Digital BW, The Print

> For the sake of simplicity, lets assume you've got an 8Mp 36x24mm digital
> camera. This camera would have enough resolution to record the 50 lp/mm
> images you can expect when hand-holding with consumer-grade lenses and
> filters. However, putting that camera on a tripod and using professional
> lenses won't get you any extra resolution. Nothing you do can increase the
> amount of detail you can capture (those lucky film guys can always upgrade
> to better film/lenses/tripods/filters/etc for more detail!).

Darren,

Aside from the difference for color, which, I agree, isn't that big a deal,
there's a huge difference for B&W though...as these mentioned digicams only
shoot in Bayer pattern RGB, you really don't get near the resolution and
accurate tonality you get from B&W film with a digicam.

Another issue is that film grains are random (in position and somewhat in
size), digicams are not.  Because of this, they really don't map 1:1 as far
as resolution goes...

For most color work not requiring much enlargement, most people will be
quite happy with a 6M pixel Bayer pattern digicam of decent quality, and
certainly 8 would be better ;-)

Austin