-2019, 09:20 PM

Without pixel-peeping or looking at exif information, which of these do you prefer from a technical standpoint? I wasn't going for anything more than situations that would challenge the sensors and the cameras' full auto P&S modes. There's no post processing of the JPGs, they're all SOOTC.

This is "Set 1". Top to bottom, pics 1, 2, and 3.

Attached Images

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Last edited by MD Optofonik; 06-19-2019 at 10:28 AM.

civiletti · 06-18-2019, 09:55 PM - **1 Like**

#1 - more detail in shadows and good color balance.

**RobA_Oz** · 06-18-2019, 10:25 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by civiletti

#1 - more detail in shadows and good color balance.

I’d agree with that. The colour balance in #3 just looks wrong, ie too much at the blue end.

Photobill · 06-18-2019, 11:13 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by civiletti

#1 - more detail in shadows and good color balance.

👍👍👍👍👍👍

Dartmoor Dave · 06-19-2019, 01:52 AM - **1 Like**

Number three for me. I think it has the most appealing colour rendering, and that's what I personally care about most. This is based on the assumption (without seeing the exif) that the shots were taken towards evening and that the pinkness in the sky in the third shot is natural. If that's the case, then the blueness of the far hillside would also be natural as it would be in quite deep shadow.

If my guess about it being evening is correct, that means that the first two shots have been overly white balance corrected by the cameras and have lost any sense of the natural light. But of course if the shots were actually taken at mid-day and the colours in the first two are accurate, then the third shot must be suffering from a severe colour cast.

Looking forward to the big reveal.

MD Optofonik · 06-19-2019, 09:55 AM

Thanks for the replies so far. Here are three more (again, no exif or pixel peeping, please). I'll do a "reveal" at the end of all this. Lets call this "Set 2".

MD Optofonik · 06-19-2019, 10:08 AM

And "Set 3"...

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

house · 06-19-2019, 10:10 AM - **1 Like**

You're getting pinkish highlights in all third versions shots because the highlights are blown with only some info in the red channel and your software settings aren't doing very good highlight recovery. The pink is basically exposure and software error.

MD Optofonik · 06-19-2019, 10:23 AM

Originally posted by house

You're getting pinkish highlights in all third versions shots because the highlights are blown with only some info in the red channel and your software settings aren't doing very good highlight recovery. The pink is basically exposure and software error.

Thanks for replying. Which of the other two do you prefer?

Dartmoor Dave · 06-19-2019, 12:29 PM - **1 Like**

Having seen all three sets now, it's obvious that camera 3 tends towards a pink cast. So now I'll have to say that I think camera 1 is best, just because it's sharpest and has the best dynamic range. Having said that, I still actually prefer the colour rendering from camera 3 in the first and last sets, even knowing that I'm looking at a colour cast rather than the natural light. Although of course the colour cast and blown highlights ruin the shot from camera 3 in set 2.

I don't think I'd be in a hurry to rush out and buy any of the cameras.

**Just1MoreDave** · 06-19-2019, 12:44 PM - **1 Like**

I see banding in set 1, camera 3. Also in parts of the clouds in set 3.

civiletti · 06-19-2019, 05:24 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by MD Optofonik

Thanks for the replies so far. Here are three more (again, no exif or pixel peeping, please). I'll do a "reveal" at the end of all this. Lets call this "Set 2".

Set 2: #1 is technically the best. The blur of #2 may be an artistic improvement, though.

---------- Post added 06-19-19 at 05:31 PM ----------

Originally posted by MD Optofonik

And "Set 3"...

Set 3: all have problems. #1 is best in the foreground, but the sky is more overexposed and too green. #2 is too yellow. #3 is too blue.

MetalUndivided · 06-19-2019, 08:35 PM - **1 Like**

Set 1: #1 is the kind of photo I'd prefer to take myself, but I must admit #3 got my attention
Set 2: #1 for sure
Set 3: #3

Dartmoor Dave · 06-20-2019, 12:16 AM - **1 Like**

I haven't looked at the exif and I still haven't got a clue what the cameras actually are, but I'm willing to stick my neck out and guess that camera 3 is a vintage CCD of some kind. It just has that rendering style. I'm also guessing that camera 1 is a fairly up-to-date CMOS compact or phone camera. Camera 2 is just blah in every possible way, so I can't guess what it is and I don't care.

No doubt I'm completely wrong about all of them, but I'm really enjoying this thread.

**Rondec** · 06-20-2019, 02:30 AM - **1 Like**

I prefer the first image in each series, although in the first and second series one and two are very close. The third camera does have a color cast that I don't really like.

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06-18-2019, 09:55 PM - 1 Like	#2
civiletti Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Oregon Photos: Albums Posts: 1,435	#1 - more detail in shadows and good color balance.

06-18-2019, 10:25 PM - 1 Like	#3
RobA_Oz Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tasmania, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,197	Originally posted by civiletti #1 - more detail in shadows and good color balance. I’d agree with that. The colour balance in #3 just looks wrong, ie too much at the blue end.

06-18-2019, 11:13 PM - 1 Like	#4
Photobill Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 228	Originally posted by civiletti #1 - more detail in shadows and good color balance. 👍👍👍👍👍👍

06-19-2019, 01:52 AM - 1 Like	#5
Dartmoor Dave Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Dartmoor, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,882	Number three for me. I think it has the most appealing colour rendering, and that's what I personally care about most. This is based on the assumption (without seeing the exif) that the shots were taken towards evening and that the pinkness in the sky in the third shot is natural. If that's the case, then the blueness of the far hillside would also be natural as it would be in quite deep shadow. If my guess about it being evening is correct, that means that the first two shots have been overly white balance corrected by the cameras and have lost any sense of the natural light. But of course if the shots were actually taken at mid-day and the colours in the first two are accurate, then the third shot must be suffering from a severe colour cast. Looking forward to the big reveal.

06-19-2019, 10:10 AM - 1 Like	#8
house Pentaxian Join Date: May 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 3,306	You're getting pinkish highlights in all third versions shots because the highlights are blown with only some info in the red channel and your software settings aren't doing very good highlight recovery. The pink is basically exposure and software error.

06-19-2019, 10:23 AM	#9
MD Optofonik Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: California Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 962 Original Poster	Originally posted by house You're getting pinkish highlights in all third versions shots because the highlights are blown with only some info in the red channel and your software settings aren't doing very good highlight recovery. The pink is basically exposure and software error. Thanks for replying. Which of the other two do you prefer?

06-19-2019, 12:29 PM - 1 Like	#10
Dartmoor Dave Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Dartmoor, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,882	Having seen all three sets now, it's obvious that camera 3 tends towards a pink cast. So now I'll have to say that I think camera 1 is best, just because it's sharpest and has the best dynamic range. Having said that, I still actually prefer the colour rendering from camera 3 in the first and last sets, even knowing that I'm looking at a colour cast rather than the natural light. Although of course the colour cast and blown highlights ruin the shot from camera 3 in set 2. I don't think I'd be in a hurry to rush out and buy any of the cameras.

06-19-2019, 12:44 PM - 1 Like	#11
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	I see banding in set 1, camera 3. Also in parts of the clouds in set 3.

06-19-2019, 05:24 PM - 1 Like	#12
civiletti Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Oregon Photos: Albums Posts: 1,435	Originally posted by MD Optofonik Thanks for the replies so far. Here are three more (again, no exif or pixel peeping, please). I'll do a "reveal" at the end of all this. Lets call this "Set 2". Set 2: #1 is technically the best. The blur of #2 may be an artistic improvement, though. ---------- Post added 06-19-19 at 05:31 PM ---------- Originally posted by MD Optofonik And "Set 3"... Set 3: all have problems. #1 is best in the foreground, but the sky is more overexposed and too green. #2 is too yellow. #3 is too blue.

06-19-2019, 08:35 PM - 1 Like	#13
MetalUndivided Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: Irkutsk, Russia Posts: 134	Set 1: #1 is the kind of photo I'd prefer to take myself, but I must admit #3 got my attention Set 2: #1 for sure Set 3: #3

06-20-2019, 12:16 AM - 1 Like	#14
Dartmoor Dave Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Dartmoor, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,882	I haven't looked at the exif and I still haven't got a clue what the cameras actually are, but I'm willing to stick my neck out and guess that camera 3 is a vintage CCD of some kind. It just has that rendering style. I'm also guessing that camera 1 is a fairly up-to-date CMOS compact or phone camera. Camera 2 is just blah in every possible way, so I can't guess what it is and I don't care. No doubt I'm completely wrong about all of them, but I'm really enjoying this thread.

06-20-2019, 02:30 AM - 1 Like	#15
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	I prefer the first image in each series, although in the first and second series one and two are very close. The third camera does have a color cast that I don't really like.