Canon 7D Noise and ISO settings
Canon 7D Noise and ISO
Are full stop or 1/3 stop settings better for image noise
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Some time ago I tested the dark frame noise for all the ISO settings of the Canon 1Ds3.
As a result I only use it at ‘whole stop ISO settings’.
I’ve got a 7D on loan from Canon and just repeated the test.
All our assorted Canon 7D information is collected together on its own page, and I’ve written several short 7D review articles about aspects of using the 7D.
ISO noise tests with the Canon 7D
A series of shots were taken with incremental ISO settings:
100,125,160,200,250,320,400,
500,640,800,1000,1250,1600,
3200,4000,5000,6400,12800 (H)
The camera was set to manual, 1/2000 of a second and f22 in a dimly lit room
There was a lens cap on and the viewfinder was covered.
So, no light getting in. It’s -just- noise I’m looking at.
ACR (5.5) Settings:
No ACR noise reduction, no sharpening, 4 stops exposure increase (to show up noise), black level at zero.
As you can see, at 12800 ISO and 3 stops pushing of the speed (112k equiv), there is a lot of noise.
I’ve turned off any camera noise reduction too.
Those of a more exacting nature might want to repeat this with NR turned on…
I’ll just show the histogram settings below for each ISO setting.
The EOS 7D results are nowhere as clear cut as they were with the 1Ds3.
However the camera is handling sensor noise, it seems to increase much more smoothly than with the 1Ds3
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Not the obvious difference I saw with the other tests, so this camera I’ll be inclined to leave on 1/3 stop increments.
If anyone does a really thorough version of this test… please do let me know?
- 7D fractional stops and Dynamic range – more considerations
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Keith | Dec 12, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Thanks – I know the technical validity of some aspects of my testing has been questioned, but I still feel they are a valid contribution to how people process their ‘everyday’ images.
Peter | Dec 12, 2009 at 11:36 am
Only just found this and hence the earlier 1Ds3 test. Prompted by it, I did similar with my 30D and 5D, and plotted RAW file size against ISO, on the assumption (fair ?) that more noise means a larger file (I did also do the +4 stops exposure in processing in Lightroom, so I could see the difference). The 5D results were just as your 1Ds3, showing dips in noise/file size at ISO 100, 200, etc. The 30D also showed this pattern, still at whole stops, but the dips are at ISO 160, 320, 640. Curious !
Thanks for a most interesting and informative website.