Canon reclaims resolution crown with 50-megapixel 5DS and 5DS R

[BlackHatGuy]

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/02/canon-reclaims-resolution-crown-with-50-megapixel-5ds-and-5ds-r/

Canon has announced two new DSLRs based on the 5D body, the 5DS and 5DS R, both containing a monstrous, full-frame 50.6 megapixel sensor and a handful of other hardware tweaks. With the two new cameras—available in June, priced $3,700 and $3,900 respectively—Canon once again retakes the 35mm resolution crown from Nikon. The 5DS R, like Nikon's D800E, has a self-canceling low-pass filter, which can result in even higher optical resolution and sharpness.

[Bob Gross]

The slight problem is that Canon is packing a lot more megapixels into the same old space, so that jams the color noise up. Canon has been making great strides with reducing color noise in the more moderate products, but this is a big bump.

The big question is this. What is the target market?

It seems to be landscape shooters, probably ones trying to generate magazine covers and huge prints.

–B.G.–

[Ken Bennett]

The target market is me — professionals who use Canon and need a higher resolution file. We do a lot of large publications – big posters, large printed pieces, etc., with a lot of landscape and architectural images. This is my "medium format" system except I get to use my current (very high quality) lenses. For less than four grand it's a bargain if the files hold up.

[Bob Gross]

"For less than four grand it's a bargain if the files hold up."

Don't think about what it costs. Just think about what it would be worth.

What causes an image file not to hold up?

About ten or twelve years ago, for wedding photography we had to shoot medium format film just to be able to print large and print perfectly. It's scary to think about where we will be ten or twelve years into the future.

–B.G.–

[Ken Bennett]

Yup, totally agree on the amazing changes in the profession in the last 15 years. Wow.

I'd like to see the image quality at mid-range ISOs, and play with a couple of raw files. But I expect they'll be good and it'll go on my capital funding request this year.

[Author]

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