[cactus_farmer]

I am looking to get into it, but have absolutely no idea about the gear out there.

One questions I had was: just like different headphones have different sound signatures (Sennheiser HD650 with warm bass and lower mids vs Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro with colder mids and sharper treble - for example), do different cameras/camcorders have different 'image signatures'? For example, would a Sony shoot colder, sharper images whereas a Cannon would shoot warmer, smoother images?

If sound signature is mainly related to frequency response, do different cameras have different 'colour response' and therefore tend to produce colder vs warmer images?

Or is there not really any such thing as an 'image signature' based on 'colour response', and the difference between cameras is mainly to do with technical performance and feature-set?

 

[wenbinbin2010]

Different brands of cameras AND brands of lenses do tend to have a certain signature, but it's much more subtle than what you're referencing with headphones. Most people stick to certain brands out of familiarity rather than a slight difference in color tone (unless you're a Leica fan).

Regardless, there's much more to pro photography/videography than gear, as it actually is a skill too -- from the basic skills of operating a professional camera, to framing, lighting, editing, posing, etc. I don't really do video, so for photography, my typical recommendation is to get a quality prime lens (35 or 50 mm) and decent camera body, then start practicing.

 

[bifcake]

I am looking to get into it, but have absolutely no idea about the gear out there.

One questions I had was: just like different headphones have different sound signatures (Sennheiser HD650 with warm bass and lower mids vs Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro with colder mids and sharper treble - for example), do different cameras/camcorders have different 'image signatures'? For example, would a Sony shoot colder, sharper images whereas a Cannon would shoot warmer, smoother images?

If sound signature is mainly related to frequency response, do different cameras have different 'colour response' and therefore tend to produce colder vs warmer images?

Or is there not really any such thing as an 'image signature' based on 'colour response', and the difference between cameras is mainly to do with technical performance and feature-set?

The answer to your question is yes and no. When you take a shot, the camera sees the image through the color array, it then digitizes the image, then, it takes the data and processes it through a demosaicing process, applies a color profile and spits out a jpg. It is this, out of camera jpg that people allude to when they talk about a particular look of certain cameras.

When you shoot RAW, you take the demosaicing process out of the camera and that allows you to apply custom color profiles. If you do the proper white balance and apply the custom profiles, the images from all cameras should look the same. Otherwise, it would be impossible to do reproduction work or any type of work where accurate color reproduction is essential.

 

[Claypole]

There will be measurable differences, but I wouldn't say different cameras give different image 'signatures'. Any differences between images would be down to the photographer, the image processing and editing.

 

[wladymeer]

Take my impression with pre-caution as I'm not a professional when videography comes, but, some EOS M Canon camera has a bit of red tint when compared to the Nikon counterparts from the same tier.

But, in general, as long as you have a clear shots, my guess is that everything can be "fixed" - of course, unless you're up for Academy Awards

 

[tdl2024]

Yes, different brands have their own color science (think of it as "house sound"), but that mostly applies to jpgs (there are some special cases you're probably not going to come across). Ideally you'd shoot raw and adjust colors to suit in post (photoshop, lightroom, resolve, etc).

All things being equal, you can get similar output from any modern camera (within reason, again...there's some special cases out there) with proper exposure and basic post skills. What you're paying for is basically the system (lenses and accessories) and the ease of use (ergonomics).

 

[xand]

I am looking to get into it, but have absolutely no idea about the gear out there.

One questions I had was: just like different headphones have different sound signatures (Sennheiser HD650 with warm bass and lower mids vs Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro with colder mids and sharper treble - for example), do different cameras/camcorders have different 'image signatures'?

Yes. Color science of each manufacturer is a little different.

For example, would a Sony shoot colder, sharper images whereas a Cannon would shoot warmer, smoother images?

Not sharpness though, only color. Sharpness is determined by sensor, lens and available light.

If sound signature is mainly related to frequency response, do different cameras have different 'colour response' and therefore tend to produce colder vs warmer images?

Yes.

Or is there not really any such thing as an 'image signature' based on 'colour response', and the difference between cameras is mainly to do with technical performance and feature-set?

As others have mentioned, you can adjust color generally - but note that Lightroom does try to keep to the color science of the relevant manufacturer, and if you absolutely hate a particular look editing color continually is a pain.

However, I still suggest against picking based on color.

Tell us what you want to photograph and a budget and we can make some recommendations.

 

[Mimic]

Biggest thing is how clean the image is at low ISO for myself. I take pictures in poor lighted areas typically and any camera that can't make a simple lamp work with decent shutter speed or low grain drives me insane. As for coloration, editing and lighting of what you videograph/photograph makes a bigger difference than the actual camera in most cases, and resolution/grain.

 

[Chicen]

I am a novice photographer and just recently had to work on a farm. We were photographing equipment for growing produce TerraBloom in greenhouses. There were a lot of different subjects. It was the first time I had seen such items as shown here. We did both video and photo shoots. We shot with 3 cameras, Nikon, Canon, Sony and regarding your question I would like to give a small opinion. When you compare one camera to another, one of the models can have a distinct advantage. This is for a reason: manufacturers have never produced two completely different models, giving them some kind of advantage over their competitors. Nikon, for example, has an advanced autofocus system. Nikon has a better video mode and more different kinds of electronic chips. Each camera can take a warmer or cooler picture. But if you're choosing a camera, look at the other features as well.