How do I get these pixel peeping powers

[deckitout]

I pinched this from a post on DPR, found it amusing


A lot of posters here seem to have super sensory powers. Can someone tell me how can I achieve them?

Coloured IQs

These posters are so sensitive to colours they spend all their time changing cameras to get the right colour output! They are so special, they can tell that a camera has got crap colour notwithstanding the different processing software, the default tone curve and hues, calibration of monitor, printer and paper!

Nothing is relative for them, they have an in built absolute reference point in the brain! Please tell me how to train my eyes for this. I'm not sure if my camera is producing the right colours. Unless of course, these people are talking about wanting a black or silver camera? Help!

Bokeh Towkays

Apparently, these superheroes can tell the differences in bokeh for the same focal length and apertures for different lens brands!

For me, I can only sometimes perceive a subtle difference but only if there is a side by side comparison at 200% on screen (and only with lenses with different no. of aperture blades). I'm completely lost when it comes to stand alone prints! They look the same to me! Please help me to appreciate bokeh!

AF time travellers

These ones can perceive time down to 0.01s. They can tell if the AF of a D3 is faster or slower than a 1DMkIV from just sheer “feel”. No tests required! They are immune to predispositions, preconceptions and the subconscious!

The medical profession would love them for trials as no placebos would be needed. For me, my wife complains I'm always ten minutes behind time! I need these powers now! If not to just placate my wife ....

Noise maestros

Now, these ones can't hear bugger all but they can see the noise! They won't buy a print even if it only has some luminance noise, let alone chroma.

For me, I can't tell the difference between a 20D high iso NR'ed RAW A3 print an one from a 5DMkII. And these cameras are 5 years apart! I would be useless in comparing similarly spec'd cameras. I need this power as I don't want to get cheated my sneaky photogs when I buy a print. These unscrupulous buggers might sneak in some noise in there.

Michael Reichmann really upset those pixel peepers when he showed that a panel of pros could not differentiate 13x19” prints from a Canon G10 and a Phase One P45.

The simple fact is that the new crop of cameras are showing that the progress curve for IQ is fast levelling out.

 

[thearne3]

A nice post. Luckily, it's the first 'peeping' post I've seen here! Let's try to keep the whole idea confined to this thread - don't want anyone to get any ideas...

 

[Djarum]

I think, in general, expectations are just too high. Maybe it has to do with the price of cameras, I don't know.

From an IQ point of view, I was close to buying a G11. It was running almost 500 bucks. The color was pretty good, and detail was good too. But at higher ISO, though, it was pretty marginal. Same way with the dynamic range. I felt that spending the extra 250 was worth it for the EP1 at the time.

At the pixel peeping level, is the IQ perfect? No. Does it meet most of my expectations? Yes. And that is what is about.

I do blame some of the manufacturers for "over hyping" some of their sensors.

 

[igi]

pixel peeping powers = power of suggestion of DPR, DXo and other review sites

btw, I see dead pixels




.

 

[Djarum]

pixel peeping powers = power of suggestion of DPR, DXo and other review sites

btw, I see dead pixels




.

 

[ahuyevshi]

EDP bugs me sometimes because of all the magazine photographers on there. I still don't have a grasp of what some mean by IQ yet I have made over 30k last year supplementing my income with photography

 

[chrisman]

There's a simple answer to all this:

You buy six brand new high-end (read expensive) cameras and one of each of their respective lenses, and then take the same photos with each camera. This will allow you to make microscopic comparisons and pick the photo you think is the best, even if they are really all the same! Of course, someone will also say that their camera - a model that you do not own - takes much better photos.....

There are some extras that you will require to attain this photographic Nirvana:

1. Lots of money
2. Lots of patience
3. Someone (or several someone's) to carry all this kit
4. Suspension of common sense

Will you be happy? - not a chance...

Chris

 

[Alan Wolf]

Hi def monitors

At first I wanted to write a smarmy answer about fixating on IQ at the expense of all of life’s other pleasures, but instead I want to get serious.

I think that photographers that grew up around stop bath and fixer (you know who you are) look at images differently than those who have always thought in terms of pixels. Not just ”look at differently" but also have slightly different ideas about what good IQ means. The current ability to sit 18 inches away and look at images that amount to 30 x 40 or bigger prints as a "normal” way to view photographs is just wrong. And often when I look at many photos, my sense is that they are too sharp, too processed. (Any of you audiophiles around during the LP to CD transition know the aural analogy.) I’m not saying that film is a more realistic medium, or that digital is inferior in pretty much any way to film (much to my surprise...) (and I think you need to compare equivalent film formats to equivalent sensor sizes.) but that what we do with the images, often makes them less “real” to my subjective eyes. I think it’s all the pixel peeping.

I’ve really enjoyed learning the skills of getting a good black and white print digitally, and know that I have much more control now then I did even with papers like Varilour. And it’s always so tempting to add just a bit more sharpening, to right before there are artifacts. But I think even without the visible artifacts, there’s a digital trace that happens. And I’m not saying that I have those super eyes that the OP was talking about. I’m sure to a true pixel peeper, these look more real than images with less sharpening—certainly there’s less detail there. Same with much of the HDR work I see, but certainly not all.

 

[Streetshooter]

We doin' need no pixel peepers 'round here.....

 

[squeegee]

<div style="background-color:#000000;width:100px;height:100px"></div>

My pixel is bigger than your pixel.

 

[Streetshooter]

I heard your pixel was a peeper......

 

[goldenlight]

I won't hear any critisism of pixel peepers, I know some who have got fantastic pictures - of brick walls!

 

[Camerafrog]

Please don't take the DPreview spirit here! Let people think what they want, and live and let live. I'm no pixel peeper, but still get upset by holier-than-thou attitude ("Real photographers don't pixel peep", "Gearheads aren't photographers, they just shoot brick walls" etc..) I have just joined this forum, partly to get away from such talk. I want to talk about photography, not about what other people do or don't do.

 

[goldenlight]

Please don't take the DPreview spirit here! Let people think what they want, and live and let live. I'm no pixel peeper, but still get upset by holier-than-thou attitude ("Real photographers don't pixel peep", "Gearheads aren't photographers, they just shoot brick walls" etc..) I have just joined this forum, partly to get away from such talk. I want to talk about photography, not about what other people do or don't do.

Each to their own - excellent point! :smile:

 

[Brian Mosley]

I'm not taking any of this too seriously - I love to pixel peep and I love photography... as you say John, to each their own and good point Camerafrog - this forum is for grown ups who can think for themselves :agree:

Cheers

Brian

 

[Camerafrog]

Lately I have been upset over the trend at many forums, especially at DPreview (what I was talking about in the previous post, I mean). When I saw this thread I think I overreacted a bit because of it. I'm sorry. Thank you both for understanding what I really meant.

 

[Streetshooter]

Listen everyone....
Let's never loose our sense of humor....
That alone sets us apart for other houses....
no apologizing needed anywhere....
Enjoy your journey.....Shooter

 

[Brian Mosley]

Absolutely, no apologies necessary Camerafrog... we needed your post to keep our feet on the ground

Humour is a sign of flexible thinking and intelligence - I know I'm in good company around here!

Cheers

Brian

 

[Camerafrog]

Thank you both! Yes, humor is very important. :smile:

 

[cosinaphile]

"i see dead pixels"
also

candidate for funniest post of all time