Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/08/13
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Mark Rabiner wrote: >>> A friend of mine says: Digital sensors, regardless of how tightly packed the pixels are, are not even close to film when it comes to capturing 'resolution'. That's why sensors require low pass (dumbing down) filters. <<< I find it more useful and accurate to compare a specific film with a particular sensor under specified conditions. If the comparison is too general a case can be made for either medium being "better". Many comparisons I've seen that show film out-resolves digital involves a black-on-white test chart, black-and-white film, and a bayer-pattern sensor. This comparison favors the B&W film because it throws away all of sensor's color information and gradation, and the film resolution can be represented with just a few silver-halide grains. The bayer-pattern sensor can provide all of the color information and gradation in the same pixel pattern as for its black/white information (comparable to B&W film) while a color film needs multiple dye clouds visually blended together to represent the same color information in a single bayer-pattern pixel. Neither the M8.x nor the DMR use an AA filter so it seems this is not really "required". Now, my specified conditions: Comparing 11" x 14" lightjet prints made from Provia 400 scanned at 4000 dpi with 11" x 14" lightjet prints made from ISO 400 DMR files (same lens for all photos), the gallery owner I met with this week did not conclude that the film-origin prints were sharper. He had no idea what camera, lens or technology I used on any of the photos so he had no vested interest in either technology. He singled out the DMR prints and commented on the 'remarkable detail and color quality', and he asked what camera I was using. The prints he chose for the gallery were all from the DMR. YMMV. Doug Herr Birdman of Sacramento http://www.wildlightphoto.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web LIVE ? Free email based on Microsoft? Exchange technology - http://link.mail2web.com/LIVE