Rendering and IQ - 006 vs 007

[Jon Warwick]

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Clearly there are differences in terms of things like usable ISO range, etc due to the CCD vs CMOS, but my question is what differences you see between the 006 and 007 in terms of rendering? ("naturalness vs digital", rendering and control of highlights (something that's pretty important to me), smoothness of edges vs "bite", 3D look, ability to capture fine detail despite the same MP spec) ....or are the differences negligible for what are both very high end cameras?

 

I'm NOT wanting this to be a CCD / CMOS debate (I truly believe a lot of other things beyond that mere sensor argument drive rendering and IQ) - but for TRIPOD work, I'm wanting to see whether I'm willing to pay up for a 007 if it came with rendering and IQ benefits over its 006 predecessor. Clearly a used S006 is substantially cheaper, but my only goal here is to maximise IQ. This is especially important given I can print very large - up to 50-60" wide.

 

Your input would be much appreciated

Edited March 9, 2017 by Jon Warwick

[jip]

Highlights are better on the 007 since it has increased dynamic range...

 

Overal bite is a little lower also due to the increased dynamic range, the files appear a little more flat out of camera...

 

But as always a RAW file is like a undeveloped negative, the end result is what matters: your print or digital product.

 

I prefer a more flexible RAW file that a 007 can give us. 

 

But I prefer the colours that the 006 gives me over the 007...

 

In the end I stayed with the 006, I might upgrade to the 007, or buy a second 007 body beside my 006 to have the best of both worlds eventually. 

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[mgrayson3]

I recently did a side-by-side when a friend was offered a VERY good price on an 007. We're both 006 users. We shot at ISO 1600 and there really wasn't enough of a difference. Sure, there was shadow noise in the 006 pics, but the amount of retouching he has to do on his portraits anyway (think magazine covers) makes it a non-issue. The 007 would make more sense for me, as I'm usually out in uncontrolled light. But I just love using the 006 and don't feel the upgrade need. Maybe the 008...

 

 

And I like the 006 shutter speed dial!

 

--Matt

[tom0511]

I switched to the S007 because I wanted the higher ISO for handhold work inside. I find the S007 also feels faster in use, same for the AF.

 

First I was concerned about color, but in the end the images out of the S007 also have that special look and very good color.

Eventually the S006 skin tones are slightly more natural. DR of the S007 is better, but I found DR of the S006 to be sufficient as well.

If you dont need ISO higher than 1600 and mainly shoot still subjects I would probably get a S006, prices are great today.

[albertknappmd]

I needed the 007 because of higher ISO potential.

The DR is superior as has been pointed out but the color palette post LR manipulation seems similar to me...

The focus peaking is a nice addition as well for landscape work...

Delighted to have made the upgrade.

Albert     

[Jon Warwick]

Thanks all very much for your answers, it's really helpful.

 

For those of you with a film background - do you think one or the other looks more "film like"? It seems - maybe the 007 - given the edges (acuity) seem a bit smoother than the 006, and also because of its higher dynamic range (clipped and poor highlight shoulder is the biggest thing that "screams digital" to me).

 

It could be that both the 006 and 007 are really good at this, so maybe the point is still moot?

 

Thanks for all your thoughts!

[JeffWright]

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Thanks all very much for your answers, it's really helpful.

 

For those of you with a film background - do you think one or the other looks more "film like"? It seems - maybe the 007 - given the edges (acuity) seem a bit smoother than the 006, and also because of its higher dynamic range (clipped and poor highlight shoulder is the biggest thing that "screams digital" to me).

 

It could be that both the 006 and 007 are really good at this, so maybe the point is still moot?

 

Thanks for all your thoughts!

 

 

Personally, I just don't see either one of these as being "more film like" than the other. If anything, the camera with the least dynamic range would probably be closest at this point. TYes poor exposures with blown highlights can definitely 'scream digital', but the dynamic range of even the first generation S is probably as good as any film made. My best prints from film have less dynamic range than just good prints from digital, and that's with occassionally ridiculously good scans from the film. That said, few laymen can distinguish my film prints from digital--unless I just tell them". 

[hoppyman]

I moved from the S2 (14000 exposures) to the Typ 007 (16000 and counting) about a year ago and found that the improvements very much worthwhile. Using a loan 006 for comparison to that currently (about 1000 frames or so). What strikes me most are actually handling differences in use with the 3 models. The Typ 006 eliminated any buffer full delays with rapid sequences (fashion and movement) that I saw sometimes with the S2. The default colour rendering is certainly different with the newest sensor but the DNG files are very much a starting point. I find the screen previews much more natural and closer on brightness for example on the 007. The 007 loses the ability to choose card priorities, that is which first or where JPGs go, which is a minor irritation. However I find the controls more intuiiive on the 007 ( or I have shot the most with it and am more used to it).

 

For me (99% fashion/ beauty in studio now) the Typ 007 improvements are very much worthwhile over the earlier designs. You have to do your own suns on new and used prices of course.

 

Learnt with all of them now is to use higher capture sharpening defaults and curve by default in LR.

[ZHNL]

Short Shutter delay and LV are only few things I want from S007 after use both. Rest of improvements are either not there, not worth it or worse( notably no physical shutter speed dial).

 

I also prefer S2/S006 color but can make both work as I wanted most of the cases. I feel S007s green channel is stronger compare to 006 which is good for certain thing but worse for others.