I'm a long time reader, first time poster, but I have to address Neuro here.
I had the Canon D60, the D400, the 5D Mk1, 2, and the 3 for about 2 months till I decided that it was a huge disappointment after waiting 3 years for the successor to the wonderful Mk2.
I went to the D800 and spent 12 grand switching, and I never looked back. Crop modes, clean shadows and highlights and DR were the main attractions.
Images from my D800 look like drum scans from MF/LF film, and that's the first time I'd seen a digital camera hit that goal.
Neuro is a god here, and he's an intelligent guy, of that there is no mistake, but when it comes to the reality between Canon and everyone else, he abandons his normally cogent posts and reverts to fan boy mode.
I loved my Canon gear, and up until 2012 it was the best gear I could buy for my business without going MF.
The D800 killed anything Canon had as far as pure IQ went with the D800.
Is that even up for debate now as I await my D810 to arrive? Only here it seems.
I've found in 2 years of D800 use that DXO scores for the sensors are pretty much on the money from what I've observed by taking tens of thousand of Canon and Nikon photos.
The Mk2 sensor, that is maybe half my folio (
www.deanagar.com.au) is scored accurately. It was great for 2008, no question. I loved that camera.
The DXO score for the D800 I'd have to agree with, as i would with the Mk3 which I had for a depressing 2 months when it was released. Soft video and the same old read noise that Canon can’t get rid of.
Ergonomically it was the best camera I'd ever owned, but IQ is what I'm after and I can take the loss of a rate button and, camera setting memories and nice menus to get the elusive film level IQ of the D800.
It makes the Mk2 and Mk3 look very average, and sometimes downright poor. Read noise, lack of recoverable highlights and shadows, and poor 100ISO performance are lacking in the Canon sensors.
Is there anyone on the planet that doesn't accept that as fact, except many people on here?
The reality of the camera industry has changed and Canon isn't even 2nd best when it comes to sensors anymore.
The best sensors are Sony, the 2nd best are Nikon designed/Sony made sensors, and I'm not sure Canon even come third anymore.
I'm sad about that, it cost me a lot of money to jump ship, but I deal with reality, not what I want reality to be.
I wanted Canon to release a sensor that could match the D800, and 28 months after I got the D800, that still hasn't happened.
I will say, I'm not a high ISO shooter, so limitations of the D800 don't worry me, but then if I had to shoot 3200-12800 for my pro work, I'd get a D4s, so Canon still don't get a look in for a Canon fan like myself.
Neuro is a very smart guy, his knowledge is amazing, but he has a blind spot and it's the kind of a blind spot a 16 year old fan boy has.
Canon are a great company, and have advanced digital photography more than any other company in the scheme of things, but they have lost their way, and in 2014, that hasn't changed yet.
Focus on product delineation by hobbling their stills cams to sell more of their video cams, and insisting on releasing the same old sensors in new bodies over and over and over has taken a lot of industry respect away from them, that’s for sure.
The 70D focus system? Stunning. That’s the canon of old. Shame it was added to the same old sensors with read noise and low DR. I’d love that on My Gh4 and D810, that’s for sure.
My professional photographer friends are jealous of the D800 and they haven't made the leap to Sony or Nikon because they have faith that Canon will deliver something that has 14-15 stops of DR, and no read noise, but so far, they are frustrated, and I have two years of photos with both while they lament the lack of sensor development at Canon.
So back to the good guy Neuro and DXO.
I don't give a flying toss how DXO arrive at their scores, they seem to back up my personal experience with Canon and Nikon, and everyone else i know using Canon and Nikon, which amounts to a lot of pro, APPA winners.
On my FB buddy list are the Australian Fashion Photographer of the Year, the Australian Commercial Photographer of the Year, and the Australian Nature and Science Photographer of the Year, so I’m in decent company, although I’m still only an APPA winner and not a category winner.
Yet
I see people here ask what shots couldn’t be taken on a Canon. Well, I took a few shots in New Zealand that were handheld on my honeymoon that are good examples. I won Loupe awards and other awards and they couldn't have been taken on a 5D Mk3 without going to HDR techniques.
They were single frames on a D800.
http://www.deanagar.com.au/tag/landscape-photography-brisbane-gold-coast-new-zealand/
With over 14 stops at 100 ISO (14.8 at 32ISO on the D810 it would appear) that is the same as a 3 shot 1 stop bracketed 5D Mk3 shot. That’s a big difference for landscape photographer to get something in one shot that would take a Canon 3 bracketed shots.
I’m not even a pro landscape photographer. I’m a people photographer, and occasional commercial photographer, but all the advantages of the D800 apply to any photography really.
What am i trying to say in this long rambling post
Neuro, you’re a smart guy and I read your insights with enthusiasm, except when it comes to Nikon/Canon.
A bit of an open, or even neutral, mind would benefit your standing when it comes to those types of posts.
I’ve shot with both, for around 7 years professionally, and I wouldn’t touch a Canon if I had the choice of a D800.
I can’t give up clean shadows and over 14 stops at 100 ISO, even if my heart is really with Canon due to my history with them.
I want them to blow everyone out of the water and deliver a killer high MP, hi DR sensor and give me my well missed rate button back.
But life goes on, and Canon have a following that means they are still the number one as far as sales go due to their reputation from prior to 2012, and I guess that won’t change for 2-3 years yet, so they have time to get it right.
But lets not deny reality.
If they don’t catch up, a good brand name is not going to last forever.