DSLR dynamic range (was: Re: [Leica] Canon Introducs 2 new digital SLRs)

[richard-lists at imagecraft.com (Richard)]

I have been thinking about this as well. One thing that no doubt many of 
the veterans know but is news to me is how much dynamic range you can have 
with certain B&W film, especially in diluted developers to extend the time 
it sits in the soup. I guess this is the legendary "toe and shoulder" thing 
that people mention about Tri X, for example. I see some of these 
characteristics in some of my pictures and it's really neat.

At 07:29 PM 8/23/2005, Doug Herr wrote:

>FWIW, the dynamic range is an issue for me because of the many subjects I
>encounter with both white and black in their plumages.  Woodpeckers and
>magpies, for example, not to mention the bright whites of egrets combined
>with foliage and shadows of their habitat.
>
>If I were to buy a DSLR body I'd hate to have spent multiple thousands of
>dollars on a tool that restricts me to a limited dynamic range.  Wildlife
>doesn't hold still long enough to bracket exposures and combine in
>Photoshop.  With the R8 and film back, and with the Leicaflexes, changing my
>capture medium's dynamic range is a sub-$10 expenditure.

// richard (This email is for mailing lists. To reach me directly, please 
use richard at imagecraft.com)