Canon 5Dii noise issue

Shot a concert (Staind) the other night and going through the pics they seem to have an excessive amount of noise. I shot ISO2000 mostly and concert pics tend to generally be a little underexposed which I know can add to it but this noise is all over the photo.

These seem to be more like what I would expect at 6400, not at 2000. Am I peeping too much with these? Or doing something wrong?

Meter was pretty dead on and the lighting was close to true to life. Maybe I need to apply some EC when I shoot concerts? I expected a little better out of a 5D2 at 2000.

Thoughts?

100% crop in LR4

I think that's about right if they were underexposed at ISO 2000 and you had to push them up. I've had better luck using a higher ISO and exposing to the right then I have increasing the exposure form an underexposed shot over ISO 1600. I've gone ISO 3200 and 4000 and been fine that way.

Q

These are SOOC. No pushing, no noise reduction. No import settings in LR applied. I should have overexposed and brought back down though. I just want to make sure of the characteristics of the 5D2 with low noise. Haven't had it too long. I thought the light areas would be better than that though.

At ISO2000 they're being pushed in camera.

windpig wrote in post #14992335
At ISO2000 they're being pushed in camera.

So is this an expected result then? They are only being pushed a 1/3 of a stop right?

Never underexpose at higher ISO's. If you would have shot this at 3200 and brought down the exposure in post you wouldn't have as much of an issue. I assume you were shooting RAW. I really recommend setting up a static test shoot and bracket some exposures and compare what I'm saying. There really is plenty of head room.

windpig wrote in post #14992355
Never underexpose at higher ISO's. If you would have shot this at 3200 and brought down the exposure in post you wouldn't have as much of an issue. I assume you were shooting RAW. I really recommend setting up a static test shoot and bracket some exposures and compare what I'm saying. There really is plenty of head room.

Shot in RAW, will have to that static test. Last concert I shot at 6400 and had about the same amount of noise. I was surprise with the ISO6400 quality so I was expecting better results at 2000. All adjust out in LR with good results. I tried to keep the ISO lower this time around to hopefully get better results, but it appears I didn't do that correctly.

There's a lot of debate on the question (and apparently there are differences between camera models), but a lot of people stick to full stop ISO changes to avoid stuff like this. Some of the intermediate ISOs are pushed from a lower one, introducing more noise (others are pulled from a higher one and look better); it's easier to stick with full stops and use ETTR.

stsva wrote in post #14992545
There's a lot of debate on the question, but a lot of people stick to full stop ISO changes to avoid stuff like this.

This is true. But what is never disputed is that ISO's 1/3 stop below a full stop is the best quality. That pretty much proves the push - pull issue.

I shoot only full stop ISO, but that fits my style.

I think you need a 5D mark iV

windpig wrote in post #14992556
This is true. But what is never disputed is that ISO's 1/3 stop below a full stop is the best quality. That pretty much proves the push - pull issue.

I shoot only full stop ISO, but that fits my style.

You and me both.

iLvision wrote in post #14992566
I think you need a 5D mark iV

A 1DX, but I'm to stupid to try and figure out all the programing modes

Intermediate ISO's and AF Point metering would be pretty deluxe though.

Ok to update a thread and doing a couple weeks of testing and not believing this is a standard noise to ISO issue, I sent it back to Canon with documentation. Just got notice today that they replaced the Imaging Sensor due to this.

So my observations were correct that this isnt normal. So if anyone else is having issues like this, might be worth sending it into Canon. Mine was covered under warranty from the last board replacement.

Should get it back tomorrow and will get a full test this weekend.

cory1848 wrote in post #15099476
Ok to update a thread and doing a couple weeks of testing and not believing this is a standard noise to ISO issue, I sent it back to Canon with documentation. Just got notice today that they replaced the Imaging Sensor due to this.

So my observations were correct that this isnt normal. So if anyone else is having issues like this, might be worth sending it into Canon. Mine was covered under warranty from the last board replacement.

Should get it back tomorrow and will get a full test this weekend.

Thanks for the feedback! Please be sure to let us know the results of your "full test"!

Ok so three weeks later and I am still not convinced this is how it should be.

Camera is not exhibiting pattern noise anymore but anything 3200 ISO and above is useless to me.

This is a 100% crop of my neighbors cat in my backyard. 310mm 3200 ISO 5.6 1/125. I understand it is soft. I was testing out my 100-400 when I really noticed the grain. No sharpening applied. Applying any sharpening in LR makes them totally useless.

What I am seeing is excessive amounts of grain. Not really digital noise but rather coarse grain. I have researched ISO samples online for the 5D2 and I am not seeing this. My high ISO files at 3200 are comparable to my 50D which leaves me scratching my head why I spent $1700 on a body when a $600 body has equal quality. I expected a lot better at 3200 ISO. For a body that is supposed to excel at low light situations, it is failing miserably.

Thoughts on this? I have also notices that the 5D2 meters a full stop under my 50D. I will be doing more testing today and through out the weekend as well.