Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., Robert Morrison 
<rmorrison@p...> wrote:
> Yeah...its a tough call between these two...more resolution (5 vs. 
4), wider
> angle lens (28mm vs. 34mm) and higher max shutter speed (1/4000 vs. 
1/1000)
> on the Nikon side, and 10bit Raw format, faster lens (f2 vs. f2.8) 
and
> cheaper on the Canon side.  Honestly, I can't image that 10bit RAW 
is that
> big an advantage over 8bit TIFF in image quality

It does give you some headroom to work with, and you can push the 
historams around, say the contrast was too narrow- you can pull the 
endpoints and get a good non-combed output. But yes, it does have 
limitations- if the histogram was only half, even 3/5 the full tonal 
scale don't expect to correct it like you could with 12 bits+

I think it would be fair to say it gives you a modest amount of 16 bit 
correction.

Although Robert, I can add an item to the con list for the Canon G2- 
manual focusing is hard to do with this thing, and there are reports 
of the auto-focus being inacurate. It is one of the things I really 
hate about using it.



...but the smaller 
file size
> probably helps for those not running 1gB microdrives.


Yeah, one of the things I learned about the microdrives is that they 
are rated for a maximum altitude of about 9000 ft. It uses air as a 
bearing, and just gets too thin to be a bearing. I didn't want to 
trust it at even 5000 ft, the lowest I can get around here. All I have 
to do is drive west for 15 minutes and I'd violate the drive 
warranty.<g>

> 
> I recently started looking for a prosumer smaller camera that was 
more
> portable than my D1x and decided there wasn't anything out there to
> buy...everybody seemed to have some fatal flaw.  I really liked the 
specs of
> the new Leica Digilux 1...but then the SD card issue killed it. I 
wonder
> what Coolpix 3 is?  It is due to be announced on Wednesday.
> 
> Its ironic...I've switched to digital for much of my "serious" 
work...but
> when it comes to having a camera always with me...I'm still thinking 
about
> shooting film.


I am just now coming to the same conclusion. There are few 
restrictions on my film cameras. I can get really wide angle like I 
want it, the controls work faster, I have a NICE mechanical focus 
ring. I'm feeling like I can shoot faster and more accurately and less 
hassle with a good manual film camera (small or large) than with a 
compact digital wonder. Even my nice little Rollei 35's. Maybe I'd 
feel different with your D1x or Canon's new D60...
Jim H.

> 
> Robert
> 
>