High ISO settings for Sony A700 and A900

[leejiing]

Bros ans sisters using A700 and A900 complaining about high ISO noisy photos can try this setting for high ISO pictures (ISO 800 and above)

Credits to Agorabasta from DK's website:

For A700
Set your creative style as follows:
Base mode Standard
Saturation +1
Sharpness +2
Brightness -2
Zone matching -1
Set DR to
DR+
Set High ISO NR to
High

For A900
Base mode Neutral
Sharpness +2 or +1
Brightness -2
Zone matching -1
Set DR to
OFF
Set High ISO NR to
Low or Normal
And shoot in Extra Fine Jpeg and slighty overexpose your photos by 0.3 stops.


Try shoot in 1600, 3200 and 6400(for a900) and see the difference! :)

I will post some test shots here once i find time... need to work....

[leejiing]

Here's a series of test shots using the above settings.

Full Size image Taken @3200 overexpose to the right by 0.7 stop. Photos are not PP except cropped to the size shown.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1w4H4AatsBQ/STvKy5m09jI/AAAAAAAABkY/WGYvNJEjH7A/1600fullsize.jpg

Link to image in case you can't see it. (http://www.sgshoot.com/forums/showthread.php?p=28571#post28571)

ISO 1600
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1w4H4AatsBQ/STvKyk4tf6I/AAAAAAAABkQ/VUcBFx8P-ag/s800/1600.jpg

[leejiing]

ISO 3200
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1w4H4AatsBQ/STvKyzPU9CI/AAAAAAAABkg/jNTKAx1MP4o/s800/3200.jpg

ISO 6400
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1w4H4AatsBQ/STvKzZMP8jI/AAAAAAAABko/ErM0RxD8pjo/s800/6400.jpg

Conclusion. Noise is definitely higher on the A900 sensors compared to Nikon D700 (the 6400 of D700 looks like the 1600 of A900 with a 2 stops advantage).

The in build default Jpeg processor is just plain jialat. Below par for such a body. Sony really needs to release a firmware to address this issue as the RAW files of 3200 are just plain amazing :)

So is it a good upgrade? Depends. If you shoot High ISO often, I can say forget it. Grab the Nikon instead.

But if you shoot rarely above 1600 (like me). Its a dream come true to own a FF camera that really resolves so much details. Not to mention you really get true wide angles lenses. Another major reason to upgrade is the Viewfinder. The 100% viewfinder is a good enough reason to omit the built in flash.

Buy if you enjoy fineart or landscape. You will not regret it :)

[leejiing]

Another 100% cropped photo of the above picture.

Guess what ISO is this taken..

Check out the texture details for the curtains..
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1w4H4AatsBQ/STvO7gC7RrI/AAAAAAAABkw/Ngjhc6xSMn0/s800/Guess.jpg

[Stanley]

You must try to take on people with high ISO than we can tell. But so far i see is good lor! Show me some pics on people or portrait than you can judge from the face.

[leejiing]

No time and no model leh... kekeke

anyway, here's a link discussing the same issue
http://s11.zetaboards.com/Alphamount_Singapore/topic/7053488/1/

the 2 pics take at 6400

I will try to do some test myself if time allows... but I rarely shoot 800 or above... so this FF cam is ok for me :)