Note on image processing:

As usual we work only with raw files and use a preview version of Camera Raw 2.2 for Photoshop CS:

"A beta version of Adobe's Camera Raw version 2.2 plug-in. Since this is a beta version, the results are still subject to change."

Most images are also sharpened using Simple Sharpening.

With Kodak Photo Desk and also our Adobe ACR beta we get in high contrast scenes purple and green fringing.

Mural in SF (www.billwebermuralist.com)

crop at 100% magnification

The crop reveals two things:

• Enormous detail
• Some purple fringing (in the notes)

Other side of the same building

purple fringing shown at 100% magnification

In this case some simple techniques described in our handbook can reduce the effect:

reduced purple

We hope that Kodak presents a solution to this problem. Yes, no AA filter delivers sharper images but right now the purple fringing and moires can make your life miserable.

Jim Collum and we like overcast and avoid harsh sunlight for most of our photos (we actually risk to photograph flat objects in sun light. For our resolution test we had overcast (see entry of3/27/2004). But overcast also means low contrast and this does not show ultimate sharpness.

We did the same shot one day later in strong sunlight and this time at f/16 (105mm Micro):

shot at f/16 and ISO 160 (100% magnification)

This camera can produce sharp images if you use a good lens.

Here is a B&W shot from yesterday:

Trees in Mist

colorized version (technique see our handbook)

We would have missed this scene without Jim Collum now he will claim the copyright :-).

Images were both correcting in white balance using the second brightest gray. Images of both cameras got the same level of sharpening. We worked on these tests with my friend Jim Collum and used his 1Ds.

On the 1Ds we used the Canon 100mm Macro and on the SLR/n the Nikon 105 Micro. Both lenses have excellent reputation.

Noise level for both cameras is quite the same and low at ISO 160.

SLR/n ISO 400

1Ds ISO 400

At Iso the 1Ds may have a slight edge but the SLR/n noise level is still pretty good.

Resolution

SLR/n ISO 160

1Ds ISO 160

SLR/n ISO 400

1Ds ISO 400

The difference is probably hard to tell on these crops and using JPG compression. There may also be a different focus on the SLR/n (we used AF). But in the end the resolution seems to be very much in the same ball park.

For your own tests we provide the original raw files (all 13-15MB):

• SLR/n ISO 160
• SLR/n ISO 400
• 1Ds ISO 160
• 1Ds ISO 400

SLR/n Firmware Bug

I had today at least twice the camera did not react anymore after setting the mirror lockup from 2 secs to none. Turning the camera on/off worked.

Overall the Kodak 14n (a 14MP camera) was a mixed bag (high resolution but lots of noise). Now Kodak released a new version called the SLR/n ("/n" for Nikon, the "/c" for Canon will follow soon). The body is basically the same but there are some major changes:

• New sensor
• New image processing
• Better power management for longer battery life

We used the SLR/n on our normal walk through Los Gatos.

Ristorante in Los Gatos

Crop at 100% magnification

It is very hard to compare a 14MP and 6MP cameras as the 100% magnification will show a much smaller part of the object.

Antique shop

Crop at 100% magnification

Clearly there is more detail available then you can get from any other digital SLR today (including the Canon 1Ds). This is no surprise as the SLR/n does not use an AA filter. As the consequence you may find color aliasing or moires in some images. Actually this is stronger in Kodak Photo Desk than in Adobe Camera Raw.

What about Noise?

The SLR/n does not have more resolution than the 14n. But this time the resolution has not to fight with quite a bit of noise.

SLR/n

ISO 160

ISO 320

ISO 640

Up to ISO 320/400 the SLR/n has a very good noise behavior and even ISO 640 is not to bad. This means that the full potential of the SLR/n is really useable.

The SLR/n is the new DSLR resolution king.

Purple Fringing (PF)

With many cameras you get Purple Fringing if you photograph high contrast scenes (result of lens, sensor and image processing issues). But the PF of the SLR/n seems to be worse than with most other cameras (especially 1Ds).

PF at high contrast scene

PF at high contrast edges

For our work this is not to much of a problem as we try to avoid high contrast scenes as much as we can. Making good picture at high contrast is problematic in most cases anyway. But still PF is an issue with the SLR/n and we hope that Kodak offers some sort of solution.

After the first day it is clear that the SLR/n is a much more interesting product than the 14n. We can hardly wait to use the SLR/c as we then can shoot with the same lenses on the 1Ds and the SLR/c. We consider the SLR/n a comeback of Kodak as a major player in the pro DSLR market.

Other Reviews

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