My first 'serious' camera was a 1949 Rolleiflex that my grandfather let me use in 1967-1968. I used medium format cameras alongside my 35mm and digital equipment until I finally sold all of it just last year. I'm well aware of what medium (and large) format transparencies look like on a light table. I even used to project them.
Light table, projection ... Both are miserable ways to look at photographs, IMO. Displaying photographs on a high resolution HD television screen is better but still awful. How a photo looks in a fine art exhibition print, or in a book, or on a computer screen (aka devices like the iPad) is much more important to me. On Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 8:44 AM, Bob Sullivan <[email protected]> wrote: > Godfrey, > > Along the same lines as your commentary... > I've loved 35mm slides and projected images since I first got to > borrow my dad's Retina IIIc. > The acutance in a 35mm Kodachrome image is just wonderful. > As a consumer, early digital could make acceptable 4x6 prints. > But the last couple of cameras from Pentax (K-5 & 7) are good enough > to rival those projected Kodachromes. And my results are better. > > As for comparison to 6x7, look at transparency film on a light table > with a big loop. > It will take your breath away, and a 15 meg digital file will never > compare to it. > I won't be shooting much medium format film, but it still has real IQ > advantages. > > Regards, Bob S. > > On Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 10:17 AM, Godfrey DiGiorgi <[email protected]> > wrote: >> There is no sensible, direct translation of film acutance to digital >> resolution. I have watched people quoting ppi, sensor resolution, etc >> etc for years. It's all horsepucky. >> >> The resolution of film is dependent on many factors: >> - film speed >> - how it is exposed >> - how it is processed ... gamma is critical >> - how acutance is measured (what criteria is chosen) >> >> The resolution of a digital sensor is similarly dependent upon several >> factors >> - the size of the sensor >> - the {x,y} photosite dimensions >> - the strength of the antialiasing filter >> - how it is exposed >> - how it is processed >> - how acutance is measured >> >> All of that is important even before you think about lens qualities, >> scanning the film, etc etc. >> >> But that doesn't stop me from making an assessment based on my >> experience using specific cameras and lenses. >> >> I shot film for 45 years and have been working with digital capture >> and processing since 1984. When the first 5Mpixel digital cameras with >> good lenses appeared at an affordable price in 2002, I bought one and >> found that it totally eclipsed the capabilities of 35mm film cameras >> for my usual print sizes up to 11x14. I went to Medium Format film >> (645, 6x6, 6x9 cm) for larger prints. When I bought my first 6 Mpixel >> DSLR and top of the line lenses in 2003, I realized in short order >> that there was no longer any point to shooting Medium Format film for >> the print sizes I make (typically up to 16x20 inches). >> >> So for me, digital capture and processing outperforms Medium Format >> film and processing at the 6 Mpixel, professional quality camera and >> lenses point. Everything beyond that is a plus on the digital side, >> and the handling and management of digital capture images is far far >> far more convenient and flexible. >> >> Others will disagree with me and quote a bazillion silly numbers. But >> don't bother, please. This is an ancient debate and I'm not going to >> pursue it. I know what works for me. >> >> FWIW: I'd still like a Bronica RF645 camera with wide and normal >> lenses. A beautiful piece of equipment, always wanted to work with >> one. But if I got one, I doubt I'd get enough use out of it to be >> worth the money, even at the current $600-700 price level. >> >> >> On Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 3:24 AM, Jens <[email protected]> wrote: >>> Hello list >>> I'm getting into photographing with Pentax 67. BTW: I just got the SMC 1:4 >>> 165 mm Leaf Shutter lens for studio work. Nice lens :-). >>> Has anyone done tests, showing the resolution etc. of 6x7 film images >>> compared to digital 14-15 Mp images, please? >>> >>> Regards >>> Jens >>> >>> -- >>> Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself. >>> >>> >>> -- >>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>> [email protected] >>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>> follow the directions. >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> Godfrey >> godfreydigiorgi.posterous.com >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> [email protected] >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >> follow the directions. >> > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. > -- Godfrey godfreydigiorgi.posterous.com -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
