Sigma DP2 Merrill shots

[Cliceric]

It is great to see this thread still going. Some really great captures. Sold mine about 2 years ago but I could be tempted by a full-frame Merrill sensor (and not the faux-Merrill in the current DP series).

Hope it comes out someday !

 

[Adnen]

 

[Adnen]

Fish market (Tunis)

 

[scho]

"What a difference a day (or a week this time of year) makes". Bixby Road in the countryside south of Ithaca near Erin, NY at Stoney Hill Orchard. Orchard is already closed up for the season and not a soul in sight. Trees that were left unpicked are still carrying fermenting apples for the deer to enjoy. Compare this scene to the same shot I took about 2 weeks ago when the foliage was near peak and orchard was jammed with people. Using the Sigma DP2M again as my backup because newly purchased HB 907x is on the way back to Hasselblad for repair already. New processing workflow for the DP2M: Process raw in Photoshop Sigma x3f plugin to save TIFF file to LR which is then exported to Topaz Ai Gigapixel for enlargement to 42 MP TIFF file that is sent back to LR for export as a jpg to Flickr. Click image for the full size jpeg. Shot at ISO 100, f/11 on tripod.

Another option for getting large files that maximize Dp2M quality. Instead of using Topaz Gigapixel for scaling, open the processed tif in Photoshop as a Camera Raw file and select the Enhance option that will generate a 59 MP file.

 

[KC_2020]

Colors are starting to wane here now and I'm not looking forward to November and beyond for 6 months of winter. Sigma DP2M at Cornell Newman arboretum.

Wow ! This is the kind of shot that makes me want to spend more time with my DPM2.

I suspect, based on my. experience, that other cameras may render the color quite differently. But does it matter ?

 

[KC_2020]

Another option for getting large files that maximize Dp2M quality. Instead of using Topaz Gigapixel for scaling, open the processed tif in Photoshop as a Camera Raw file and select the Enhance option that will generate a 59 MP file.

My only question is are you actually 'maximizing' ?

And if you are, in my experience every comparison I've seen between Topaz GP and Enhance, Topaz wins.

 

[scho]

My only question is are you actually 'maximizing' ?

And if you are, in my experience every comparison I've seen between Topaz GP and Enhance, Topaz wins.

I could not see much difference between Topaz GP and Enhance with the DP2M files, particularly where it counts in the final print. Enhance is certainly a lot faster, but that is not a critical issue for me.

 

[scho]

I could not see much difference between Topaz GP and Enhance with the DP2M files, particularly where it counts in the final print. Enhance is certainly a lot faster, but that is not a critical issue for me.

Another DP2M shot from last fall that I processed with both Adobe ACR Enhance and Topaz AI Gigapixel. First image is the Enhanced version (scaled back 50% to original dimensions) and second is a 100% screen grab in LR of the two enlarged files.

 

[scho]

DP2M shots taken today on a walk in the Cornell Mundy Wildflower garden. All raw processed through SPP to Tiffs which were opened in PS as ACR files using the enhance function to generate 59 MP files which were exported as 50% jpegs to Flickr.

 

[KC_2020]

I could not see much difference between Topaz GP and Enhance with the DP2M files, particularly where it counts in the final print. Enhance is certainly a lot faster, but that is not a critical issue for me.

Enhance is faster because of the image is already in RAM when you open it. Topaz starts the process all over again just to give you a preview and it's doing it with what RAM is left or caching to disk.

Another DP2M shot from last fall that I processed with both Adobe ACR Enhance and Topaz AI Gigapixel. First image is the Enhanced version (scaled back 50% to original dimensions) and second is a 100% screen grab in LR of the two enlarged files.

The primary difference I see is the contrast. If you look at the deepest shadows and brightest highlights in your comparison, there's a significant difference.

DP2M shots taken today on a walk in the Cornell Mundy Wildflower garden. All raw processed through SPP to Tiffs which were opened in PS as ACR files using the enhance function to generate 59 MP files which were exported as 50% jpegs to Flickr.

So you feel it's worth the effort to go through these steps even when your final output is a pretty lossy jpeg compression ?

 

[scho]

The only reason to create a jpeg was to post this as an example on the forum. I would only use this scaling technique in practice if I wanted to make large print. My final output is a 16 bit uncompressed Tiff.

 

[ggibson]

Looks like a great result on the right. So that is the ACR enhanced version? And the left is Gigapixel?

Another thought--have you ever tried multi-shot averaging/stacking with the DP2m or other Merrill? I have thought about this as a way to create a cleaner file (and potentially higher res), but I've never tried it out.

 

[scho]

Looks like a great result on the right. So that is the ACR enhanced version? And the left is Gigapixel?

Another thought--have you ever tried multi-shot averaging/stacking with the DP2m or other Merrill? I have thought about this as a way to create a cleaner file (and potentially higher res), but I've never tried it out.

I have used the app PhotoAcute that does photo stacking and averaging to gain resolution and it does work, but requires taking a series of images in burst mode. ACR Enhance only needs one image and takes only a few seconds to give comparable results.

 

[scho]

Turkey vultures checking out a cell tower as a potential roosting site. Crop from ACR Enhanced Dp2m file.

 

[scho]

Early blooming Hacquetia.

Myrtle and sugar maple.

 

[Chris2500dk]

Still my favourite camera by far.

Fluffy little cows by Christian Hass Jensen, on Flickr


They spotted me by Christian Hass Jensen, on Flickr

 

[Chris2500dk]

I have a Sony A7R2 as well, but the DP2M gets a lot more use simply because it's so much easier to bring with me, and in good light I don't feel that it's giving up much if anything in image quality.

That time of year again by Christian Hass Jensen, on Flickr

 

[Chris2500dk]

I used Topaz Gigapixel AI to upres this one to 42mp (cause my A7R2 is 42mp)

Red hibiscus by Christian Hass Jensen, on Flickr

 

[scho]

This old dog followed his owner around the vineyard wherever he went. Sigma DP2M.

 

[scho]

I took this shot a decade ago and just re- processed it using Adobe Enhance function with some cropping. Still have my trusty DP2M and probably should be using it more often.