Sharpening

There are four in-camera sharpening settings, for RAW images the setting is simply recorded in the image file header (there are far more sharpening options available in Photo Desk for RAW images). For JPEG images these are of course applied at the time of writing (my preference was Low).

Settings: ISO 160, Canon EF 24-70 mm F2.8L, Normal NR, Product Look

Sharpening: None

Sharpening: Low

Sharpening: Medium

Sharpening: High

Noise Reduction (JPEG)

The SLR/c provides two levels of noise reduction for in-camera JPEG's, these are 'Normal' and 'Strong'. As we commented in our 14n review it is a pity that Kodak don't offer a Low or None setting, this means that it is impossible to shoot JPEG without the intervention of Kodak's 'watercolor' style of noise reduction. As you can see this type of noise reduction isn't particularly good or pretty.

Settings: ISO 800, Canon EF 24-70 mm F2.8L, Low Sharpening, Product Look

Noise Reduction: Normal (ISO 800)	Noise Reduction: Strong (ISO 800)

Lens Optimization

A new feature available on the SLR/c is 'Lens Optimization', according to the lens optimization supplement "Some lenses produce a color shift in the corners of images. Your camera has a feature that corrects this color shift to create a more uniform image". And that when set to the Auto position "This method automatically determines the correction strength for each image based on analysis of the image data. This feature works with most lenses and may be the only method you ever need to use. When the camera is in Auto, all of the work is done for you." I can't say I've seen this issue on other digital SLR's, nor the EOS-1Ds (which is the only other with a full 35 mm frame sensor).

The images below are of a Kodak grey card shot with Canon's EF 50 mm F1.4 lens at three different apertures. As you can see Lens Optimization doesn't correct vignetting which is clearly visible at F1.4. While it does partially correct the strange magenta 'bars' running down the sides of the frame it also introduces a green color cast around them.

Settings: ISO 160, Canon EF 50 mm F1.4, Low Sharpening, Product Look

Lens Optimization: Manual (0)	Lens Optimization: Auto
F1.4
F2.8
F9

When Lens Optimization goes wrong

On several occasions I noticed images which appeared to have an odd green cast near the edges of the frame, after a while I realized that this was caused by Kodak's Lens Optimization algorithm essentially "going wrong", applying optimization where it wasn't required or applying too much. This can be easily proven by shooting RAW+JPEG and setting Lens Optimization to zero for the RAW image. The image below was taken at 30 mm using Canon's EF 24-70 mm F2.8L lens in RAW+JPEG mode, as you can see the JPEG image has a strong green color cast at the top and bottom (left and right if not rotated), opening the RAW image it had a Lens Optimization strength of 47, I reduced this to zero and the result is far better.

Settings: ISO 160, Canon EF 28-70 mm F2.8L, Low Sharpening, Product Look, RAW+JPEG

JPEG from camera Lens Optimization: Auto (47)	JPEG from RAW (saved from Photo Desk) Lens Optimization: 0 (was 47)