100D/SL1 Image Quality

[UjaiDidida]

Hi there the people of TPF.

Today I just had some night shots and apparently the quality doesn't really satisfy me. The image produced are noisy even at ISO100 especially the one at EV=0. Is this the only quality that I can get with this camera? Do I need to find a better slr to get a really smooth and clear image?

Sorry because I wasn't able to upload it here. Uploaded on flickr instead. All images were shot at ISO100 f4.5, EV0 = 4" ; Zoom the photos to see the noises:

EV0 Flickr - Photo Sharing
EV-2 Flickr - Photo Sharing
EV 2 Flickr - Photo Sharing

This is the HDR produced from the noisy shots. Look like the colour of the sky being compressed:
HDR from noisy shots Flickr - Photo Sharing

How I wish I can get a clear image like this guy did...
4 Towers Flickr - Photo Sharing

 

[Derrel]

Well, that guy shot at dusk...4 Towers Flickr - Photo Sharing

while there is plenty of light in the sky. His shot is not a night shot. One of the best times for "night shots" is actually the very,very last part of the day.

 

[jaomul]

As mentioned above, shooting a black sky is not the same as shooting a sky in the "golden hour" as it is often described.

Chances are any dslr will give similar results in similar conditions and settings.

Did you shoot raw or jpeg. If raw did you process and try and reduce noise? If jpeg did you have long exposure noise reduction on? This is where the camera takes a shot with the shutter closed as a black reference. If you take a 5 second shot, the whole sequence takes 10 secs, if you take a 30sec shot, sequence takes 60 secs.

I'm not really a huge fan of in camera noise reduction, but do find the long exposure one works wekk for jpegs in similar shots to your ones.

Nearly all dslr shots need a little processing to get the best from your camera

 

[goodguy]

I think you mistaken skills and technique with gear.
SL1 isnt best camera in the world but in the right hands its a good camera.
You can always get better camera or better lenses but the magic is knowing how to use them.
Excellent seasoned photographers can probably get much better results with your camera them me with my FF camera.

The SL1 has a rather old sensor on it and you can get better results with other cameras that has a more advanced sensor and modern processor but the SL1 is still a very good camera capable to produce excellent images.

 

[soufiej]

Hi there the people of TPF.

Today I just had some night shots and apparently the quality doesn't really satisfy me. The image produced are noisy even at ISO100 especially the one at EV=0. Is this the only quality that I can get with this camera? Do I need to find a better slr to get a really smooth and clear image?

Sorry because I wasn't able to upload it here. Uploaded on flickr instead. All images were shot at ISO100 f4.5, EV0 = 4" ; Zoom the photos to see the noises:

You do not need new camera equipment, you have new equipment. Now you need to learn how to get the best performance from your present equipment.

You don't say in this thread how long you've been taking "serious" photographs or how long you've been working with the SL1. I didn't notice any shooting data which indicates the shooting mode you were using for your shots. Also, I can't tell whether you were hand holding the camera or using a tripod. Unless you are comparing like to like, there's not much use in comparing your photos to anyone else's photos. The SL1 is capable of images identical to any taken by a consumer level Canon camera. Realize, once you step away from the consumer level, not only have you increased the potential of the camera, you've also dramatically increased the cost. While it's good to use another photo as a goal for your own work, you can't expect one camera to be the equivalent of all cameras. Set realistic and achievable goals for your work.

This has nothing to do with the vintage of Canon's sensor and, IMO, it's a bit absurd to even make the suggestion this is a reason for the poor image quality of your shots. The idea someone must constantly upgrade their equipment even before they have developed far enough to get the most out of their current equipment is ... well, ... snobbery.

Available light is one of your greatest friends as a photographer. Therefore, as noted, shooting is best when more light is available, yet not so much you no longer have your suggestion of a "night shot" with building lights and car headlight trails. Knowing when to shoot for the most beneficial effect is one key to successfully capturing the best image quality of a cityscape. So do your homework before you head out to try a new area of photography.

No matter the subject matter, developing self taught students have a tendency to bounce around from unrelated subject to unrelated subject without ever developing a solid plan for learning the basics. Then they wonder why their attempts were unsuccessful. Learn your camera first and your lens/camera system second. Know it inside out and how it operates and when to operate its proper functions. Rules for taking successful night shots are rather basic and have not really changed in years so study the available material for how to take the best shot for any given situation before you head out. Then develop a plan for how you are going to take your own shots.

To your specific issues, IMO your shots simply aren't in focus first and foremost. And I have no idea how you allowed the focus to not be correct. If you were shooting in a fully auto mode, that's your first mistake. If you were hand holding your camera at this point, that's your second mistake IMO.

Therefore, ...

1) Buy and use a tripod. If you can't afford a tripod at this time, learn how to use various supports to act as a stabilizer for your camera.

2) Using a tripod or other stable support system, disable the image stabilization circuits in your lens once you are assured the camera cannot move. Do not use any continuous focus options. Set the focus and metering options to a center weighted option at first.

3) Use a "creative" shooting mode; P, Av, Tv, or M. Understand how each works and why you want to use one over another.

4) Fix your ISO at the lowest possible value to accomplish the shot. Know where in the ISO range your camera begins to loose focus and add unacceptable amounts of noise to the image. That's your practical limit for using the camera in low light conditions. Set your maximum ISO at a low value just in case the camera tries to override your ISO selection. Using a low ISO value and a long shutter speed should be possible with the SL1 and your lens for this type of shot. A low ISO value does though mean your camera must be absolutely stable.

5) Frame the shot to place as much subject matter as possible in the photo. The more subject matter you can place in the frame, the more pixels will be used capturing the image and the less noise and other digital artifacts will intrude. The lines of the buildings will be sharper and more defined if they occupy a greater portion of the image.

For this shot I see no reason not to use the LCD screen as your viewfinder and to use the Live View option to see exactly what you are getting before you click the shutter. I would suggest you set the camera to perform "back button focusing"; How to Move the Auto Exposure Lock on Your Canon Rebel SL1 100D - For Dummies This is a very simple way to lock focus in the SL1. Also set the camera for "touch shutter: disabled" in your menu options. Now you can touch the LCD screen and the camera will focus on the exact spot in the image where you touched.

6) Learn your lens. Any zoom is going to have its best image quality in a range which generally excludes the widest and the longest focal ranges. Know where your lens performs best.

7) Know the correct aperture for the proper depth of field required for the shot. Lenses also tend to provide their best image quality at slightly stopped down values. Study your materials on depth of field and using it for low light conditions. You have a trade off of opening the aperture to allow in more light or stopping down the aperture to gain resolution across a greater distance. You can use the depth of field preview button on the SL1 to judge when you have adequate values selected.

8) Focus wisely. Select a focal point for your shot and check it using the Live View option on the LCD screen. Once you've focused the shot, hit the image magnification button on the SL1 to increase the specific point of focus in your shot. Hitting the SL1's button twice gives you 5X magnification while hitting it a third time provides 10X magnification. If the magnified image is not in sharp focus, hit the focusing button again or, better yet, adjust the focus with the manual focus ring of your lens.

9) Check the entire shot for proper focus. Hit the magnification button a fourth time to return to your full image in the LCD then touch another spot in the image to check focus at that location. Make your best focus corrections over the entire image before you return to your prime focal point. If you've selected the proper DOF, you can have the entire image be cleanly resolved or you can fade the depth of field to adjust the image to your liking. So study up on how to adjust DOF by way of aperture and understand aperture is simply one leg of the exposure triangle.

10) Once you are certain you have your image set up as you prefer, press the shutter release or, again, still better, use the self timer in your camera to give a two second delay between pressing the shutter release and the camera actually taking the shot. Using the LCD screen as your viewfinder, you have the touch screen available to make many adjustments. Simply touch the "Q" button to activate the adjustable parameters and understand their various functions.

If you are not completely clear on how the SL1 works, experiment. Take several shots of this subject with various camera settings. Burn bits! A few of the in camera options will only be available when shooting in Jpeg format only. In camera operations are seldom as powerful or as successful as those found in processing software. They are there mainly for the person who wants to immediately send off a facebook image to their friends. Don't depend on in camera software to do much for your shot but know when in camera software is your only real solution. This comes from simple experience and experimentation with a plan for success.

Jpeg format will limit your post processing options. Shooting in RAW format ("CR2" in Canon speak) will provide more processing options but also more work in the computer. It's a reasonable bet that any professional shot you observe has been made by someone who has decided on the format and the processing technique they prefer.

Select the post processing software which best suits your needs. If you need to remove noise and increase sharpness and contrast, you need software which is capable of that. Various apps do various amounts of processing with varying amounts of success. You can - and, IMO, should - do everything possible to get a "best shot" in your camera before you head to the computer. However, you will also need to know how to process the shot for best effect.

Essentially, nothing is permanent with a digital file and you can develop your skills over time. If you are working with a plan to develop as a photographer, your shots and your processing should improve over time. Looking back at what you did six months or one year prior should show steady and consistent improvement. If not, you don't have a plan.