Photography camera's with most the most mojo

[zerocool22]

Hi guys,

Call me crazy, but I seem to missing the mojo from the canon 5DIII. At least for photography. (videography wise I think we can all agree the latest specs help out so much while shooting video, allthough I also miss the colors for video as well). But when looking through my recent photo's shot with S5II for example. They seem bland, while my photo's shot 10 years ago with the 5D III were banging. So I went to have a look at canon's site to see if there was ever released a new dslr after the 5DIV but there isnt. Not sure if the actual mirror of the DSLR's helps out to give it a smoother look / less digital. 

What other camera's these days have excellent colors for photography? As I might pick up a 5D III or 5D IV just for photography up again. Have not been into photography over the last few years though so not sure what has been cooking.

 

Thanks!

[MrSMW]

3 cameras with some ‘extra unidentifiable mojo’ for me have been:

OG Fuji X100 circa 2011

Fuji X Pro1 circa 2012

Nikon Zf 2024

There was just something very ‘filmic’ about those OG X100 files and when they were in focus, those of the Pro1 especially paired with the 60mm f2.4.

The Zf I believe shares the same sensor with the Z6, Z6ii and Lumix S5, but not the S5ii.

Most Nikonites it seems prefer it over the newer one in the Z6iii and with a lens such as the Voigt 40mm f1.2, is reckoned to be quite special indeed.

I’m thinking about picking that one up in e Mount so I can then use it on both my Sony and Zf for low light and as a walkabout lens.

[eatstoomuchjam]

If you like the colors from the older Canons, why not try a newer one?  Canon's colors SOOC are pretty consistent - enough so that when I got my R5, the first Canon I'd owned in years, my first thought on seeing the files was "Oh yeah, back to Canon."

Otherwise, the GFX 100 II has tons of mojo.  I assume that some of the other Fujis have it too - maybe worth checking the X-H2?

[Andrew Reid]

Older cameras with great JPEGs:

• Sony a900
• Canon 1D C
• Nikon D3X
• Nikon D700
• Olympus E-1 (Kodak CCD)
• Hasselblad H3D-II 39 (Medium Format Kodak CCD larger than GFX 100)
• Leica M Typ 240 (a unusual CMOS made in Belgium)
• Leica M9 (It's that Kodak CCD again)
• Samsung NX1 (OK mirrorless and newer but still banging)

[Django]

11 hours ago, zerocool22 said:

Call me crazy, but I seem to missing the mojo from the canon 5DIII. At least for photography. (videography wise I think we can all agree the latest specs help out so much while shooting video, allthough I also miss the colors for video as well). But when looking through my recent photo's shot with S5II for example. They seem bland, while my photo's shot 10 years ago with the 5D III were banging. So I went to have a look at canon's site to see if there was ever released a new dslr after the 5DIV but there isnt. Not sure if the actual mirror of the DSLR's helps out to give it a smoother look / less digital. 

The mirror on DSLRs is for the optical viewfinder. It flips up to expose the sensor for exposure so no has no impact on actual image quality. That said you are not crazy and older cameras including 5DIII have a certain mojo. To me its a factor of things, but mainly the pairing of older lenses such as EF with older sensors. Color science has also evolved with each generation towards more neutral look. Also all the lens corrections in newer mirrorless give a more clinical image. 

I miss my 5DIII and will pick one up again not just for stills but for ML Raw. None of the RAW options now seem to capture such rich colors/image.

[Ty Harper]

I'd agree and even though my main cams are two R5Cs, when it comes to photos, I prefer the look of my OG 5D MKIII. ML RAW was my video workhorse for many years but it can't be completely trusted on mission critical shoots. All that said, I sold my 1DC (which def had that mojo imo) and I've thought about getting a 5D MKIV as a compromise between the MKIII but also getting DPAF, but will prob never sell my 5D MKIII.

[Andrew Reid]

The 3.5K image with Magic Lantern RAW video on the 5D Mark III is a truly beautiful image.

Might be interesting to compare it today to Sigma Fp-L Cinema DNG, the EOS R5 Canon RAW 8K and Nikon N-RAW.

[Edward]

This is my primary question!

5DIII in RAW (esp with ML dual ISO to boost dynamic range by many stops) is something magical, to be sure.

However, the 5DIII JPEGS are also magnificent in their own way -- I keep one lying around just for the JPEGS. Somehow this camera has a miraculous ability to hold onto highlights, even in JPEG mode.

Nikon D200 CCD in RAW. It uses a Sony CCD so it's better in some ways (highlight retention and rolloff) versus the Kodak ones, but worse in others (less interesting colors). Still magical, though. I keep one lying around:

One that is often overlooked is the Ricoh GXR M-mount module. While it may share the same sensor as the X100 and Nikon D90, but it is geared a little differently.... more muted colors (except for reds), and somehow crazy good for B&W photography. Seriously, using any RAW converter (LR, rawtherapee, darktable, filmulator, all of which I've  used), you convert any RAW GXR images to B&W and it's... incredible!

Lastly, of course... the Leica M9, my primary camera for these last few years and to this day. Lately, I find that Darktable's recently introduced "Sigmoid" process is very tender with the M9's harsh highlight clipping issues, the sensor's greatest downfall. 

 

P.S. 

I think Andrew mentioned this, but the 5DII is SUPER magical, more so than the 5DIII, and right up there with the M9! I have a 5DII laying around too, but don't have any photos available. Once again, using ML's dualiso module to boost the dynamic range and this thing is just produces cinematic photos like nothing else I've ever seen! Focusing on the 5DII is and always will be an unreliable pain, though (even if just using the central point). 

P.P.S

Nikon D700 in RAW! What an incredible sensor! Delicate highlight rolloff (and lots of information there); great organic colors and lowlight performance.

 

[crevice]

For mojo from a bit newer cameras and lenses to pair with them:

Fuji 50r paired with Mitakon 65mm 1.4 - single best combo in the digital world to achieve that medium format Pentax film look. This combo is already a legend and quite honestly has the most mojo of anything I’ve used in the last decade. 
 

Nikon ZF paired with Voigtlander 40 1.2 (native mount) - Really special combo, organic and great colors. A joy to use and the files have something very special. ZF sensor produces better pics than most higher ends cameras I’ve used and that voigtlander is really special, unfortunately very hard to find in stock as well.
 

Leica SL2s paired with any Leica lens - I don’t love a lot about this camera, but the files blow most anything I’ve used out the water. I don’t know what special sauce is going on here, but the colors and look here are far better than the M11. 
 

 

[MrSMW]

1 hour ago, crevice said:

Nikon ZF paired with Voigtlander 40 1.2 (native mount) - Really special combo, organic and great colors. A joy to use and the files have something very special. ZF sensor produces better pics than most higher ends cameras I’ve used and that voigtlander is really special, unfortunately very hard to find in stock as well.

I’m still on the fence between it and the slightly larger and longer focal length 50mm f1.2 from Sigma and currently favouring the Siggy for the AF.

But not decided yet…

[Django]

8 hours ago, Edward said:

Lastly, of course... the Leica M9, my primary camera for these last few years and to this day. Lately, I find that Darktable's recently introduced "Sigmoid" process is very tender with the M9's harsh highlight clipping issues, the sensor's greatest downfall. 

M9 user here too, not familiar with this « sigmoid process » do you have a link ? It’s true the M9 highlights are tricky. Also the usable ISO range is  pretty limited like a lot of cameras of that era.  But the overall rendering when you expose right and nail the shot is fantastic, it’s also my main photography tool. 

8 hours ago, Edward said:

I think Andrew mentioned this, but the 5DII is SUPER magical, more so than the 5DIII, and right up there with the M9! I have a 5DII laying around too, but don't have any photos available. Once again, using ML's dualiso module to boost the dynamic range and this thing is just produces cinematic photos like nothing else I've ever seen! Focusing on the 5DII is and always will be an unreliable pain, though (even if just using the central point). 

I have a 5D mk1 (aka 5D Classic) and it’s also got great rendering but also suffers from ultra narrow ISO range and center only AF. Sadly my batteries don’t hold charge anymore so it’s been gathering dust, should try and source some as it’s my only Canon at the moment. 

[zlfan]

for stills, ccd cameras rule. 

[zlfan]

5d3 has no mojo except its ml raw for video and time lapse. 

[zlfan]

On 12/27/2024 at 8:53 AM, Django said:

 

I miss my 5DIII and will pick one up again not just for stills but for ML Raw. None of the RAW options now seem to capture such rich colors/image.

true. 

[Edward]

15 hours ago, Django said:

M9 user here too, not familiar with this « sigmoid process » do you have a link ? It’s true the M9 highlights are tricky. Also the usable ISO range is  pretty limited like a lot of cameras of that era.  But the overall rendering when you expose right and nail the shot is fantastic, it’s also my main photography tool. 

I have a 5D mk1 (aka 5D Classic) and it’s also got great rendering but also suffers from ultra narrow ISO range and center only AF. Sadly my batteries don’t hold charge anymore so it’s been gathering dust, should try and source some as it’s my only Canon at the moment. 

Once you get darktable up and running, you go into the modules section and disable filmicRGB and enable Signmoid instead (it's the replacement). And make sure the highlight reconstruction module is set to inpaint opposed