Canon EOS 5Ds / SHOOTING REPORT

The new EOS 5Ds is based on the 22.3-megapixel EOS 5D Mark III released 3 years ago. While other manufacturers were releasing cameras with more pixels, Canon users must have been waiting for the new full frame camera. What Canon featured this time is neither 30 megapixels nor 40 megapixels. Quite unexpectedly, this camera is loaded with more than 50 megapixels as much as to say "eat this!" And quite expectedly, our photographers fought for the testership of this camera and the lowpass-filter-less version 5Ds R released at the same time. The photographer who won the position went out for shooting snoring roughly, but he received a wet welcome from the daily rain. Was he able to stir himself to fight against the rain? What kind of shots did he take? Let's check the images drawn by the full frame sensor with effective 50.6 megapixels.

( Photography : Z II / Text : KIMURAX )

The texture reproduction and the 3D separation of the book are simply stunning. The ultra-high megapixel sensor successfully captured the rough paper surface, printed letters, and the shabby part of the paper running off the edge. The difference became even more obvious when the image is magnified and I could read the focused letters including the ruby characters. Of course, this is also due to the excellent performance of the lens and I'd recommend the "L" lenses to fully take advantage of the extremely high resolution of the sensor. The table is separated from the background. From there, the bed sheet and the book are separated. The way it separates these elements makes me feel the depth and thickness, which add to the 3D quality.

There was nothing special about this scene. But when it's captured by this camera, I can feel a presence of something. I believe this is realized by the high amount of information. In other words, this extremely realistic rendition is made possible by the resolving power of image separation and the high ability of tonal reproduction. The relentlessly high resolution refuses even the smallest amount of camera shake. Yet, it captures the scene as completely as possible and I feel a little nervous when releasing the shutter.

This image expresses the humidity of the wet chilly atmosphere of the permanently shaded space. Even though I was hoping to shoot high frequency images of the mountains and forests, it kept drizzling. So, I used the mountains of moss to resemble real mountains (it's a bit of stretch, I know). Now, click the image to view the 100% crop of the mountains of moss. What do you think? The focused area has no ambiguity being sharp and clear. There's a spider's nest between the "mountains" and it's out of focus. Still, I could recognize each thread when I magnified further. This camera composes the full-bodied images by accumulating reproduction of fine details.

I determined the exposure giving weight to the highlight around the rope. The shadow area doesn't have the sudden clipping and I feel like I can even see through the rear if I look closely. Despite the heavy sky, the image looks amazingly clear and the minuteness of the details shows the unique value of this camera. In addition, the wonderful tonal reproduction adds to the expression of the solemn atmosphere.

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Even though it has the low-pass filter, the resolution of the 50.6 megapixels is massive. And, it does an excellent job in capturing hard materials such as stainless and glass. I was able to take this shot with ISO400. The regular sensitivity is between ISO100 to 6400, which is pretty high enough for most situations.

The camera not only captured the reflection but also the shiny feel of the glass. The resolution, which is also evident in the sharpness of the hairs, is reaching the level of modern digital medium format cameras and can also cover commercial photography. Of course, it cannot realize the breathtaking 3D separation of larger sensors (particularly in landscape photography). But, it's a powerful workforce for still-life photography when the reproduction of fine details of texture is required. With this camera, you'll be fully equipped with lenses and accessories. Yet, the system is still compact and you can shoot handheld when necessary. Of course, you can enjoy a variety of EF lenses to choose from.

Images just don't get ambiguous even at the original size. It makes sense because the data is capable of handling poster size prints.

The cat seemed to be relaxed under the melancholic sky. The mid-tone reproduction is amazing despite the flat cloudy lighting. Because the rear LCD supports up to 16X magnification of liveview, it's easy to focus from a low angle like this.

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Welcome to the era of the full frame 50-megapixel sensor.

Even though it has a lowpass filter, the resolution is quite thrilling. I'm also interested in the resolution of the EOS 5Ds R, but I may not notice the difference until I make side-by-side comparisons. For this test, I took RAW and JPEG images at the same time, and the camera processed the data instantly. The burst rate is 5fps which may sound a little slower than the base model 5D Mark III. But, it's still outstanding considering the amount of processed information which is more than double the base model and it's fast enough for most situations. The operation is almost the same as the 5D Mark III and it's a good news for existing users who know the parameters to be set. The 5Ds is a great camera for both advanced amateurs and professional photographers who need high resolution and excellent handling capability. And, you want to use the latest lenses as much as possible. You'll also have to use a sturdy tripod or hold it tightly because the camera captures fluctuations of air. Take your time to fully enjoy the power of the ultra-megapixel sensor and the latest lenses, and you'll be stunned by the new world displayed on your PC screen.

( 04.09.2015 )