Originally posted by kenyee Interesting...either the D90 or the Sigma 50-150 is
kicking up the contrast as well. The color/sharpness look better in the zoomed
out image for the Sigma but the K20D obviously captures more detail in the sign
These were both JPEGS, but I tried to approximate the output as much as
possible in the settings - shooting bright red, green, blue yellow and black toys
and tweaking contrast/sharpness/hue until the D90 got very close to the K20D
'bright' JPEG setting/+2 fine sharpness, which is what I almost always shoot in,
and love. One of the requirements for me is that the Nikon approximate
this JPEG quality - if I have to rely on a RAW workflow to get my family snapshots
looking good, that's not acceptable.
For me, RAW is good for some landscapes and tricky lighting where DR-range in
the JPEGS isn't good enough, but day to day I absolutely insist on great JPEGS
from the camera.
Now, those images above - take a look at two things, the brown plastic rocks and
the pink baloon - in both these cases, the K20D/DA* got the colors spot-on. The
D90 + Sigma punched up the brown a bit too much, and washed out the balloon.
In real life that balloon was very bright and caught my eye from way up on the
second level there. I was impressed to see how
right the K20D got it.
But the punchiness of the D90/Sigma combo is still pleasing, I do like it.
Originally posted by SCGushue Nice job on the head to head. Where is this exhibit?
LegoLand, in the MOA = Mall Of America, one of the few places I can shoot
without freezing my balls off in the winter here.
Quote: What your images portray is something I have always found when using Pentax
and Sigma EX DG lenses. The "Pentax" tones and colors are always slightly cyan
with yellow overtones. Pleasing, but none-the-less that cast induced by the
coating sometimes has a tendancy to block up in the shadowed tones. The
Sigma coatings are neutral and the contrast is just as good as the Pentax lens
which shows the quality of Sigma's multicoating.
I think both of these lenses do a great job. I like the colors and contrast of both,
but there is little or no need for CC on the Sigma output.
Stephen
Yes, I just wish I could make the comparison using one body, that way we could
take the JPEG engine and sensor out of the picture. But this is a test of combos
and the ways I'll be using them.
OK, here are some close-focus shots from each - I hate doing these kinds of
tests, I almost die of boredom, but I think a comparison like this warrants it:
DA* at 135mm, f2.8, ISO 400, Sigma same but 150mm: DA* & Sigma AF crops:
However, here's the Sigma shot using
Manual Focus :
- I'll paste it next to the AF shot, and then next to the Pentax AF shot below
that for comparison:
Sigma AF vs Sigma MF: DA* AF vs Sigma MF:
As you can see, the Sigma's problem is the AF, not the native sharpness
of the optics. As distance to target increases, this FF will be seen less
as both the elements reconfigure and the DOF increases.
But in Close-focus, say 10 feet or under, wide-open 150mm AF is weak with
the Sigma.
.