Testing noise for ISO 3200 and ISO 5000. Here's a link to the photo gallery. Just a random, quick, unscientific test. I think the noise level is controlled very well. I would say that the D700's noise level at 3200 ISO is about the same or perhaps even lower than what the D80 produces at 1600 ISO. Hope to add some samples of pix shot at 6400 ISO in the near future.

http://rnv.smugmug.com/gallery/5676005_KWPzi#349664882_Qozw9

RNV

It does remarkably well at iso 3200 and even 5000. You do begin to see noise at 6400, but still usable unless you are trying to get great detail.

Larry Miller, Annapolis, MD
D700/D800
http://www.pbase.com/lmmiller9
http://lmmillerphotography.smugmug.com/

Thank you for the gallery, the kids shots @ 3200 are interesting.

It's hard to judge the camera's sensor performance @ ISO 5000 because the In-camera Noise Reduction was set at High.

It would be interesting to see the same subject @ 3,200, 5,000 & 6,400 with and without in camera noise reduction & without post processing to see how it affects softness vs. noise.

Thank you for posting those photos.

The Taco Bell dogs at ISO 5000 show a lot of noise in the background, and you had NR set to High? I'm referring to the grainy back wall areas when viewed at Original size.

That scene has befuddled me.

Hmmm. I have seen some situations where the Unsharp mask increases noise, especially where I had applied post-processing NR and then applied unsharp. I'm rather religious about applying the unsharp mask as my last step.

If you had run the unsharp mask on that photo, I would be curious how the photo looks without any unsharp mask at all.

It helps a bit on an image with noise to convert the image to lab and then sharpen just the luminance channel.

""

@David or anyone:

>It helps a bit on an image with noise to convert the image to
>lab and then sharpen just the luminance channel.


What is "convert the image to lab", please?

Thank you.

- Adobe doc Lab Color Mode in Photoshop

- Inside Photoshop: The Color Lab

- Wikipedia Lab color space

Thanks for the high ISO pics and also thanks for taking them with the Sigma 24-60/2.8 EX DG. I now have an idea how my favorite 3rd party lens will perform on the D700.
Mark

Mark --
The Sigma 24-60mm f/2.8 and the D700 is a great combination. And what I particularly like is that the Sigma lens is a true wide angle when shooting at 24mm with the D700. My other cameras are a D70 & a D80, which means 28mm was actually 42mm. In my work I take a lot of group shots, so it's great to now have more reach on the wide end with the Sigma. I don't generally gush, but the D700 is just a dream come true.

RNV