Re: [Leica] Digital Leica and reality

["Steve Barbour" <kididdoc@home.com>]

Frank... I follow your excellent arguments..... but bees can fly, and film
doesn't capture what some Leica lenses are capable of.  Steve
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Frank Filippone" <red735i@earthlink.net>
To: "Leica-Users-Group" <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2001 8:35 AM
Subject: [Leica] Digital Leica and reality


> I want to try to establish some understanding for what a digital camera
can
> and can not be expected to do.....
>
> First, there are x by y pixels in a digital camera 's sensor.  Without
> comment or arguing about the current state of the art, and for the ease in
> the math, let us suppose there are 1000 x 1500 pixels in a particular
sensor
> of discussion.
>
> When you blow up an image to say 10 times the area of the sensor ( say a
> 16x20 print from a 35mm neg) there are 2 choices open to the  printer:
Use
> the original 1.5 million pixels and have the final print look pixelated (
> fairly large  square boxes of monotonic behavior ) or you can INVENT some
> new "things" that go between the original pixels, and somehow bleed the
real
> pixels and the invented ones together to get a more pleasing result.
>
> If you were to use the original 1.5M Pixels, the result would be blocky.
So
> no one does this.  What does happen is that there are algorithms designed
to
> make up new, smaller  pixels as combinations of those real pixels.
> Therefore our finished print is made up of 1.5 BILLION pixels, of
> substantially smaller size per pixel.  The customer is happy because his
> resultant picture looks "better"... it is not blocky.
>
> Enter the Leica-nut.  He wants Bokeh, he wants smooth out of focus areas.
> He wants high microcontrast but low overall contrast.  HE wants ( do you
get
> the point that he is picky?)  HE also wants to keep the quality of analog
> film, but in a digital world.  This requires a sensor of size 1.5 BILLION
> pixels.  Mr Leica Engineer can calculate this number precisely.
>
> OK.... now Mr Schmidt at Leica Solms is now designing a new M camera, the
> Leica M-DF ( M camera for the Digital Film).  He can buy only the 1.5 M
> pixel sensor.  His customers want the old results..... remember he is
picky.
> So he visits Intel to make a new sensor.,..... 1.5 BILLION Pixels with
high
> micro contrast , etc.etc.etc..... Intel says the sensors are possible
using
> silicon wafers that were made by drawing the ingots during the last 3
Space
> Shuttle shots, cost of $7.8 billion dollars each, just like NASA pays.  Mr
> Schmidt now heads home to visit marketing...
>
> SWITCH TO SOLMS> MEETING ROOM M6-DF.  6 MARKETING GUYS< HERR COHN, AND 47
> ACCOUNTANTS..
> Can you imagine how well this Intel data is received?   The veritable
> disgusting item in the punch bowl.
>
> Mr. Schmidt then says...... We can get a relationship going with Adobe for
a
> new set of Photoshop plug-ins....the BOKEH Filter.....   $100,00 later and
> we can all have digital Leica prints from Kodak P+S digital cameras.  Now
if
> you prefer the Nikon or Canon lens characteristics, or maybe the GOerz
Dagor
> from 1865, that too can be designed...."
>
> BY INVENTING an algorithm that makes up pixels just like you want them to
> look.....You want Bokeh, you can have Bokeh.  All you want.  But there is
no
> need for a Leica lens or camera anywhere in the equation.  Remember that
> now, your pixels are being created not by photons, but some computer geek
> ( present party of course excused) that does strange things to small
animals
> on weekends.
>
> You wanted the future of the digital M camera from Leica, you just got a
> shot of reality.
>
> This is not to say that Leica will not have a more sophisticated digital
> camera than the Digilux, but rather that the quality of Leica glass can
not
> today, nor maybe within our lifetimes, be actually CAPTURED using digital
> sensor techniques.
>
> GO take some pictures, or like I am doing today, print up some from a
> previous adventure.
>
> D5 Enlarger, Aristo Cold Light head, No computer.
>
> Frank Filippone
> red735i@earthlink.net
>