Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/07/17

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Subject: Re: [Leica] A place for digital photography
From: Nathan Wajsman <wajsman@webshuttle.ch>
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 07:13:28 +0200
References: <4.1.20000717151438.03e8a970@gateway.photoaccess.com><027601bff041$c33f28a0$247ce8c3@simonhome> <a04320403b59940b28a2f@[168.191.250.43]> <02ec01bff047$a79705e0$247ce8c3@simonhome>

Simon,


> I thought digital was growing in sports photography as I am sure I have seen
> some D1s in use.  Interesting to hear from a bona fide photographer who has
> been exposed to, and trounced by, digital media in the field.  The only
> immediate problem with mobile communications (at least in the UK) is that
> the digital GSM networks only operate at a maximum of 9600 baud, so
> transmitting digital images can be a time consuming process.  Over here, you
> may just win the race at the 1 hour lab!

The speed limitations of mobile phones also exists in the U.S., but for
transmitting a couple of JPEGs it is still more than adequate. In any event, it
is about to be broken with the advent of 3G/UMTS services which will appear in
2002. At that point I really cannot imagine any news or sports photographer not
using digital. In those situations the emphasis is on speed, and not absolute
picture quality. When quality is the determining factor, then film rules and
will continue to do so, just as today the anachronistic and outdated 4x5 or 8x10
format is de rigeur if one is after the best possible image of any subject that
does not move around.

For me, the combination of good quality scanning and printing and Kodachrome
gives the best of both worlds. I can appreciate the Leica quality when looking
at my slides on the light table or projected with my Pradovit, and I can make
excellent prints from them using my Nikon scanner and Epson printer. Twenty
years from now those prints will no longer be considered excellent but the
slides will.

Nathan
- --
Nathan Wajsman
Herrliberg (ZH), Switzerland

e-mail: wajsman@webshuttle.ch

General photo site: http://belgiangator.tripod.com/
Belgium photo site: http://members.xoom.com/wajsman/
Motorcycle site: http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/1704/

In reply to: Message from Jim Brick <jimbrick@photoaccess.com> ([Leica] Re: Leica Users digest V17 #253)
Message from "Simon Lamb" <simon@sclamb.com> (Re: [Leica] Re: Leica Users digest V17 #253)
Message from Harrison McClary <harrison@mcclary.net> (Re: [Leica] Re: Leica Users digest V17 #253)
Message from "Simon Lamb" <simon@sclamb.com> ([Leica] A place for digital photography)