Canon EOS 5D review – long term test

Canon EOS 5D resolution comparison


Canon EOS 5D results continued…Outdoor / Resolution / Noise


Canon EOS 5D results continued…

Outdoor / Resolution / Noise

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  To measure resolving power we photographed the Enhanced Digital Camera Resolution Chart with each camera using its best quality JPEG and default image tone and sharpening settings. The lenses were set to f8 using Aperture Priority mode. The chart allows measurements to be made up to 4000 lpph, which is double that of the standard ISO12233 chart.

The crops are taken from the originals, saved as High Quality JPEGs in Photoshop CS2 and presented here at 100%. Each number represents 100 lines per picture height (lpph), so a figure of 20 means a resolution of 2000 lpph.

With 2400 and 2300 lpph of horizontal and vertical resolution, the 5D is a comfortable step-up from 6 and 8 Megapixel consumer cameras. Compared to tougher competition though, the results are much closer.

As you’d expect, the 5D’s 12.8 Megapixel resolution out-resolves Nikon’s 10.2 Megapixel D200, although it’s very close and really requires technical charts like these to reveal any differences. In practice with real-life images there are virtually no differences in terms of resolving power.

The differences are even closer between the 5D and the Nikon D2X, with the latter only fractionally out-resolving it horizontally – you’d not notice any difference between these bodies in terms of resolving power in real-life shots.

Unsurprisingly the leader in this test remains Canon’s 1Ds Mark II, out-resolving its rivals, especially horizontally, although again as our examples above prove, the benefits in real-life may be much smaller than you’d expect.

Canon EOS-5D with Canon EF 85mm f1.8 USM
 
Canon EOS-1Ds Mk II with Canon EF 85mm f1.8 USM
Canon EOS 5D with Canon EF 85mm f1.8 USM horizontal resolution
Canon EOS-1Ds Mk II with Canon EF 85mm f1.8 USM horizontal resolution
2400 lpph, 85mm, f8, 100 ISO
2550 lpph, 85mm, f8, 100 ISO
Nikon D200 with Nikkor AF 50mm f1.8
Nikon D2X with Nikkor AF 50mm f1.8
Nikon D200 with Nikkor AF 50mm f1.8 horizontal resolution
Nikon D2X with Nikkor AF 50mm f1.8 horizontal resolution
2200 lpph, 50mm, f8, 100 ISO
2450 lpph, 50mm, f8, 100 ISO
Canon EOS-5D with Canon EF 85mm f1.8 USM
 
Canon EOS-1Ds Mk II with Canon EF 85mm f1.8 USM
Canon EOS 5D with Canon EF 85mm f1.8 USM vertical resolution
Canon EOS-1Ds Mk II with Canon EF 85mm f1.8 USM vertical resolution
2300 lpph, 85mm, f8, 100 ISO
2350 lpph, 85mm, f8, 100 ISO
Nikon D200 with Nikkor AF 50mm f1.8
Nikon D2X with Nikkor AF 50mm f1.8
Nikon D200 with Nikkor AF 50mm f1.8 vertical resolution
Nikon D2X with Nikkor AF 50mm f1.8 vertical resolution
2200 lpph, 50mm, f8, 100 ISO
2300 lpph, 50mm, f8, 100 ISO
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