Overall conclusion
The DCS-14n certainly created a stir at Photokina last
year, since then it’s been a case of ‘forever delayed’ for this camera,
and even now while I review it I still get the feeling that Kodak haven’t
really finished developing it. Stepping away from that the DCS-14n is
certainly a very interesting digital SLR, it offers a full 35 mm size
sensor with huge resolution, even a year ago we couldn’t have imagined
double digit megapixels in a portable single-unit digital SLR (those kinds
of resolutions were available only in medium format backs). Today you
can get that resolution and for a relatively affordable $5000.
The DCS-14n is a camera which one moment can fill you
with amazement and awe at its ability to capture such fine detail, and
the next be frustrating you with its slow startup times, long write time
or high ISO noise. It’s also a camera of limits, you can’t go above ISO
400 at full resolution, you can’t shoot faster than 1.7 frames per second,
you have to live with 1/2 EV stops and you should expect some occasional
image artifacts (moiré, noise reduction etc.).
Yet there is no getting away from the fact that this
is the cheapest way to shoot at such high resolutions, $5000 may seem
like a lot of money but if you earn a living from your photographs then
you could probably make it pay. Consider also that the nearest competition,
Canon’s EOS-1Ds (a different beast altogether) costs a whole $3000 more
and you start to see that if you can live within the 14n’s limits
you can deliver some truly amazing images, big and detailed enough to
post on the side of a five story building!
Recommended
So which one should I buy? A question I
get asked several times a day, and I wouldn’t like to say. In a new addition
to my reviews (after the amount of feedback I normally get) I’ve added
a link to a specific forum in which you can discuss the review or ask
me specific questions which I’ve not answered in these pages.
Enter
the ‘Pro Digital Talk’ Discussion ForumorEnter the ‘Kodak
SLR Talk’ Discussion Forum
Top of camera controls (right)
|
Top of the camera on the right side are the two sub and main command |
Power switch
| Symbol |
Mode |
| OFF |
Camera Off |
| ON |
Camera On Switches camera on, although the ‘photographic side’ of the camera comes on instantly (meaning you can change photographic settings, auto focus) you can’t take a shot until the ‘digital side’ has also finished its startup sequence. This means a wait of approximately x seconds at startup. |
Software: DCS Photo Desk v3.0 (contd.)
Saving (converting)
Once you have finished adjusting your RAW image you will probably want
to output it into a standard image format. DCS Photo Desk supports TIFF
and JPEG with (or without) embedded color profiles. TIFF can be output
as 8 or 16 bit (12 bit in reality) as linear or the selected RGB color
space, JPEG can be output as 100%, 67% or 50% size at three different
quality levels. These options are only available from the preferences
dialog. Below you can see the two different ‘Save’ dialogs, the first
when saving a single image, the second saving a selection of multiple
images.
| Saving a single image |
| Saving multiple images |
Printing
Photo Desk will print the ‘current view’, so a contact sheet of images
if in contact sheet mode or a single image in single image view mode.
Output Preferences
The output preferences dialog controls the working color space and the
format of TIFF and JPEG images output from Photo Desk.
RAW Conversion Performance
To test the performance of DCS Photo Desk a group five of RAW images
were selected and then the ‘Save Selected As’ option was used to convert
images directly to the destination format. The conversion process was
timed and divided by the number of images converted.
-
Test machine: Pentium 4 3.06 Ghz (HT enabled), 1 GB RAM, Windows
XP Professional - Software: Kodak Pro DCS Photo Desk 3.0.0.24
| Conversion | Notes | Time taken per image |
Time for 5 images |
| RAW -> JPEG (III, 100% size) | Normal, Default adjustments | 22.0 sec | 110.1 sec |
| RAW -> JPEG (III, 50% size) | Normal, Default adjustments | 21.4 sec | 107.0 sec |
| RAW -> TIFF 8-bit | Normal, Default adjustments | 21.8 sec | 109.0 sec |
| RAW -> TIFF 16-bit | Normal, Default adjustments | 27.2 sec | 136.0 sec |
It’s worth considering just how much data Photo Desk is having to process,
a fourteen megapixel image will always require a fair amount of CPU power.
Intel’s Pentium 4 3.06 Ghz processor is pretty much cutting edge at the
moment and so the conversion times you see above are about the best you
can expect.
RAW Latitude
One of the major advantages of digital camera RAW files is that they
can maintain more ‘latitude’ above the exposed white point allowing us
to apply digital exposure compensation and recover some highlight detail.
The amount of latitude available above the exposed white point is dependent
on the exposure and the camera. In my experience over exposed DCS-14n
RAW images maintained up to 1.5 EV of additional information (more than
most other digital SLR’s). The example below is typical of this. Images
saved as 50% JPEG III.
Settings:
ISO 80, Nikkor 28-70 mm F2.8D, Low SHP, Normal NR, Product Look, 13.5
MP
| Digital exposure compensation: 0.0 EV | Digital exposure compensation: -1.0 EV |
Noise Reduction
When shooting JPEG in-camera you only have two noise reduction
options, these are Normal and Strong. DCS Photo Desk provides a much wider
range of noise reduction options, you can choose from Advanced or Advanced
with Moiré Reduction, each of these has four presets (At Capture,
Low, Medium and High) as well as full slider adjustment for noise reduction
parameters. As you can see from the samples below Photo Desk’s noise reduction
is far better than the camera can manage, that said it’s still not as
clean as we would expect of a digital SLR.
Settings:
ISO 400, Nikkor 28-70 mm F2.8D, Low SHP, Product Look, 13.5 MP, (Exp:
1/6 sec, F11)
JPEG (noise reduction in-camera)
| Normal (JPEG in-camera) | Strong (JPEG in-camera) |
RAW (converted by DCS Photo Desk)
Conclusion — Pros
- Amazing resolution, the highest we’ve seen so far (takes the crown
from the EOS-1Ds) - Ability to produce very sharp lower resolution images (puts any six
megapixel to shame) - Full frame 35 mm size sensor, offers excellent wide angle shooting
- Good dynamic range with up to 1.5 stops of extra data in RAW and ERI-JPEG
images - ERI-JPEG offers ‘RAW like’ image recovery for overexposed images
- In-camera histogram displays extended dynamic range
- Job Tracker / IPTC support in-camera
- Large two inch LCD monitor
- Very large viewfinder view (100% 35 mm field of view)
- Lightweight and high capacity battery pack
- Dual storage (Compact Flash & Secure Digital / MMC)
- Controls intuitive for previous Nikon users
- Low noise at ISO 80, higher noise from ISO 200 upwards
- Good image buffering and write speeds for RAW files, much slower for
JPEG - Has RAW+JPEG capability
- ISO sensitivities selectable in 1/3 stop steps (from ISO 80 to ISO
400) - Supplied neck and hand strap
- Illuminated status LCD’s
- Firewire (IEEE 1394) connectivity with remote computer control
- Voice annotation feature (built-in mic)
- Excellent RAW conversion software (DCS Photo Desk 3)
- Good Nikkor lens compatibility
Noise levels in low light
As I hinted above the relatively low noise exhibited by the DCS-14n in
our test wasn’t the whole story, experience of shooting the DSC-14n at
higher sensitivities indicated that it performs less well at slower shutter
speeds and when the noise reduction system has to deal with areas of detail.
Kodak DCS-14n vs. Canon EOS-1Ds, ISO 100, low light
| Kodak DCS-14n | Canon EOS-1Ds |
| 1 sec, F11, 2,007 KB JPEG | 1 sec, F11, 2,840 KB JPEG |
| Std. dev. 1.86 | Std. dev. 2.86 |
At ISO 100 there appears to be little visible difference between the
two cameras, the DCS-14n’s sharpening algorithm appears to be slightly
more sophisticated (although moiré is visible) and there are some
subtle indications of noise reduction (loss of definition of the power
button on the light meter) but otherwise an acceptable result.
Resolution Chart Comparison
Shots here are of the PIMA/ISO 12233 standard resolution
test chart (more of which are available in our comparison
database). This resolution chart allows us to measure the actual performance
of the lens and sensor system. It measures the ability of the camera to
resolve lines at gradually higher resolutions and enables us to provide
a definitive value for comparison purposes. Values on the chart are 1/100th
lines per picture height. So a value of 15 equates to 1500 lines per picture
height.
Studio light (continuous), cameras set to auto, all
settings factory default. Aperture selected for optimum sharpness.
Exposure compensation +0.7 EV to +1.3 EV.
| Kodak DCS-14n | Canon EOS-1Ds |
| Canon EOS-10D | Fujifilm S2 Pro (12 mp size) |
| Kodak DCS-14n | Canon EOS-1Ds |
| Canon EOS-10D | Fujifilm S2 Pro (12 mp size) |
| Kodak DCS-14n | Canon EOS-1Ds |
| Canon EOS-10D | Fujifilm S2 Pro (12 mp size) |
| Kodak DCS-14n | Canon EOS-1Ds |
| Canon EOS-10D | Fujifilm S2 Pro (12 mp size) |
| Kodak DCS-14n | Canon EOS-1Ds |
| Canon EOS-10D | Fujifilm S2 Pro (12 mp size) |
| Kodak DCS-14n | Canon EOS-1Ds |
| Canon EOS-10D | Fujifilm S2 Pro (12 mp size) |
Beyond our chart, but not beyond our means
As we expected the DCS-14n has resolution way beyond the capabilities
of our standard resolution chart, well almost. We can shoot the chart
from a farther subject distance so that the chart is exactly half its
normal size (2250 x 1500 on the 4500 x 3000 frame — indicated by the red
box in the thumbnail below). This allows us to measure resolution up to
4000 LPH. When reading the crops below values on the chart now represent
1/200th lines per picture height. So a value of 15 equates
to 3000 lines per picture height.
Measurable findings (three measurements taken for each camera):
| Camera | Measurement | Absolute Res. | Extinction Res. |
| Kodak DCS-14n |
Horiz LPH | 2500 | * 2800 |
| Vert LPH | 2300 | * 2700 | |
| 5° Diagonal LPH | 2000 | n/a | |
| Canon EOS-1Ds |
Horiz LPH | 2400 | * 2600 |
| Vert LPH | 2000 | * 2600 | |
| 5° Diagonal LPH | 2000 | n/a | |
| Canon EOS-10D |
Horiz LPH | 1600 | 1900 |
| Vert LPH | 1450 | 1850 | |
| 5° Diagonal LPH | 1000 | n/a | |
| Fujifilm S2 Pro (12 mp size) |
Horiz LPH | 1800 | 2000 |
| Vert LPH | 1700 | 2000 | |
| 5° Diagonal LPH | 1000 | n/a |
* Visible moiré / alias artifacts
Definition of terms:
| LPH | Lines per Picture Height (to allow for different aspect ratios the measurement is the same for horizontal and vertical) |
| 5° Diagonal | Lines set at 5° diagonal |
| Absolute Resolution | Still defined detail (below Nyquist frequency*) |
| Extinction Resolution |
Detail beyond camera’s definition (becomes a solid gray alias) |
| n/a | Not Available (above the capability of the test chart) |
| n/v | Not Visible (not visible on test results) |
* Nyquist frequency defined as the
highest spatial frequency where the sensor can
still faithfully record image detail. Beyond the Nyquist frequency aliasing
occurs
ISO Sensitivity / Noise levels
|
Standard Test |
ISO equivalence on a digital camera is the ability to increase
the sensitivity of the sensor to enable faster shutter speeds and/or better
performance in low light. The way this works in a digital camera is by
«turning up the volume» on the CCD’s signal amplifiers. Nothing
is without its price however and doing so also amplifies any noise and
can also affect colour saturation.
The DCS-14n provides eight ISO sensitivities (third stop
steps) between ISO 80 and ISO 400 at full resolution and ISO 800 at lower
resolutions.
Our noise comparison test involves shooting a GretagMacBeth ColorChecker
at a selection of ISO sensitivities and then measuring luminance and RGB
noise at a ‘mid’ grey patch (patch 22). We would really have liked to
test the 14n without noise reduction, unfortunately Kodak don’t offer
this option either for in-camera JPEG or post-procesed RAW files.
Kodak DCS-14n vs. Canon EOS-1Ds
Camera settings / test notes
-
Kodak DCS-14n: Normal NR, Low SHP, Product Look, Large JPEG
III (4500 x 3000),
Manual WB
-
Canon EOS-1Ds: Parameters: Standard, Large/Fine JPEG (4064
x 2704),
Manual WB
- Measurements taken at approximately 21°C (~70°F)
- Lighting was daylight
| ISO 80 | ISO 50 | |
| Kodak DCS-14n1/20 sec, F8.0 | Canon EOS-1Ds1/15 sec, F8.0 | |
| Original crop |
||
| Red channel |
||
| Green channel |
||
| Blue channel |
||
| ISO 100 |
||
| Kodak DCS-14n1/30 sec, F8.0 | Canon EOS-1Ds1/30 sec, F8.0 | |
| Original crop |
||
| Red channel |
||
| Green channel |
||
| Blue channel |
||
| ISO 200 |
||
| Kodak DCS-14n1/60 sec, F8.0 | Canon EOS-1Ds1/60 sec, F8.0 | |
| Original crop |
||
| Red channel |
||
| Green channel |
||
| Blue channel |
||
| ISO 400 |
||
| Kodak DCS-14n1/125 sec, F8.0 | Canon EOS-1Ds1/125 sec, F8.0 | |
| Original crop |
||
| Red channel |
||
| Green channel |
||
| Blue channel |
It’s worth remembering that the EOS-1Ds provides sensitivities up to
ISO 1250 at full resolution, not shown here. A quick glance at the luminance
noise graph shown below tells you that (at these exposures) the DCS-14n
exhibits less noise than the EOS-1Ds. Indeed it appears as though Kodak’s
noise reduction system does manage to keep noise down in flat areas such
as the gray patch used for our measurements. Remember that we don’t know
what if any noise reduction is being carried out by the EOS-1Ds.
This however not the whole story, we also have to take a look at what
happens to areas of detail and how the camera performs at slower shutter
speeds (see below graphs).
ISO sensitivity is on the horizontal axis of this graph, standard deviation
(average) is on the vertical axis.
Overall Image Quality / Specifics
There’s little doubt that the DCS-14n delivers amazing
resolution, on several occasions I found myself ‘ooh-ing and ahh-ing’
at detail I could see in images which I simply wouldn’t expect to see.
A combination of Kodak’s advanced image processing / sharpening and the
lack of an anti-alias filter (and possibly the Microlenses) on the camera’s
sensor means that detail appears very sharp and well defined. The lack
of Microlenses also meant that the 14n performed better with wide angle
lenses than the EOS-1Ds (there’s a comparison of this later in the review).
Shooting at lower resolutions where the camera is downsampling
the 13.4 megapixels to smaller image sizes delivers ‘Foveon X3 like’ images,
indeed for every day casual shooting you can get really amazing sharpness
from shooting at the 6.0 megapixel size. Six megapixel images from the
14n put any current six megapixel digital camera to shame (obvious but
worth remembering).
Perhaps one area of concern would be color response, Kodak
have always taken a cautious and conservative approach to color, however
there’s cautious and there’s dull. Kodak assure me that there will be
a new version of DCS Photo Desk which will include new color profiles
designed to produce more vivid color. You can also purchase the optional
DCS Custom Looks Software (which in my opinion should be included with
the camera). It would have been nice to see separate color and tone (contrast)
settings for in-camera JPEG’s. Many people will want to shoot JPEG and
use the images immediately.
The biggest single problem with the 14n is the underlying
level of image noise at higher ISO’s and the intrusive noise reduction
system which too many times comes into effect when it’s simply not required
(such as at ISO 80) and proceeds to blur areas of detail or surface texture
assuming them to be image noise. The 14n offers no way to disable noise
reduction, neither does DCS Photo Desk. (Discussed below).
Intrusive noise reduction
One thing that I found annoying was the fact that you can
not ‘turn off’ the DCS-14n’s noise reduction, either in-camera for JPEG
images or in DCS Photo Desk for RAW images. This means that noise reduction
is always active (even when set to 0% in Photo Desk) and always leaving
its mark on images. To give Kodak some credit I am very impressed by their
sharpening algorithm, however the noise reduction does have a tendency
to take effect on areas of detail as well as noise, leaving a ‘watercolor
painting like’ look to images, softening and smoothing out subtle detail
and leaving unnaturally smooth patches in the images. Whether or not this
would be visible at most print sizes is a matter for conjecture. What’s
also clear is that the DCS-14n has a requirement for noise reduction
at higher sensitivities.
Both of the images below were converted from RAW files
by DCS Photo Desk.
| ISO 80 (Noise reduction 0%) | ISO 320 (Noise reduction Low: 2,50%) |
Moiré
The DCS-14n’s sensor doesn’t have an anti-alias (low pass)
filter. The advantage is that it is able to resolve very fine details
which would otherwise be ‘blurred’ out by the filter, the disadvantage
is that very high frequency detail can lead to moiré which the
camera and/or DCS Photo Desk have to remove in software. Despite its best
efforts DCS Photo Desk (nor the camera shooting JPEG) could remove fairly
strong moiré artifacts. Both of the images below were converted
to JPEG from RAW by DCS Photo Desk 3.0 with ‘Advanced with Moiré
reduction’ Noise Reduction set to ‘Medium’.
Top of camera controls (left)
|
Top of the camera on the left side of the viewfinder are situated |
Once more we find ISO on the mode dial, which would mean
switching out of the current exposure mode to change ISO sensitivity.
Luckily the DSC-14n offers a second option, that is to hold the STATUS
button on the rear of the camera and cursor to change ISO, not neat but
a little quicker.
Mode / Settings Dial: Settings
| Dial position |
||
| ISO |
ISO Sensitivity ISO 80 ISO 100 ISO 125 ISO 160 ISO 200 ISO 250 ISO 320 ISO 400 |
No action |
|
AF Area Mode Single Area AF Dynamic Area AF |
No action |
Mode / Settings Dial: Mode
| Icon |
Mode |
| P |
Programmed Auto (Flexible) The DCS-14n remembers the selected offset from default metering, |
| S |
Shutter Priority Auto 30 seconds — 1/4,000 sec (in 1/2 |
| A |
Aperture Priority Auto Range depends on lens max. and min. |
| M |
Full Manual Exposure In this mode you select the aperture and the shutter speed from any combination of the above. Main command dial selects shutter speed, sub-command dial selects aperture. The meter on the viewfinder status bar and top LCD will immediately reflect the exposure level compared to the calculated ideal exposure, if it’s outside of +/- 2EV the indicator bar will add an arrow ‘<‘ or ‘>’ on the end of the meter. Bulb shutter release can only be accessed when enabled by a custom setting. |
1/2 EV Steps
Just like Fujifilm’s S2 Pro the DCS-14n is limited by the exposure system
upon which it is based, that from the F80 (N80). This means that you are
limited to making exposure adjustments only in 1/2 EV steps. This can
at times feel limiting, especially when trying to pick an aperture in
aperture priority mode or select an exposure compensation that isn’t ‘too
much’.
Drive Mode Dial
| Symbol |
Mode |
|
Single frame shooting One frame is taken when shutter release is pressed. You can take another shot almost as quickly as you can re-press the shutter release. |
|
|
Continuous shooting |
|
|
Self-timer shooting Camera takes a single frame after a predefined delay, this delay can be set to 2, 5, 10 or 20 seconds via a custom function. |
|
|
Exposure lock Switching to this special mode locks exposure settings such as selected aperture in aperture priority mode, exposure compensation in all modes. However it doesn’t stop you from changing ISO sensitivity etc. |
Advanced User Mode Menus
|
In Advanced user mode there are five menus; Capture, Review, Image, |
Advanced User Mode: Capture Menu
| Capture menu | Options | Notes |
| ISO | 80 100 125 160 200 250 320 400 500 * 640 * 800 * |
After changing sensitivity the camera may need to ‘Recalibrate’, this takes approximately 8 seconds, during which time you can not shoot. Recalibration is required at ISO 160 and ISO 400 (going from higher to lower than these sensitivities). * Only at Resolution 6.0 MP or lower |
| White Balance | Auto Sunny + Standard + Warm + Cool Incandescent + Standard + Warm + Cool Fluorescent + Office + Cool White Flash + Standard + Warm + Cool + Studio Click Balance + Image + Saved > |
Approximate Kelvin temperature: ~ 5000 K ~ 4500 K ~ 6500 K ~ 3200 K ~ 2700 K ~ 3700 K ~ 6000 K ~ 4500 K ~ 7500 K ~ 5200 K |
| Capture Folder |
New |
— Offers new folder name or custom name |
| CF Card | Raw JPEG Raw+JPEG Standby Quick Format Recover Secure Erase Write Speed |
— Provides write speed information |
| MM Card | Unsupported | Not supported at this firmware version |
| Raw Resolution | 13.5 MP 6.0 MP 3.4 MP |
— 4500 x 3000 — 3000 x 2000 — 2250 x 1500 |
| JPEG Resolution | 13.5 MP 6.0 MP 3.4 MP 0.8 MP |
— 4500 x 3000 — 3000 x 2000 — 2250 x 1500 — 1225 x 750 |
| Crop Aspect Ratio | 2×3 4×5 2×2 |
Crops only JPEG’s at output, for Raw files the information is recorded and used by PhotoDesk. |
| Long Exposure | Enabled Disabled |
Conclusion — Pros
- Very high resolution, but requires careful processing to deliver full
potential - Excellent dynamic range with over one stop of extra data in RAW and
ERI-JPEG images - Improved color response, more vivd and ‘punchy’ than the DCS-14n
- Ability to produce very sharp lower resolution images (very crisp
six megapixel images) - Full frame 35 mm size sensor, offers excellent wide angle shooting
- ERI-JPEG offers ‘RAW like’ image recovery for overexposed images
- On-screen histogram displays extended dynamic range
- Job Tracker / IPTC support in-camera
- Lightweight and high capacity battery pack
- Dual storage (Compact Flash & Secure Digital / MMC), although
SD proved to be slow - Low noise at ISO 160, higher noise from ISO 400 upwards
- Good image buffering and write speeds for RAW files, considerably
slower for JPEG - Has RAW+JPEG capability (even split by media format)
- Supplied neck and hand strap
- Firewire (IEEE 1394) connectivity with remote computer control
- GPS data support via serial port
- Voice annotation feature (built-in mic)
- Excellent RAW conversion software (DCS Photo Desk 4)
- The only current third party digital SLR with a Canon lens mount
- The likelihood that things will improve due to Kodak’s constant firmware
update policy - Value for money (you get a lot of resolution for your money)
Basic User Mode Menu
|
The DCS-14n has two different ‘user modes’, these are Basic and Options described in detail below. |
Basic Menu Options
| Basic menu | Options | Notes |
| ISO | 80 100 125 160 200 250 320 400 500 * 640 * 800 * |
After changing sensitivity the camera may need to ‘Recalibrate’, this takes approximately 8 seconds, during which time you can not shoot. Recalibration is required at ISO 160 and ISO 400 (going from higher to lower than these sensitivities). * Only at Resolution 6.0 MP or lower |
| White Balance | Auto Sunny + Standard + Warm + Cool Incandescent + Standard + Warm + Cool Fluorescent + Office + Cool White Flash + Standard + Warm + Cool + Studio |
Approximate Kelvin temperature: ~ 5000 K ~ 4500 K ~ 6500 K ~ 3200 K ~ 2700 K ~ 3700 K ~ 6000 K ~ 4500 K ~ 7500 K ~ 5200 K |
| Raw Resolution | 13.5 MP 6.0 MP 3.4 MP |
— 4500 x 3000 — 3000 x 2000 — 2250 x 1500 |
| JPEG Resolution | 13.5 MP 6.0 MP 3.4 MP 0.8 MP |
— 4500 x 3000 — 3000 x 2000 — 2250 x 1500 — 1125 x 750 |
| Format Card | CF Card MM Card |
|
| Display Contrast | +/-15 levels | |
| Overexposure Ind. | Off On |
If enabled overexposed areas of the image blink in image view (playback) mode. |
| Time/Date | Time > Set Date > Set |
|
| Firmware | Version > Info Update |
— |
| User Mode | Basic Advanced |
LCD Monitor
|
The DSC-14n has a large (by digital SLR standards) 2.0″ TFT |
For those who are new to digital SLR’s it’s worth noting that they don’t
provide a live preview image like consumer digital cameras. This is because
of the reflex mirror, mechanical shutter and design of the sensor (which
can’t be used to provide a video feed). The LCD is only «On»
if you have image review enabled (after taking the shot), when you’re
navigating menus or reviewing images in play mode.
White balance
The DCS-14n provides a plethora of white balance options,
there is of course automatic white balance and no less than twelve preset
color temperatures split between Sunny, Incandescent, Fluorescent and
Flash. Each preset category has a selection of slightly different temperatures
available for select (a pop-out sub-menu).
In addition the DCS-14n’s manual preset white balance (named
‘Click balance’) allows you to take a reading from a gray area of a RAW
image (viewed magnified). This preset is automatically applied to the
image (RAW only) and recorded for subsequent shots. You can choose to
save click balances and retrieve them later (this can also be done from
DCS Photo Desk). Annoyingly if you are shooting JPEG you must take a RAW
shot, take a Click balance reading and then switch back to JPEG.
I was disappointed by the 14n’s automatic white balance,
in good natural light (sunlight) it seemed to be near enough, however
in the shade balance was often just slightly ‘off’. Auto white balance
faired no better under artificial light.
Settings:
ISO 80, Nikkor 24-85 mm F3.5 — 4.5G, Normal NR, Low SHP, Product Look,
0.8 MP JPEG
| Daylight: Auto | Daylight: Sunny Cool | Daylight: Click balance |
| Incandescent: Auto | Incandescent: Incan. Warm | Incandescent: Click balance |
| Fluorescent: Auto | Fluorescent: Fluor. Office | Fluorescent: Click balance |
Also available for download
- Daylight:
Sunny Standard - Daylight:
Sunny Warm - Incandescent:
Incandescent Standard - Incandescent:
Incandescent Cool - Fluorescent:
Fluorescent Cool White
Software
The DCS-14n is provided with three main software applications
/ utilities.
-
DCS Camera Manager — Provides remote control of the camera
from a computer (Windows or Mac OS). Connection is made by IEEE 1394
(Firewire). Not covered in this review.
-
DCS Photo Desk — For browsing of all image formats as well
as advanced conversion of RAW images. Photo Desk is the main application
for conversion of Kodak’s DCR RAW images.
-
File Format Module — An Adobe Photoshop plugin which provides
access to the extra data stored in JPEG ERI format images. Automatically
detects a JPEG-ERI image when opened by Photoshop.
Overall conclusion
When I first heard of the SLR/n (the Nikon mount version
of the SLR/c which was announced before it) I was excited that Kodak would
have taken the criticisms leveled at the DCS-14n and implemented a raft
of fixes. Unfortunately many of the major bugbears I (and many owners)
had with that camera haven’t really been addressed in the SLR/n or SLR/c.
As a professional digital SLR it still feels slow, no anti-alias filter
means moiré, there’s the intrusive noise reduction and higher than
average noise anywhere above ISO 400.
Throughout this review comparisons to the SLR/c have
been with the Canon EOS-1Ds, the only camera with anywhere near the resolution
and the only other camera with a full 35 mm size sensor. There is however
an important difference between the SLR/c and EOS-1Ds, price, the SLR/c
is some $3000 cheaper than the EOS-1Ds and while they’re not really in
the same league from a performance and build quality point of view if
all you want is resolution you’d be foolish not to at least consider the
SLR/c.
Get it right, shoot RAW, good light, low to medium ISO’s
and be careful about the development of your RAW images and you really
can get some mind-blowing good resolution with rewarding image quality
attributes (good dynamic range, good color). That’s just where the SLR/c
fits in, it’s certainly not a camera for everyone, it’s not a point and
shoot digital SLR, it’s a camera for enthusiasts who are ready to work
around its quirks and utilize it as a photographic tool.
If you are willing to learn how to use it, don’t need
sports camera performance and can live with the occasional artifact or
three you’re unlikely to be disappointed by the SLR/c. It’s probably also
worth noting that Kodak do have a habit of progressively improving their
cameras with new firmware updates.
Recommended
So which one should I buy? A question I
get asked several times a day, and I wouldn’t like to say. In a new addition
to my reviews (after the amount of feedback I normally get) I’ve added
a link to a specific forum in which you can discuss the review or ask
me specific questions which I’ve not answered in these pages.