Film vs. Digital [was Re: [Leica] Re:Leica D200]

[jonathan at openhealth.org (Jonathan Borden)]

Douglas Herr wrote:

>>> There's another reason to go back to or stay with film.  Digital
>>> cameras today are where computers were ten years ago.  They're in a
>>> horsepower (MegaPixel, noise level)/Feature (e.g., LCD size) race.
>>> Buy one today and it's obsolete in a year or year and a half at  
>>> most.
>>>
>>
>> ...
>>
>> Sure, there are bigger and better things out there now, but since I
>> haven't outgrown it, it doesn't feel like a problem.
>>
>
> The problem is that as the newer and better equipment becomes  
> available the minimum acceptable publication standards also  
> change.  It wasn't long ago that this photo http:// 
> www.wildlightphoto.com/mammals/lagomorphs/pika00.jpg sold well to  
> book and magazine publishers, including Audubon magazine.  Films  
> and lenses have improved enough since the photo was made that photo  
> editors are now expecting better technical quality, and this  
> particular photo is no longer usable in many markets.

For me, the crossover point is when the technical quality of prints  
from digital cameras equal those of film cameras. Sure one can always  
step up from 35mm to MF or LF when technical quality demands (and  
likewise one can still step up to MF digital). Do you really mean  
that *film* quality has improved since that photo was taken?  
(admittedly the Astia 100F is nice, but is it really much better than  
Kodachrome 25 :-))

The point is that I believe we have reached a point when current  
digital cameras are not likely to rapidly become obsolete. I am ready  
to replace SWMBO's Olympus Stylus (the film version) with the new  
Pana-Leica D-Lux 2. (assuming the shutter lag time doesn't render it  
completely useless -- I want to test this in a store before committing).

I also think it is probably the right time for Leica to come out with  
a Digital M assuming it will have roughly equivalent sensor quality  
to something like the Canon 5D.

Any improvements over that are basically going to give you a MF  
quality sensor in a small form factor.

Jonathan