# Nikon D4S IQ



## verysimplejason (Feb 26, 2014)

Posted from Nikonrumors...

http://nikonrumors.com/2014/02/25/first-nikon-d4s-vs-d4-high-iso-comparisons.aspx

It seems D4S is now a worthy competitor to 1DX.


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## neuroanatomist (Feb 26, 2014)

verysimplejason said:


> It seems D4S is now a worthy competitor to 1DX.



It seems you're jumping to conclusions…

From the original article in which those comparison pictures on NR were posted: "_The following pictures are all 100% crops of straight out of camera jpeg fine._"

So the real conclusion is that the D4s has a better JPEG conversion engine than the D4. BFD. If you want to draw any conclusions about IQ, you need to compare RAW images.


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## Ivar (Feb 26, 2014)

neuroanatomist said:


> verysimplejason said:
> 
> 
> > It seems D4S is now a worthy competitor to 1DX.
> ...



Excuse me, you expect the RAWs to be worse than jpgs?


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## neuroanatomist (Feb 26, 2014)

Ivar said:


> Excuse me, you expect the RAWs to be worse than jpgs?



Not worse, but maybe no better. If you take the RAW images from a D4 and a D4s and process them on a computer, you might not see the differential you get with in-camera jpg images. Then again, you might…but you won't know until you do it. If you do see an improvement in the RAW files, that indicates the sensor is actually performing better. If the JPGs are different but the RAWs are not, the sensor is no better, only the in-camera processing has improved. Processing a RAW file on a computer gives you a lot more computing power to reduce noise while preserving detail. The in-camera jpg engine has to perform that conversion fast…and quality is the tradeoff. 

Canon is rather notorious for claiming generally lower noise in cases where it really only applies to in-camera JPG, e.g. they state: "_DIGIC 5 analyses four times more image information to create each pixel, recording more detail and colour from a scene than ever before. Processing speed is also six times faster compared to the previous processor, efficiently managing the increase in scene information and simultaneously reducing the appearance of image noise by up to 75%._" However, what they don't tell you is that the improvement disappears when you properly process the respective RAW files. 

Of course, they're careful about how they say it, to avoid lying. Reducing the _*appearance of*_ image noise isn't the same as actaully reducing the image noise. :


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## RLPhoto (Feb 26, 2014)

neuroanatomist said:


> verysimplejason said:
> 
> 
> > It seems D4S is now a worthy competitor to 1DX.
> ...



Well according to DXO mark... A Nikon D3300 is superior to a 1DX.... So... you know... : : : : :


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## neuroanatomist (Feb 26, 2014)

Just to add, Nikon's own press release suggests that the bulk of the improvement is due to the in-camera JPG engine:

[quote author=Nikon]
*Thanks in part to the new EXPEED 4 processing engine*, the Nikon D4S now shatters the perception of what’s possible with available light photography, giving users a native ISO range from 100-25,600 expandable from 50 ISO (Lo-1) to a staggering 409,600 ISO (Hi-4). This amazing ISO range rewrites the rulebook for available-light shooting, and is especially useful for professional sports shooters, photojournalists, as well as military and law enforcement agencies. *The powerful EXPEED 4 image-processing engine incorporates an entirely new algorithm for even higher ISO noise reduction* and color fidelity, resulting in an enhanced overall sharpness and clarity without sacrificing subtle textures and luminous details. 
[/quote]

Then again, given Nikon's history, they might be applying NR to the RAW files, as well. :-X


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## verysimplejason (Mar 1, 2014)

neuroanatomist said:


> verysimplejason said:
> 
> 
> > It seems D4S is now a worthy competitor to 1DX.
> ...



Maybe you are right, it's too early to tell but somebody tested it already albeit they didn't bother to expound more on the matter. They even didn't bother to say if they tested using RAW or JPEG. We'll see then...

http://www.reddotphoto.com.sg/content.php/422-Nikon-D4s-VS-Canon-1Dx-Comparison?s=3c4abbbc78994d484fa75f6279bd078d&


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