Huzzah! After an extended visit with a friend my 5D is back home.
Brought it out for my rehearsal night commute. When I left rehearsal it was dark and, as is the case with most cameras of the day, 5D and high ISO were not a thing. But no worries. Set the ISO to High (3200) and then just hit it with the Lightroom AI Denoise stick. Not the same as newer high ISO capable cameras but I really like the aesthetic. The first couple of pics were taken as I was leaving the school where we rehearse.
And on to the ISO 3200/AI Denoise night pics.
Closing thoughts.
<Cut and paste from my first 5D/ISO 3200/AI Denoise post.>
Aesthetics/Rendering
I want to step back for a moment and appreciate what I have stumbled across here. When I first used AI Denoise in Lightroom I had not thought of older cameras like this one. When I bought the EOS 5D I put no thought to Lightroom AI Denoise and certainly had not planned to use it above ISO 800. Then one night I merged 5D high ISO (3200) with AI Denoise and realized I had stumbled across something I liked.
High ISO plus AI Denoise produces an aesthetic I like. Not the usual harsh overly obvious look of post editing artificiality, but a rather pleasing, to my eye anyway, rendering that I rather like even if I cannot put a finger on or words to the why. It feels like when I have stumbled upon a new film stock that I really like. But here no film, chemicals, drying, agitation, waiting, or scanning are needed. It is fun and easily repeatable. I like the look so much that I occasionally find myself using it for 5D images where Denoise is not really needed.
AF/AE Performance
As should come as no surprise to anyone that has used a DSLR these things perform well at the main tasks. AF and AE. Having gone down some vintage digital odd duck rabbit holes (an odd pairing of animal based phrases I will admit) with some point and shoot cameras in pursuit of a distinct look or feel one thing was lost when compared to DSLRs. AF performance. I will defend my little odd balls to the end (Example A and B) but even I must admit that AF is not their strong suit. If any focusing challenges arise, then MF is the way. Not here, though. Even with near non-existent light, this solid brick bat of a DSLR grabbed whatever sliver of light was available and made the best of it. And swiftly, too. I have modern mirrorless cameras that would not have done much better, if at all. Sure, the 5D will not zoom in on an eye or a face, but if you want something in the scene in focus, it has you covered. The same can be said of the AE. Rock solid.
Add this with the unique lease on life AI Denoise gives on the resulting image and this is quite a winning combination. These high ISO images would not been useful as they were, but now they do not simply look fine. They have taken on their own look that I really like. This with a full frame camera and lens that cost a little less than $300. Nice.
May not be up everyone’s alley but this is nothing but a good time as far as I am concerned.
<End cut and paste.>
Happy capturing.
-ELW
Eric L. Woods 