Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/04/26

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Leica quality MF system ?
From: "Michael D. Turner" <mike@lcl-imaging.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 17:45:06 -0700

Jim Brick wrote:

> <snip>

> I should add that the reason this MF question came up, was because the
> participant saw some of my 30x40 Ciba's, which look as real as life. We
> discussed that my originals are 4x5 Velvia and that there was no way to
> accomplish this feat from 35mm, regardless of any tricks you might use. So
> the topic of MF came about. LF wasn't an option. I couldn't answer if MF
> could produce 20x24, 30x40, 40x50, etc... prints that could compete with
> 4x5. It's been exactly 34 years since I have taken a MF image.
>

I haven't used MF for about that long myself, but I have made large (30x40)
Ilfochromes from MF chromes, 4x5 and 8x10 chromes. Given proper focusing,
tripod, excellent optics, appropriate film-type, etc., excellent large prints
can be made from MF originals, especially at 20x24 or 16x20.  They really can't
compete with prints made from LF originals at these sizes or larger.
Side-by-side comparisons make that obvious. However, the difference is much less
than  between prints made from MF originals and 35mm originals. If LF is not an
option, I would use 6x7 format .

Mike