Digital BW, The Print

Derek,

NASA, the government, and the Navy, (I was a photographer's mate in the
Navy) had sharper lenses in 1964 than the average civilian camera has
today. The detail I saw on some of the photos we used to process was
fantastic, even back then.  Some of the astronomical films can resolve
800 lines per millimeter. We can't get them as far as I know, let alone
a lens that could make use of that resolving power. But the Military and
NASA can.

Jerry

derek_c@... wrote:
> 
> By definition NASA or rather satellite makers use obsolescent technology!

Some of it, sure, but how about the actual lenses?
> 
> Firstly a satellite project starts years before it gets into space, and
> they can't continually use the latest technology but rather what's
> available at the beginning of the project.
> 
> Secondly space hardware needs to be radiation hardened, and radiation
> hardened microprocessors themselves are always some way behind the state
> of the art.
>