Difference between sensors.

[the7ferret]

What is the major difference between the sensors on the drebel, drebel xt, 10d, 20d, 1ds, 1dmk2...


ovibiously the 1d's have a full frame sensor and the drebels and 20d have the APS-C but other than that.

[tim]

XT/20D sensors have less noise than 10D/300D.
1D series sensors are larger and lower noise than 10D/300D, but i'm guessing more noise than 20D.
1D Mk2 is 1.3 crop, low noise.
1Ds Mk2 is full frame, low noise.

I don't know all that much about the 1 series so don't take my word as gospel on them.

[CyberDyneSystems]

there all CMOS sensors,..

There are in fact three sizes,..

Only the 1Ds and 1DsMkII have full frame,... 11MP and 16MP
1D and 1DMkII have 1.3X crop sensors, at 4.5 and 8.5MP each

All other Cnaon SLRs have the 1.6X "APS" sized sensor from D30 on up to 20D

10D, and 300D shared virtually the same 6MP 1.6X CMOS,..
20D and 350D/Xt both use 8MP but the two aree different,. the 20D actually uses 8.2MP .. where as the XT is an even 8MP.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Ooops,. Tim types faster.. (with fewer mistakes! ) ;)

[pradeep1]

Output quality between the 20D and XT are about the same.

[Bodog]

XT/20D sensors have less noise than 10D/300D.
1D series sensors are larger and lower noise than 10D/300D, but i'm guessing more noise than 20D.
1D Mk2 is 1.3 crop, low noise.
1Ds Mk2 is full frame, low noise.

I don't know all that much about the 1 series so don't take my word as gospel on them.
Tim, is the actual sensor less noisy (XT/20D), or just better electronics/processing that makes them seem less noisy? I wonder... My sense would be the electronics/processing is the difference.

[Pb2Au]

Tim, is the actual sensor less noisy (XT/20D), or just better electronics/processing that makes them seem less noisy? I wonder... My sense would be the electronics/processing is the difference.

If it is, in fact, the processing; could a 20D (or 350D!) firmware upgrade help with noise levels and turn one of the former "equals" into a noiseless champion? Not that I'm complaining of noise... ..or is it something more related to hardware?

Also, could a 20D firmware upgrade somehow display current ISO settings somewhere (anywhere!)?

[tim]

Tim, is the actual sensor less noisy (XT/20D), or just better electronics/processing that makes them seem less noisy? I wonder... My sense would be the electronics/processing is the difference.

I would have to assume it's a combination of both. Digic2 will have better noise reduction in the camera, and I assume 2 years of sensor development would result in less noisy sensors too. Not that it matters, you can't seperate them.

An interesting test would be to take the same photo with the same settings on a 10D and a 20D, both high ISO, run them both thru noise reduction on the PC, and see which one comes out better. If they come out about the same then the difference is in the digic2 chip, if the 20D is better the difference is in the sensor.

[robertwgross]

Also, could a 20D firmware upgrade somehow display current ISO settings somewhere (anywhere!)?

My 20D displays the current ISO setting on the top display when I push the ISO button.

---Bob Gross---

[FlyingPete]

If it is, in fact, the processing; could a 20D (or 350D!) firmware upgrade help with noise levels and turn one of the former "equals" into a noiseless champion? Not that I'm complaining of noise... ..or is it something more related to hardware?

Also, could a 20D firmware upgrade somehow display current ISO settings somewhere (anywhere!)?

I guess this is a tie-over from film, you never needed to display the ISO constantly with film, as it didn't change, I know my P&S shows it on the live-preview LCD, and yes it is useful to have, but after a while you get to know what it is based on the metering results you are getting for a given environment.

[Pb2Au]

My 20D displays the current ISO setting on the top display when I push the ISO button.

---Bob Gross---
...as does mine, but it's nice to know what mode it's in with a quick glance at the display (i.e. no button pushing, as we all know what kind of trouble that gets you into... "Oops, glanced a button and switched the WB to Tungsten shooting outdoors in .JPG and now I have 100's of strangely-colored photos").

I was shooting outdoors today (briefly) and I was consistantly getting shutter speeds of 1/8000 in AV mode with a 50mm f1.4 (not quite wide open). "1/8000th is pretty quick, me thinks... ahh yes, ISO 400 or 800 will do that to you sometimes....;)" [went back down to ISO 100 like a normal person, and the rest of the shots turned out just fine].

[FlyingPete]

I was shooting outdoors today (briefly) and I was consistantly getting shutter speeds of 1/8000 in AV mode with a 50mm f1.4 (not quite wide open). "1/8000th is pretty quick, me thinks... ahh yes, ISO 400 or 800 will do that to you sometimes....;)" [went back down to ISO 100 like a normal person, and the rest of the shots turned out just fine].

See it works! who needs an ISO display!

My EOS (film) cameras all had 'displays', a small slot on the back of the film door which you could read the film type through, perhaps they could put a wee display in the same place on DSLR's with ISO and size of CF card ;)