20D and digital noise compared with the Digital Rebel

[Hadley Wade]

Hi! I just joined this board today after stumbling upon it while researching the 20D. After reading the responses of members here I thought you could help with my problem (or perceived problem).

About a month ago I purchased a 20D. I adore the camera. I upgraded from a Digital Rebel. For some reason I feel like my photos are noisier than the photos taken with my Digital Rebel.

I'm new to thinking seriously about photography and have a LOT to learn. I know that the noise could likely be user error. I'm concerned that it could be more than me that's causing the problem. I was able to get what seems to be a slightly better result (in terms of digital noise) with my digital rebel.

Maybe it's because someone said to me that the sensor in this camera crowded more pixels into a smaller space which would create more noise and I'm paranoid and looking for problems. Please tell me I'm paranoid and looking for problems! :wink:

Thanks

[alan sh]

You are paranoid and looking for problems.... (Well, you asked to be told).

Seriously, I have not owned a DR - I do own a 20D. The noise level on the 20D is so low its unreal. If the DR is even better, how can you tell ?

Post some pictures and let us have a look. But do try and compare like with like (if possible).

Alan

[Hadley Wade]

Alan,

Thanks a million! You're right. I should really take some comparison shots of apples to apples shots tomorrow. Hey, maybe I'll even take them of apples! I just got a bunch from the pumpkin farm.

Yes, you're right. The fact that I'm going to the pumpkin farm to get apples probably does have something to do with the levels of digital noise I see.

[adas]

Post some pictures and let us have a look. But do try and compare like with like (if possible)

No need to compare, it's obvious. The 20D is noisy at ISO 100. Just bought a new 20D a couple of weeks ago and I'm getting this. The 300d I had (and even the XT) were smoother at iso 100. The samples on the review sites are all gorgeous.

My real question is: Is this the noise as it should be at iso 100 and the 300d's were "smoothened", or the 300d's were really clean and the 20d's are noisy?

[Ronald S. Jr.]

If you're getting noise at 400 and below, it could very well be that you're messing up the exposure. Noise has a lot to do with exposure. If you underexpose, and have to fix it with levels in photoshop or the like, you're going to find an unbearable amount of noise, that even reduction software like noise ninja or neat image can't take out. In photoshop, as you raise the exposure level, you gain noise. As you lower it, you lose noise. Also, as for the OP, your problem with the 20D could be that you're not used to the way the 20D exposes. Each and every camera exposes differently, and quite often, you need to use exposure compensation in order to get proper exposure in-camera. You may also benefit from learning the method of "exposing to the right" or "shooting to the right". In essence, it's basically like overexposing all of your images by a small-ish amount, so that when you go to "fix" it on the computer, you will reduce noise, and get a proper exposure. The 20D isn't noisy at ISO 100 if you expose correctly. It isn't even noisy at 800. It's actually regarded as one of the top high ISO performers of the time.