Open Source Brings High-End Canon Camera Dynamic Range Closer To Nikon's 88
PainMeds writes "Magic Lantern is an open source 'free software add-on' that 'adds a host of new features to Canon EOS cameras that weren't included from the factory by Canon.' One of ML's newest features is a module named Dual ISO, which takes advantage of the sensor in some of Canon's high-end cameras (such as the 5D MK II and MK III) to allow the camera to capture an image in two different ISOs, greatly expanding the dynamic range of the camera, and bringing its dynamic range closer to Nikon's popular D800 and D4."
Awesome! (Score:5, Informative)
That being said, the cameras mentioned in the summary cost more than all my lenses combined. Sounds like an awesome feature, but not one that will be available to casual photographers.
No free lunch (Score:5, Informative)
Alternate line exposure is not new, it is in a lot of current generation sensors. Omnivision, Sony and Toshiba all have sensors out with this capability.
The underlying issue is that when doing alternate line exposure you are getting only half the resolution for each range. DSP and image processing techniques can help smooth out the issues, but you are fundamentally dealing with a half-height dark and a half-height light image. Depending on the alternate-line approach, you also get other funky color fringing issues due to the underlying bayer pattern. As the article notes, there are color fringing issues
A good generalized approach is to output a 1/2 resolution image in both dimensions, otherwise you will get a vertical stretch if you keep the horizontal width at full resolution. So it means for a 16 MP camera, you will get only 4 MP HDR images. In a lot of cases this will be more than good enough... But it makes it really difficult to sell and explain to users.
There is usually a good reason that advanced features aren't release/published. A lot of the time it comes down to features be sub-optimal on what is supposed to be a highly polished product.
Re:The better solution is to buy Nikon (Score:5, Informative)
It goes back and forth.
Canon got a lot of Nikon users when only Canon had full frame cameras.
Nikon got a lot of Canon users (back?) with D3/D700/D300
Nikon got some Canon users with the 14-24 f/2.8
Nikon got some Canon users with the D800
Nikon got some Canon users with better CLS/TTL flash system
Canon got many Nikon users for video
Fuji now gets many Nikon/Canon users with X-trans sensor, good ergonomics and great lenses
Sony got some Nikon/Canon users with small cameras and big sensors, but lost them again with slow and expensive lenses and lack of support
Nikon lost customers with sloppy quality control
Canon lost customers with not so good sensors
Re:Awesome! (Score:4, Informative)
I use CHDK " Canon Hack Development Kit " .lua or.bas, but without insane cost of lenses
I opted for a bridge camera as I couldn't afford a full DSLR so the bridge gives me DSLR capability full manual, etc, and with chdk installed I get most all the toys magic lantern has plus ability to run 3rd party scripts in
I absolutely love my Canon Power shot SX40 HS with CHDK and shooting raw
And yet Pentax wins... (Score:1, Informative)
"We figured the Pentax would do a good job, but we never imagined the results would be so outstanding. Our testing shows that the Pentax K-3 swept the Nikon D600 in almost every image we took. Even at high ISOs the Pentax held its own against the full frame sensor!"
http://www.digitalcamerareview... [digitalcamerareview.com]
"This test clearly shows the full frame Nikon D600 does not have image quality that is nearly as appealing or accurate as the cropped sensor Pentax K-3. Plus, the Pentax K-3 is currently $500 less expensive than the Nikon D600."
Maybe they need to keep updating the software.