5D3 candle light High ISO (102400)

[RS2021]

Does anyone else find it funny that on a photography discussion board we're posting cat pics just like everyone on Facebook?   

LOL. To test mundane stuff, they are excellent subjects: plenty of detail with whiskers etc, tonal if not color contrast.

And as models go, they are convenient and easy to find in a pinch... ubiquitous as the most common household pet in America. Easy to book a session, no need to sign releases, generally cooperative, and no need to pay them! What's not to love!! 

As for the photography forum, setting the 'model' aside, the simple shot addresses high ISO/low light aspects of 5D3. Personally for me, the top left corner, pitch black in real life, was the key. It is clear much can be done with the interrelated banding/noise/color/DR issues in these rather extreme settings and 5D3 is fairly competent when pushed.

[pedro]

Just uploaded the CR2 raw files to skydrive, hope this works:

The primary shot used here at 1/1000 sec:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=1F78FF9C09DCA480!108&authkey=!ADK2oOGh3O_uCXI

A slightly more exposed 1/800 sec shot taken moments apart with the same set up as the primary:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=1F78FF9C09DCA480!107&authkey=!AOL_-sdrd4HXRmY

Here's my work with the primary, using Adobe Lightroom. It took about five minutes:



This is what you posted:


Here's the XMP sidecar file. You can use it to make the changes and look at what I did.
http://galleries.stevemelvin.com/Primary 1-1000sec.xmp

Oh yes it does really look great...time to go LR for me. I did everything in DPP until now...That is quite a great RAW converter and denoise software as I can see.

[jabbott]

It appears that your 5D3 has the same issue that mine does...  in the far bottom right corner of the image it has a more purple hue than it should.  It is more noticeable in your NR 25 image.  On my 5D3 it is most noticeable at ISO 12,800 and above, but sometimes at ISO 6,400.

[RS2021]

It appears that your 5D3 has the same issue that mine does...  in the far bottom right corner of the image it has a more purple hue than it should.  It is more noticeable in your NR 25 image.  On my 5D3 it is most noticeable at ISO 12,800 and above, but sometimes at ISO 6,400.

Yes, I see it in both CR2 raw files I uploaded as well (taken moments apart), but it mostly is gone when LR opens it with default settings...but I hadn't noticed that before...

Anyone else seeing these at very high ISO/low lighting?

[Stephen Melvin]

Oh yes it does really look great...time to go LR for me. I did everything in DPP until now...That is quite a great RAW converter and denoise software as I can see.

It is a great converter, but keep in mind that a lot of it has to do with the choices I made when converting the file. The default image that comes up in LR isn't going to look much different from what the original post showed. I did about four or five things to the image in LR's "Develop" module to bring out more from the image. It didn't take me long, because I'm experienced in the program, and have a solid photography and retouching background. You'll need to play around and experiment with whatever program you use to process your images.

[RS2021]

Oh yes it does really look great...time to go LR for me. I did everything in DPP until now...That is quite a great RAW converter and denoise software as I can see.

It is a great converter, but keep in mind that a lot of it has to do with the choices I made when converting the file. The default image that comes up in LR isn't going to look much different from what the original post showed. I did about four or five things to the image in LR's "Develop" module to bring out more from the image. It didn't take me long, because I'm experienced in the program, and have a solid photography and retouching background. You'll need to play around and experiment with whatever program you use to process your images.

Stephen, thanks for sharing your settings earlier. It is really a nice professional balance between too much processing and none at all.

@Pedro: the baseline version I posted was intentionally set to LR "zero" to show what one starts out with at this ISO. Refer/download Stephen's file for settings if you end up giving the LR4 free trial a go. I highly recommend the program.

[pedro]

Oh yes it does really look great...time to go LR for me. I did everything in DPP until now...That is quite a great RAW converter and denoise software as I can see.

It is a great converter, but keep in mind that a lot of it has to do with the choices I made when converting the file. The default image that comes up in LR isn't going to look much different from what the original post showed. I did about four or five things to the image in LR's "Develop" module to bring out more from the image. It didn't take me long, because I'm experienced in the program, and have a solid photography and retouching background. You'll need to play around and experiment with whatever program you use to process your images.

Oh yes it does really look great...time to go LR for me. I did everything in DPP until now...That is quite a great RAW converter and denoise software as I can see.

Oh yes it does really look great...time to go LR for me. I did everything in DPP until now...That is quite a great RAW converter and denoise software as I can see.

It is a great converter, but keep in mind that a lot of it has to do with the choices I made when converting the file. The default image that comes up in LR isn't going to look much different from what the original post showed. I did about four or five things to the image in LR's "Develop" module to bring out more from the image. It didn't take me long, because I'm experienced in the program, and have a solid photography and retouching background. You'll need to play around and experiment with whatever program you use to process your images.

Stephen, thanks for sharing your settings earlier. It is really a nice professional balance between too much processing and none at all.

@Pedro: the baseline version I posted was intentionally set to LR "zero" to show what one starts out with at this ISO. Refer/download Stephen's file for settings if you end up giving the LR4 free trial a go. I highly recommend the program.

@Stephen, Ray: Thank you so much for your replies. I will. Wanna try out what LR has in store. Saving up for a 16-35 at the time...So LR might be a next...Cheers to ya'll, Pedro

[Stephen Melvin]

It appears that your 5D3 has the same issue that mine does...  in the far bottom right corner of the image it has a more purple hue than it should.  It is more noticeable in your NR 25 image.  On my 5D3 it is most noticeable at ISO 12,800 and above, but sometimes at ISO 6,400.

Yes, I see it in both CR2 raw files I uploaded as well (taken moments apart), but it mostly is gone when LR opens it with default settings...but I hadn't noticed that before...

Anyone else seeing these at very high ISO/low lighting?

Yes, it's pretty common. I think Canon may be working on a firmware update to help with this.

[TrumpetPower!]

It appears that your 5D3 has the same issue that mine does...  in the far bottom right corner of the image it has a more purple hue than it should.  It is more noticeable in your NR 25 image.  On my 5D3 it is most noticeable at ISO 12,800 and above, but sometimes at ISO 6,400.

Yes, I see it in both CR2 raw files I uploaded as well (taken moments apart), but it mostly is gone when LR opens it with default settings...but I hadn't noticed that before...

Anyone else seeing these at very high ISO/low lighting?

Yes, it's pretty common. I think Canon may be working on a firmware update to help with this.

There's actually a solution to that...avoid shooting moving subjects below EV -2 with a slow or long lens without a tripod, and you won't need to boost the ISO that high.

(EV -2 is much too dark to read, so it's not like this is a radical concept....)

b&

[RS2021]

There's actually a solution to that...avoid shooting moving subjects below EV -2 with a slow or long lens without a tripod, and you won't need to boost the ISO that high.

(EV -2 is much too dark to read, so it's not like this is a radical concept....)

b&

Doesn't explain the preferential corner noise ...again these are experimental shots and most of us including me are not keen on taking candle pics at 1/1000 sec and extended ISO except for sh*ts and giggles...but still....purple noise in just one corner is interesting. It is not pervasive across the frame.

[skitron]

Here's the low light cat pic processed with Capture One Pro v7. Basically nothing but NR, local contrast, vignette and RGB curve. I used Stephen Melvin's nice render as an asthetic template and just messed with it (i.e. the original RAW) in CO to see if it could do the same thing...

[edit] BTW - Duplicating Stephen's chosen asthetic in CO was a nice exercise in terms of learning to embrace the chiaroscuro. If you're a chiaroscuro newb like me, I can say it's worth d/l'ing the RAW and playing with it in your editor...some nice lessons learned for future reference by playing with it. Also, nice shot by Ray2021 to learn the lesson with.

[RGF]

Nice shot, considering.  And congrats on getting the focus correct.  My biggest high ISO challenge is autofocus in very dark shots.

[Stephen Melvin]

There's actually a solution to that...avoid shooting moving subjects below EV -2 with a slow or long lens without a tripod, and you won't need to boost the ISO that high.

(EV -2 is much too dark to read, so it's not like this is a radical concept....)

b&

Did you see the first image I posted? Lit by a distant streetlight, the only way to possibly take the shot was by boosting the ISO that high. I shot it with a short, fast lens, too.

These high ISO's have opened up a world of possibility for me. I've been shooting in the dark for a long time. My favorite film, after Tri-X, is T-Max p3200. I've pushed that to ISO 50000. The Mk III outperforms the T-Max.

Here's one I did when experimenting the camera when I first bought it. 24mm, 1/25, f/1.4, ISO 102000. All processing done with Lightroom. The light sources is from a street light about 150 feet outside the house. I could barely see her. The AF assist lamp from my 580EX solved the focus issue.

[RS2021]

Here's the low light cat pic processed with Capture One Pro v7. Basically nothing but NR, local contrast, vignette and RGB curve. I used Stephen Melvin's nice render as an asthetic template and just messed with it (i.e. the original RAW) in CO to see if it could do the same thing...

Skitron, CaptureOne also does well... Do I see a thin veil of green snow in dark parts not seen in the LR versions some of us posted? look at the middle of the frame on and above the dark torso.

Obviously user setting could result in different rendering...but it may also be the nuances of different programs.

[RS2021]

Nice shot, considering.  And congrats on getting the focus correct.  My biggest high ISO challenge is autofocus in very dark shots.

Thanks...yes the AF was not locking very fast and my eyes weren't that good in the dark to intervene with FTM.