Bit depth for 5D Mark2 and 5D Mark3?

[westlight]

I'm a Nikon shooter when it comes to DSLR's. Stop booooing! 🙂 I have a friend that shoots Canon gear, 5D Mark2 and 5D Mark3. I mentioned to her that she should be shooting in 16 bit RAW not 8 and with the Nikon's I can set that option either way in RAW.

With her cameras she cannot find that option so I'm wondering if by shooting in RAW the bit depth on her cameras is set to 14 bit  by default? I remember trying to find this option on other Canon cameras for clients in the past with no luck.

Thanks for any help!

[TCampbell]

On Canon when shooting "RAW" you get 14 bit depth (.CR2 files)  

On Nikon I think you can choose to use either 12-bit or 14-bit for your .NEF files.

[westlight]

Thanks Tom for the quick reply. That's what I thought might be the case. Yes, with Nikon's I can select either 12 or 14 bit in RAW.

[RobertTheFat]

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@westlight wrote:

I'm a Nikon shooter when it comes to DSLR's. Stop booooing! 🙂 I have a friend that shoots Canon gear, 5D Mark2 and 5D Mark3. I mentioned to her that she should be shooting in 16 bit RAW not 8 and with the Nikon's I can set that option either way in RAW.

With her cameras she cannot find that option so I'm wondering if by shooting in RAW the bit depth on her cameras is set to 14 bit  by default? I remember trying to find this option on other Canon cameras for clients in the past with no luck.

Thanks for any help!

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The 5D mark 3 has three different RAW modes: normal, medium, and small. But what differentiates them is the resolution of the image and not, apparently, the bit depth of its pixels.

[Skirball]

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@RobertTheFat wrote:

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@westlight wrote:

I'm a Nikon shooter when it comes to DSLR's. Stop booooing! 🙂 I have a friend that shoots Canon gear, 5D Mark2 and 5D Mark3. I mentioned to her that she should be shooting in 16 bit RAW not 8 and with the Nikon's I can set that option either way in RAW.

With her cameras she cannot find that option so I'm wondering if by shooting in RAW the bit depth on her cameras is set to 14 bit  by default? I remember trying to find this option on other Canon cameras for clients in the past with no luck.

Thanks for any help!

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The 5D mark 3 has three different RAW modes: normal, medium, and small. But what differentiates them is the resolution of the image and not, apparently, the bit depth of its pixels.

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The 5D2 has three different RAW modes as well.  Although of limited use, IMHO, I can see why people would use them: if you only needed small files for online use but still wanted the DR and recovery of RAW.  However, I don't see why anyone would want to limit the bit depth, and thus, highlight recovery of RAW.  It's the main draw to shooting in RAW for the average user; albeit portraiture photographers probably care more about color correction in a controlled lighting situation.

I'd guess that the Nikon 12-bit option is a throwover from back in the day when RAW was 12 bit and they didn't want to kill it.  Probably should have in my opinion, but I'm not one to worry about having too many options.  Perhaps someone out there shoots Nikon because of this "feature".

[RobertTheFat]

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@westlight wrote:

I'm a Nikon shooter when it comes to DSLR's. Stop booooing! 🙂 I have a friend that shoots Canon gear, 5D Mark2 and 5D Mark3. I mentioned to her that she should be shooting in 16 bit RAW not 8 and with the Nikon's I can set that option either way in RAW.

With her cameras she cannot find that option so I'm wondering if by shooting in RAW the bit depth on her cameras is set to 14 bit  by default? I remember trying to find this option on other Canon cameras for clients in the past with no luck.

Thanks for any help!

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We don't boo Nikon shooters; we're far too polite and good-natured for that! Besides, many of us had Nikons in the film days. When I was in college (50+ years ago), Nikon was rapidly gaining on Leica, and the rest of the Japanese manufacturers seemed like also-rans. Rather innovative also-rans in some cases (Miranda, Asahi, ...), but also-rans nevertheless.

[Skirball]

If I didn't have a lot invested in Canon glass then I'd probably be shooting a Nikon camera right now.  Nikon has several areas that it excells at, as does Canon.  And of course, there's all the territory in-between that they do equal as well; not that it stops the fanboys from arguing about it.

[TCampbell]

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@RobertTheFat wrote:

We don't boo Nikon shooters; we're far too polite and good-natured for that! 

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Well that just ruins everything.  They don't pay us community members here and there are limited opportunities for entertainment.   But I always thought "Well... if a Nikon shooter ever posts something here, we can always boo them, and that'll be some fun for the day.  Right?"

But now a Nikon shooter does show up... and you tell me we're not allowed to boo.

Ok... not Nikon shooters... but maybe... just maybe... if an Olympus shooter shows up, we can boo them.  It's not quite as fun though because that's like picking on someone who is already badly injured.

[ebiggs1]

Are we allowed to "boo" Pentax owners?  

Until digital Hallmark was 100% brand-N so I know their equipment well.  At least the stone age stuff.  But when digital took over they switched to Canon as Canon was so way much better.  Nikon has made up ground since and now the two are pretty even.  Some better here and the other better there.  I could live with either but I chose Canon and am perfectly satified as I still think Canon has the better glass.  By far a more extensive line of lenses, no question.

[Skirball]

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@TCampbell wrote:

 Ok... not Nikon shooters... but maybe... just maybe... if an Olympus shooter shows up, we can boo them.  It's not quite as fun though because that's like picking on someone who is already badly injured.

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Lol!