Do You Prefer Rendering Of "Vintage" Nikon Cameras To "Modern" Nikon Cameras?

[BruceSD]

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Do You Prefer The Rendering Of "Vintage" Nikon Cameras To "Modern" Nikon Cameras?  Here's a link to a quick side by side test I just did today.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/f2guru/albums/72177720315303628

To my eye, I prefer the colors, contrast, and dynamic range of the Nikon D1X to the Nikon Z6.   Which do you prefer and why??

[pluton]

One is processed to be darker and more contrasty than the other. When seeing them side by side on a 27" monitor, I prefer the left hand one, which is labelled Z6.  I think this says more about my personal taste in contrast and tonality than it does about the cameras!

[Akira]

The Z6 image shows wider dynamic range of the newer mirrorless model.  I think it is not all that difficult or tricky to process the Z6 image to look like D1X one.

[Birna Rørslett]

The D1X had a peculiar sensor layout resulting in images with detail smear. Some equalled this to a film-like appearance. However, what result one ended up with for the D1X depended to  high degree on the software used for processing the NEFs. Thus, D1X NEFs could be processed to be 10 MPix with the appropriate software, like the famous Bibble program by Eric Hyman, and having much better quality than if processed by Nikon's own software, even when the latter was set to use 10MPix size.

Another factor of importance is the lense(s) used in a comparison. F- and Z-mount lenses are inherently differently designed. I see the actual test was performed with the 75-150 E, which is a medium-contrast, not very high-resolving, optic. The text mentions D1X as having a 5.33MPix sensor which points to the NEFs not being pushed to their limit.

[Dogman]

While I'm pretty poor at color (one of the reasons I shoot B&W), the snappiness of the D1 looks better to me.  The Z6 photo is flat and lifeless.  (The Z6 image is how I adjust my images before I start processing in Silver Efex--flat and dull.  From there I can work with the tones to get what I like.)

[Ian Watson]

I agree that the difference is due to processing (in-camera or otherwise) rather than the sensors.

[Birna Rørslett]

I should find a D1X or two in my cupboards if I rummage sufficiently around for them ... perhaps set up another shoot-out?

If memory serves me -- something one never can rely on these days -- the D1X was appreciated as giving a more 'film-like' look than other DSLRs of its time. The AFS-Nikkors 17-35/3.8 & 28-70/2.8, Zoom-Micro-Nikkor 70-180mm f/4.5-5.6, Zoom-Nikkor 50-300mm f/4.5 ED, and the AFS Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 ED-IF all were great with that camera.

[Ann]

I have always processed all of my digital photographs though Camera Raw but the current version is so much better then earlier versions that I have found it necessary to update all of my NEFs. I have just finished the mammoth task of updating all (multi-thousands!) of them to today's version of the software.

These advances in software underlines the importance of keeping all original RAW files and why I always update and often re-edit each RAW file before publishing it.

[BruceSD]

Thank you for all of your comments!

The above images were both jpg's.  I'm unable to get this old D1X to take RAW files, and it does not have the many jpg options that modern cameras have.  So, the D1x just shoots one basic jpg file and I can't do jpg film simulations like I can with my Fuji X bodies.

So, when shooting the Z6, I set the jpg profile to "neutral" as I thought that it would likely be closest to the standard jpg coming out of the D1X.

Birna, if you or others are inclined to continue this little study I certain would be interested in seeing your results.   

[BruceSD]

I think it is not all that difficult or tricky to process the Z6 image to look like D1X one.

I have previously read of people using post processing to make a CMOS sensor image have that CCD look.  As I recall, the CMOS image eventually did end up looking similar to the CCD image, but the post processing steps they went through to replicate the look were quite lengthy. 

Akira, please feel free to download the Z6 image file from Flickr.com and post process it to look like the D1X file.  It would be interesting to see how close you can get to matching the images, and how long and how many steps it took to achieve your transformation.

[BruceSD]

I agree that the difference is due to processing (in-camera or otherwise) rather than the sensors.

Sorry, but I can not agree.   Having owned over a dozen CCD cameras (e.g. Pentax K10D, Sony A350, Nikon D200, etc.) and many CMOS cameras, to my eye, I believe that there is a difference in color rendering between these two types of sensors.

[Birna Rørslett]

D1X can produce NEFs and many converters exist to process them. PhotoNinja does them well enough if I can't get the old workhorse Bibble to run on my computers.

I'll find a camera during the weekend, hopefully. Just cross fingers I can get  a battery charged to make the camera operative. Or I might have a A/C pack for it if I recall my ancient setup correctly. Somewhere the proper cable for the Garmin GPS unit I used with my D1X must be found, too.

[Akira]

I have previously read of people using post processing to make a CMOS sensor image have that CCD look.  As I recall, the CMOS image eventually did end up looking similar to the CCD image, but the post processing steps they went through to replicate the look were quite lengthy. 

Akira, please feel free to download the Z6 image file from Flickr.com and post process it to look like the D1X file.  It would be interesting to see how close you can get to matching the images, and how long and how many steps it took to achieve your transformation.

Bruce, I'm no expert of PP, but would like to give it a try.  Please set your Flicky page to allow the download of the image files (just for a while).

[BruceSD]

Please set your Flicky page to allow the download of the image files (just for a while).

Done...

[BruceSD]

D1X can produce NEFs and many converters exist to process them. PhotoNinja does them well enough if I can't get the old workhorse Bibble to run on my computers.

I'll find a camera during the weekend, hopefully. Just cross fingers I can get  a battery charged to make the camera operative. Or I might have a A/C pack for it if I recall my ancient setup correctly. Somewhere the proper cable for the Garmin GPS unit I used with my D1X must be found, too.

Great, I wish you luck and look forward to seeing your results.

The D1X batteries and chargers are somewhat rare and expensive.   The only place they can be purchased here is USA is on Ebay.  Even Amazon does not carry them.   Also, they are expensive.   Used D1X cameras are selling on Ebay for $100 USD (with no battery or charger).   Batteries are selling for around $100 USD, and the charger for over $100 USD.

I currently have 2 D1X batteries and am charging them both up.  I plan to make some photos using some of my better lenses this weekend.   Also, I just was able to activate RAW capture on my D1X.  I've got various different image editing software programs that I can use to process the D1X RAW files. I'll first try Luminar Neo (my current favorite).  So far, I have not found any type of RAW file that Neo was unable to open.