Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/03/08

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Subject: [Leica] Re: film question
From: Dante Stella <dante@umich.edu>
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 08:52:40 -0500

Film, especially 35mm film, is not capable of storing nearly as much 
data as you might think.  The more steps in the process, the worse.

http://www.dantestella.com/technical/formats.html#small

Is a discussion of film resolution and its theoretical limits with 
continuous-tone subjects.  Even when you plug in gigabit film's 
theoretical resolution with a continuous tone image (700 lp/mm if I 
recall), it is a joke, because you have to enlarge it or scan it with 
equipment that is far less capable (59lp/mm is about the best you can 
do without a drum scanner).

The formula is on that URL above, so you can calculate you your heart's 
content.  If you use a scanner, use your lens resolution, film 
resolution and scanner resolution (long-side resolution / 36mm / 2).  
If you use a digican, it's the lens resolution and the sensor 
resolution (take the long side resolution / sensor long side dimension 
/ 2 / 3).  You can omit the last factor of 1/3 if you believe that 
interpolation does not hurt resolution.

Tech Pan on a Leica with a 120lp/mm objective stage gets you something 
like 40lp/mm at best; a 6x9 camera with TMY (a 400 speed film) will get 
24lp/mm.

Really kind of sobering.

Cheers
Dante

By contrast, with a typical 35mm setup,


On Saturday, March 8, 2003, at 07:19 AM, animal wrote:

> Hi, i,m trying to find an article on the amount of information film can
> hold.
> So as to compare it with nanotech memories as described in
> http://www.zurich.ibm.com/st/storage/millipede.html
> would any of you point me in the right direction?
> simon
>
> --
> To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html
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>
____________
Dante Stella
http://www.dantestella.com

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Replies: Reply from "animal" <s.jessurun95@chello.nl> (Re: [Leica] Re: film question)