How does a Nikon D600 create smaller image sizes, and is it better to downsample or use DX crop?
Asked 1/4/2013
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I use a Nikon D600 and like the full 6000×4000 resolution for landscapes, but for many subjects 24MP feels unnecessary and makes post-processing heavier. If I choose a smaller output size, how does the camera produce it? Does it use the full sensor and downsample, or does it skip pixels? Also, on the D600, is it better to shoot a smaller file size by downsampling or by switching to DX crop mode?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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All photosites are used and the image is down-sampled by software running on the camera. This gives higher image quality than skipping pixels which is what happens in video mode and why you will easily see moire artifacts in videos but not in images.
Some cameras use even more clever processing combined with a special arrangement of pixels to make down-sampling easier given the interleaved layout of the Bayer filter use on most cameras.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
13y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For still photos, the camera generally uses all the sensor’s photosites and then downsamples the image in-camera rather than skipping pixels. That’s preferable for image quality: proper downsampling reduces artifacts, while pixel-skipping is more associated with video and can lead to moiré.
On the D600 specifically, if your goal is simply a smaller file and less processing load, DX crop mode is a practical option. In DX mode the camera uses only the central portion of the sensor instead of scaling the full FX image down, giving about 3936×2624 output. That is smaller than 4500×3000, but it avoids in-camera resampling and can be a cleaner choice than a JPEG resized from the full-frame image.
If you want maximum flexibility and image data, shoot full-resolution RAW and downsample later. If you mainly want smaller files straight out of camera, use a smaller JPEG size or DX crop depending on whether you want the full field of view or are happy with the crop.
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