Camera test 32
Photography News Issue 22 absolutephoto.com
Full test, part 2 Canon EOS 5DS Welcome to the concluding part of the Canon EOS 5DS review, the first 35mm-format camera to sport a 50-megapixel resolution. It’s time to look at the image quality it produces as well as its exposure and AF performance
Words by Will Cheung
Image quality
Specs
The EOS 5DS has a 53-megapixel sensor with 50.6 megapixels working. Used at its highest resolution means that Raws take up 72 to 80MB and JPEGs will take up 20MB so you’ll need plenty of storage cards on a trip. On the computer a 16-bit image is 288MB and you can get a 28.7x19in print at 300ppi without any software interpolation. Given that you can print files at 200ppi with no visible difference on many materials, resizing the file without any interpolation will give a 43.4x28.9in print. We’re talking seriously big files here and it is no surprise that images and catalogues take several seconds to refresh in Adobe Lightroom – and that’s with a reasonably fast Mac mini full of RAM. During this test I shot with four Canon lenses: the 16-35mm f/4L IS USM, the 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM, the 70-200mm f/4L IS USM and the 24-105mm f/4L IS USM. The last-named is not on the list of lenses recommended by Canon for use on the EOS 5DS. I also did a few comparison shots with 5DS’s almost identical twin, the 5DS R, with the same lenses, and the results are discussed elsewhere in this review.
Straight away I found that the wide-angle and 24-70mm gave first-rate image quality and the not-recommended 24-105mm was only a little behind. The 70-200mm images were okay but seemed less impressive and not bitingly sharp. For the 70-200mm I played with the AF Microadjustment and got improved results, but they still weren’t as crisp as the other zooms. It’s an older lens (it came out 2006) so maybe that was the problem. The 24-105mm f/4 came out a year earlier, but it was fine although the newer 24-70mm f/2.8 II was clearly better at the same focal length and aperture settings. The magnitude of difference between the two standard zooms wasn’t massive but it was discernible. The 24-70mm II is a higher spec, more modern and pricier lens, so this is no surprise. But the lesson is if you have older Canon or independent optics, try them on the EOS 5DS to make sure they deliver the results you want. Generally, though, in print and on screen it is difficult not to be impressed by the quality. Shoot at medium ISOs, use high-class optics at their best-performing apertures and fast shutter speeds or a tripod and the quality is a joy to behold.
Price EOS 5DS £2999 body only EOS 5DS R £3200 body only Sensor CMOS effective 50.6 megapixels with Dual DIGIC 6 processor and integrated cleaning system Sensor format 36x24mm, 8688x5792 pixels. Cropped shooting modes available. 3 Raw options (full size, M and S), various JPEG options ISO range 100-6400, expandable to 50-12,800 Shutter range 30secs to 1/8000sec, B, flash sync 1/200sec Drivemodes 5fps in continuous, two self- timer options, single silent and silent continuous. Integral intervalometer Metering system Multi, spot, centre-weighted and partial using a 150k pixel RGB and IR sensor, EOS iSA systems gives 242-zone metering Exposuremodes PASM, scene intelligent auto, 3x custom Compensation +/-5 in 0.3 or 0.5EV steps. AEB 2, 3, 5 or 7 shots Monitor Fixed 3.2in LCD with 1040k dots Focusing Auto selection uses 61 points, manual selection allows selection from 61, 15, 9 or cross-type points only. There are many AF zone selection options and AF Microadjustment allows up to 40 lenses to be memorised Focusing points 61, 41 f/4 cross-type including five dual cross-type at f/2.8 and one cross-type at f/8. Number of cross- type sensors varies according to the lens Video Full HD 1920x1080 Connectivity USB 3.0, mini HDMI Storagemedia 1xCF, 1xSD/SDHC/SDXC Dimensions 152x116x76mm Weight 922g body and battery only Contact canon.co.uk
Full-frame image
JPEG 24-70mm at 50mm f/5.6
JPEG 24-105mm at 50mm f/5.6
Images Shown here are full-size files. The Raws have been processed in Lightroom CC without any Unsharp Mask and the JPEGs are straight out of the camera. As always with Raw files, adding some Unsharp Mask made a significant difference and printed out equivalent to 100%, the resulting glossy prints looked marvelous.
Raw 24-70mm at 50mm f/5.6
Raw 24-105mm at 50mm f/5.6
JPEG 24-70mm at 70mm f/8
Raw 24-105mm at 70mm f/8
JPEG 24-105mm at 70mm f/8
JPEG 70-200mm at 70mm f/8
Raw 24-70mm at 70mm f/8
Raw 70-200mm at 70mm f/8
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