Compare and Contrast
Yesterday Claudia asked for a review of the new camera. Because no scientist can resist an experiment I set about doing the first test of the two devices: color in natural light and under flash conditions, with the cameras set to "auto" so that the electronics could select what it thought was the best option for the pictures. The outdoor test was on my back porch in late afternoon light, lots of cloud cover, but no flash required by either camera. The indoor test under one of my standard picture taking scenarios -- under the Ott lamp on my desk at night in a reasonably well lit room. Both cameras used the flash indoors at night. I tried to select a scene with a wide variety of colors to get a sense for whether or not either camera had a "push".
The first thing you will notice (at least I did), is that the Sony is noticeably brighter. To me, the darker colors (such as the blue skein in the bowl) look a little washed out and the deeper purples in the yarn and in the dyed roving dont come out very well. The light yellow roving in the bowl is "blooming" in the Sony shot as well, even though the lighting is dull and there is no flash.
On the other hand, the Nikon is a little over the top with the reds and tends to make them a bit oversaturated looking compared to their real life colors. The Nikon shot is also a little darker than true life.
The dark and light issues that I noted in the outdoor shots persist here. In fact, if I didn't know better I'd wonder if the Nikon was really even using it's flash. The Sony handles the yellows better in this setting, and the reds are truer to life, but rich blues and greens just don't come across that way (for instance, the blue in the roving is really more deep teal).
For a final test, I used the macro modes on each camera indoors (macro mode is the way you get your camera to focus correctly for very close up shots). This set amplifies the faults of both cameras. The reds are a little too red and some of the blues are too purple in the Nikon picture and the saturated blues are a little too washed out in the Sony. In truth, the actual color of this little bit of handspun is somewhere between these two pictures. If I had to pick one of these as representative, I would probably pick the Sony shot.
And speaking of handspun... that spindleful is important for two reasons... 1) it's from the batch of Blue Faced Leicester that Julie and I dyed up a while back and 2) it marks the first stuff I've spun using a drop spindle as a drop spindle (there would be pictures, but the husband is off busily researching how to tweak the Sony to deal with it's color and lightness issues better). I might actually be getting the hand of this spinning stuff, folks. A testimony to the what you can do with a little bit of persistence and a couple of good and patient teachers. This yarn is a little uneven, but is definitely a lot more under control than my earlier efforts. And I now know why so many folks rave about the Blue Faced Leicester. Definitely nice stuff to play with!
You are on the slippery slope, especially knowing That Claudia. Beware the wheel. I speak from experience.
Interesting. I wonder what the Husband will come up with. I'll admit that I rarely use the AUTO setting on my Canon, preferring a bit of tweaking for each shot.
Your spinning looks great Theresa! You're making wonderful progress, and aren't Bosworths great? I think you'd like Wensleydale a lot too. It's a dream to spin and has an inner glow that gives it such a pretty sheen.
As for the photos, I for some reason gravitate to the Nikon photos since they seem to have richer colors to my eye.
I can't wait to see some of that handspun knit up!
Color accuracy issues aside (only you can make that assessment) The Nikon pics are certainly FAR FAR clearer and sharper looking on my monitor. The Sony ones look generally washed out and fuzzy in comparison. The yarn in the left foreground of the macro pictures especially shows this. I'm with Lizzy (above) on the general aesthetics. The Nikon pictures are just darn PRETTY. :-) ANY pictures of such a bowl full of fibery deliciousness are welcome, though!
Thanks for the review. The spinning is really coming along. I thought you had a wheel, didn't you have one that needed some attention?
Your handspun looks great!!!
The differences are so drastic! The Nikon shots are far better than the Sony. That said, thanks for the eye candy.
First, yes, your spinning is looking wonderful. Second, I love the camera comparison shots, and I thought I'd give you a link to my favorite digital-photo resource: http://www.dcviews.com/ They have almost everything, including links to all sorts of reviews of almost every camera you can think of. I spend a lot of time drooling over there.
Interesting differences between the two cameras, and that Sony looks like it'd get lost in my purse--it's soooo petite!
Those spindles are full of yumminess, I fear my sister has added another convert to her "way of life".
You look like you know your way around a drop spindle.
I only know how to drop it.
Can you help with suggestions for learning. I'd pretty much be teaching myself because I haven't been able to find a local spinner. Any info you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for the photo comparisons. I recently bought a Nikon Coolpix for an upcoming trip to Yellostone and the Grand Tetons. After viewing your photos, I'm glad that I did.