On 31 Mar 2005 at 2:32, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > You ton't get a well spec'd FF, but you will get a well spec'd APS. As sensor > technology evolves, the resolution and noise levels of the APS sensors will > improve significantly. I don't see any real downside.
Quantum physics have played a nasty little trick on sensor designers and has provided the limitations gratis. Of course there is still room for technological improvement like improved read circuits and better micro-lenses but it's never going to be terribly significant using even advanced semiconductor technologies. Pattern noise may be able to be tackled using new software algorithms and/or speed saving on-chip NR (like the new sensor in the 20D at 6.4um) but thermal noise is random and is a direct function of the size of the sensor pixel. If resolution is increased per surface area then noise and latitude will suffer. 5.5-7um square pixels offer about the best resolution vs noise compromise and the *ist D is already using 7um pixels. The only way that a D645 can offer better performance is to use a lower density sensor i.e. 9um square pixels (KAF-18000CE), which means in essence that they can get away with using their old lens designs without them looking like crap. > With 12mm glass, the wide > end will be covered. I wouldn't be suprised to see a 10 or 12mm DA prime. And > from what I've read, the Pentax mount is not conducive to full frame 35mm. If > one must have more than APS, the 645 is a good alternative. Not for anyone who just wants a single body to use all their very capable 35mm glass. I would be interested to see how they fare with a 10 or 12mm DA prime given their results with the 14mm (which I don't particularly like). > It may not be full > frame 645, but it's larger than full-frame 35. So what's the downside. It > won't > be hard to produce some very wide lenses for the 645. In any case, it seems > that > this is how Pentax is going to work it. They wouldn't be discontinuing the FA > lenses and replacing them with DA if a full frame 35 was in the future. But the new lenses are full frame. Rob Studdert HURSTVILLE AUSTRALIA Tel +61-2-9554-4110 UTC(GMT) +10 Hours [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://members.ozemail.com.au/~distudio/publications/ Pentax user since 1986, PDMLer since 1998
