Low Noise Champion at 1600 ISO

Let's keep this thread on track, the question is around ISO 1600. The 7D gets better higher up the register it goes, and we can open up yet another thread on the 7D and how it requires faster shutter speeds and better glass if you want to tightly crop or 100% pixel peep. For some, the extra work and changes in their shooting habits and changes to their glass just aren't worth it, and it is better to move to a different body.

If we shoot the same lens in a dark setting on both the 7D and 5D2, ignoring the differences in DOF but keep all other settings the same (otherwise the 5D2 would have to shoot at ISO 3200 to the 7Ds 1600), here are the results. The 7D focused very well in the dark setting, the 5D2 took a couple of presses. I have MFA's this lens to each body, but I might have to do it again on the 5D2 it seems. In any case, you can see the difference in noise, mostly luminescent noise.

First is obviously the 7D...

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omer wrote in post #11520811
Ken wonderful picture and great art in your site (do you use photos as base for your paintings?)
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Thank you for the compliment, Yes I frequently use my photos as a basis for my paintings, just in the process of shipping a completed commission out to Canada at the moment.

Teamspeed I agree from your examples the 5D2 shot looks marginally cleaner than the 7D, as I would hope since it costs more! However I wish we could get away from this "my camera is better than your camera" fiascos all three mentioned in this thread are excellent tools according to one's budget and we just need to take shots with them and forget the arguing.

Agreed, that is why since I own 2 of the 3 mentioned, it made sense to do a very similar comparison at 1600 to show the differences. If we want to get into 3200+ discussions, there are some threads devoted to that, even if we want to get into 12800+.

This was about as bad as a test I could perform too, it was dark over by the desk in the basement, if it was any darker, I am not sure either camera would have been able to focus.

artyman wrote in post #11521484
Teamspeed I agree from your examples the 5D2 shot looks marginally cleaner than the 7D, as I would hope since it costs more! However I wish we could get away from this "my camera is better than your camera"

I think that is an example of what you want to get away from

The OP's question was clear and the answer is undisputed. So, let's move on.