5D MKIII - file size and low MPs question

[ablearcher]

I' just read the following at kenrockwell website and i am confused. I do realize there is an option to shoot at smaller MPs, but I did not know it is beneficial for image quality. Can some of the tech-smart guys here comment on this? Are you guys shooting at lower MPs?

No one needs 21MP. All it does is slow everything and clog your hard drive.

Try shooting your 5D Mark III at its M (11MP) or S (5MP) settings. If you look at your images at 100%, you'll see that the lower resolution shots are sharper pixel-by-pixel!

When I'm photographing family and friends, I shoot at SMALL JPG. Even SMALL is good enough for great 20x30" prints.

The smaller-sized images out of the 5D Mark III are spectacular. They are much, much sharper and cleaner than images from cameras on which that is their native resolution. When you start with over 20MP, it looks pretty good if you use all those to make 11MP or 5MP.

Why? Because they use less, or no, Bayer interpolation. No digital camera really resolves its rated resolution; they cheat and interpolate up, so at 100% at its rated resolution, no digital camera image is as sharp as a true scan from film.

[/i]

[RS2021]

I' just read the following at kenrockwell website and i am confused. I do realize there is an option to shoot at smaller MPs, but I did not know it is beneficial for image quality. Can some of the tech-smart guys here comment on this? Are you guys shooting at lower MPs?

No one needs 21MP. All it does is slow everything and clog your hard drive.

Try shooting your 5D Mark III at its M (11MP) or S (5MP) settings. If you look at your images at 100%, you'll see that the lower resolution shots are sharper pixel-by-pixel!

When I'm photographing family and friends, I shoot at SMALL JPG. Even SMALL is good enough for great 20x30" prints.

The smaller-sized images out of the 5D Mark III are spectacular. They are much, much sharper and cleaner than images from cameras on which that is their native resolution. When you start with over 20MP, it looks pretty good if you use all those to make 11MP or 5MP.

Why? Because they use less, or no, Bayer interpolation. No digital camera really resolves its rated resolution; they cheat and interpolate up, so at 100% at its rated resolution, no digital camera image is as sharp as a true scan from film.

[/i]

As soon as I read Ken Rockwell, I knew you would be confused:) Sorry, it's an easy get and I couldn't resist. 

[neuroanatomist]

When you read some things on the Internet, it's best to take them with a grain of salt.  When reading KR, you just need a few more grains.

[ablearcher]

OK, thanks. I guess my confusion was well justified then 

[RustyTheGeek]

The problem with KR is that sometimes it's hard to tell when he is actually making good sense and then other times when he is either totally off base, or he is joking around in a serious satirical way.    It's just his style and he fully discloses that he likes to spoof around.  I think he likes to get under the skin of folks that spend way too much on stuff they have no real need for or have any idea how to use.  That statement might even include him sometimes.  Whatever you think, I like reading his stuff sometimes because regardless of what you think about KR, he does make you stop and think and go do research or read up on something to figure it out for sure for yourself.

Worked for you this time, didn't it?!   

And I'll admit that I do like to use his definition for L lenses... L means 'Expensive as L'!

[RustyTheGeek]

neuro - love it!

[killswitch]

When you read some things on the Internet, it's best to take them with a grain of salt.  When reading KR, you just need a few more grains.

+1 HAHAHAHA....I literally roared in laughter. Good one neuro.