Software

[RobertTheFat]

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@Philomath wrote:

Dear Wadizzle and Robert,

I think I understand now, but I think I have another question then.

How do these review sites that compare camera bodies or lenses or both make a fair comparison if the output of the camera + lens combination is always altered to some extent by the software displaying the image?

For example if brand X and brand Y cameras are compared and the software used is brand Z and if brand Z software displays one camera brand output better than another what you are comparing is not the cameras only, it is the whole combination.

Am I not understanding this correctly or is this a very convoluted system?

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I think you raise a valid point, and it's one of the reasons why reviews that make such comparisons should be treated with a degree of skepticism. A careful reviewer might try to use different editors on a picture he presents, in order to minimize the effect of software on what is ostensibly a hardware comparison.

Let's see if Ernie Biggs weighs in. He/s stayed out of this discussion so far; but of all the regular contributors to this forum, he may be the one most contemptuous of such reviews.

[jrhoffman75 · Accepted solution]

My discussion applies to RAW files. If you into the Preferences section of DPP you can select an option to observe the camera setting for sharpening or a default value of your choosing, which can be zero.

Also, DPP will reflect the Picture Style set in camera. I am not aware of any third party software that does.

If you turn off all settings like ALO, DLO, noise reduction, etc, use 0 sharpening and Neutral Picture Style in DPP you should get the most accurate conversion of the canera sensor image, since Canon wrote the software and Canon programmed the camera sensor. The same should be true with other camera vendor software.

But, it may not be the most pleasing. Many people say they prefer how Lightroom renders images. Others prefer Capture 1, others XYZ.

Canera reviews will typically address ease of use, controls, customizable features, frame rate etc. If you look at reviews on a site like the-digital-picture.com the reviewer never address image quality.