Canon Rumour

[wildlightphoto]

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It doesn't really matter, Doug. Pentax claims that their camera uses a 22-bit or 24-bit (can't remember) ADC. LOL

 

Canon says it matters. They trumpeted the "leap" to 14 bits, for its improved DR and gradation, and saying they plan to move to 16 bits.

[AlanG]

Canon says it matters. They trumpeted the "leap" to 14 bits, for its improved DR and gradation, and saying they plan to move to 16 bits.

 

While the bit depth gives the possibility for you to have finer gradation, because our monitors only work in 8 bits, better gradation from 14 or 16 bit over 12 bit only is important when you significantly adjust the tone balance or color of the image. Most of us are not using systems where we view or print using more than 8 bits. Although 16 bit printers are available.

 

I don't believe that there necessarily is any relationship between bit depth and dynamic range. While higher bit depth can support a higher dynamic range, bit depth alone does not guarantee that it exists. 14 bits certainly can support a very high dynamic range.

[wildlightphoto]

While the bit depth gives the possibility for you to have finer gradation, because our monitors only work in 8 bits, better gradation from 14 or 16 bit over 12 bit only is important when you significantly adjust the tone balance or color of the image.

Yes Alan, that's one of the advantages of greater bit depth.

 

I don't believe that there necessarily is any relationship between bit depth and dynamic range.

 

Yes that's correct. What the greater bit depth does is allows the camera's engineers the option of trading off some DR for gradation, and vice versa, or giving us a little more of both. It's a more powerful tool than smaller bit depth.