sensor size, nikon vs mysterium

[Damien Molineaux]

Now that I've aquired a bunch of great Nikon optics thanks to Evin's recommendations. I might as well get myself a Nikon Digital Camera to complement my faithful FM-2.

Are there any Nikon DSLRs with a sensor the same size as the myterium's 4k windowed area ?

That would be ideal, to test the angle and depth of view, make preparatory shots, etc.

Cheers,
Damien

[Damien Molineaux]

Okay, I just did a little research, apparently most DSLRs use a sensor very close in size to a standard 35mm frame 16 x 24mm vs 18 x 24mm, the Red's 4k windowed sensor is indicated as 12.6 x 22.2mm. So a standard DSLR's sensor is actually larger than Red 4k. So with the right cropping (masking) one could use just about any Nikon DSLR.

Okay so when's the D90 coming out ?!

Cheers,
Damien

[Evin Grant]

The D2x/D2xs are the only DSLRs that have a similar pixel density and sensor size to the Mysterium. (12.1MP Vs. 11.5MP) That being said the D80, D200 and new D40x all have 10.2MP sensors in the same DX size and will come very close indeed.

[Evin Grant]

IQ wise all three 10MP cameras are about the same, it's build quality and speed your paying for with the D200 and AF with older lenses and more creative control with the D80 (Over the D40x). My girlfriend has the D200 and it's a great camera, I'd buy one in a second for back up but I'm waiting on the D3 series and will probably use my D2x for that instead. I might get a D40x if it's cheap enough just for very light travel.

[Stephen Williams]

Okay so when's the D90 coming out ?!

Cheers,
Damien

Hi Damien,

Waiting for the D200s myself!

Stephen

[Dominic Jones]

The D200's a great little camera - I know a couple of people (including my ex-girlfriend, Evin - you not with my ex-missus are you?! ;) ) who have it and it produces great pictures.

I'm still on an FE/FM2 combo though!

Out of pure academic interest, what advantages will the D200s feature over the D200??

[Evin Grant]

Umm, it'll have that little "S" after the D200 :sarcasm:

No one really knows at this point, and I think we'll see the D3 first so the D200s is probably a year away, at least from shipping units.

[Jeff Kilgroe]

If you have the Nikon optics and would like to shoot with them other than just with RED, you may as well get the DSLR. Depending on your needs, the various Nikon models all have their advantages related to price.

I have a D50 and a D2Xs. I've also used a D200 on several occasions and at times wish I had bought it instead of the D2Xs. The D2Xs is awesome though, but big. Great build quality and it takes exceptional images. It only goes up to ISO 800 though and starts to get pretty noisy at 540 and up. ...The noise hasn't been a problem with prints, even cropping and enlarging in most cases, but it's there and seems a bit excessive to me at times. I find myself borrowing the D200 from a friend quite a bit since it will handle ISO 1600 and has a lot less noise at the increased sensitivity settings. The D200 is way better suited for taking shots in lower light settings, especially indoor sports where a flash is not allowed or desireable. I think a lot of this just has to do with the different sensor in the D2Xs and the smaller photosites / light absorbtion. I will probably replace the smaller D50 with the successor to the D200 or something newer next year. The D2Xs is better overall vs. the D200, but isn't the right tool for all situations. It's killer for timelapse and long-exposure work though. Absolutely awesome.

[Evin Grant]

I've become quite fond of the D2x noise at 800 & 1600, it's very much like the 3200 speed t-max I used to shoot all the time. It's important to process RAW Hi ISO D2x shots in Nikon software, it does a much better job of noise control and creating a film like grain structure.

[Brook Willard]

http://homepage.mac.com/brookwillard/redformats.jpg

[Poi Boy]

hey Evin,
any idea what the D3 specs will be ?
-A

[Teague Kennedy]

Brook, this looks like good news to me. I take it the Nikkor 17-35 is a DSLR lens, therefore it is pretty close in size to the 35mm sensor area and/ or the red 4k frame (perhaps 10-15% larger?) So we can expect comparable fov properties?

[chuck colburn]

Brook, this looks like good news to me. I take it the Nikkor 17-35 is a DSLR lens, therefore it is pretty close in size to the 35mm sensor area and/ or the red 4k frame (perhaps 10-15% larger?) So we can expect comparable fov properties?

Hi Doc,

It's a 35mm still camera format lens (24x36mm).

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/1735.htm

[Teague Kennedy]

Grrrrrr.

[chuck colburn]

Doc,

That's still about the equivalent of a 28mm. I would say you would be better served to have this lens and seperate primes in say 20 and 14mm, as a fixed focal length lens will (probally) have better correction for rectilinear and chromatic abberations.
Besides it gives your 1st something to do besides standing around the follow focus all day holding his whip.

[Dave Cooper]

hey Evin,
any idea what the D3 specs will be ?
-A

Nothing definite has been announced, only speculation as to a D3 even coming out.

[Jeff Kilgroe]

I've become quite fond of the D2x noise at 800 & 1600, it's very much like the 3200 speed t-max I used to shoot all the time.

Yeah, I agree about using Nikon's software to process RAW, especially at higher ISO settings. But I just have to question you on the above... You mention 800 & 1600. How do you set a D2x above ISO 800??? At least with my D2Xs, it's limited to 800 and below.

[Stephen Williams]

Yeah, I agree about using Nikon's software to process RAW, especially at higher ISO settings. But I just have to question you on the above... You mention 800 & 1600. How do you set a D2x above ISO 800??? At least with my D2Xs, it's limited to 800 and below.

Hi,

If your shooting raw the ISO settings is only a tag in any case.

Stephen

[WesG]

I just bought a D40 - the low end DSLR from Nikon (only 6 megapixels) - so that I could play with my AI Nikon lenses (24, 50 and 105mm) and start learning what the lenses can and can't do - get use to quickly setting focus and gaining an instinct for what stopping down and up will do to my images.

Hoping that this will at least partly help with the learning curve of using RED when it arrives.

I'm having a ball and getting some nice pics taken!

[Jeff Kilgroe]

If your shooting raw the ISO settings is only a tag in any case.

Well to some extent, yes... The camera still bases some internal processing and exposure settings on the ISO value selected, even when you have everything adjusted manually that you can. And with the D2Xs, there's no way to get an ISO 1600 equivalent behavior out of it (not that I have found, anyway). ...Not like what you can get with the D200.