Digital BW, The Print

Clayton-

I think optimum aperature has taken on a whole new meaning in regards to
DIT.

With film all the "testers" used to argue the best f/ stop that gave the
most central resolution while being the best to the edges.  It was
comparative for that lens production.

With a partial frame sensor it has shifted.  IOW what may have been a great
lens for overall best quality may have a new "best."  Remember how some
lenses had much better center resolution but went crazy toward the edges?
Now that may be the best f/ stop.  With the sensor only looking at the
better portion to begin with the testing starts over.  Two to three stops
open from the samllest aperature is probably still a pretty good guide
absent other data.

However, the camera companies coming out with the "digital" lenses are
re-opening the problem since these only cover the sensor.  And, a switch to
a different size (larger) sensor may very well render them useless.  Even
with the the new lenses they refer to their focal length by film standards.

As fewer and and fewer people become "film smart" (if they ever were!) this
will lead to confusion.

Seth

 

==-----Original Message-----

==Behalf Of Clayton Jones
==>Using the "sweet spot" of the full frame lens is a double 
==edged sword.  
==>All else being equal, one gets more quality in a lens by 
==covering less 
==>area, especially at the wide end.
==
==What I meant by "sweet spot" was an optimum aperture, not 
==image circle.  With the Pro-1 I can shoot a scene a f/5.6 
==where I'd use f/32 with the P67 for similar DOF.  Since the 
==XT has a larger sensor the increased DOF compared to MF will 
==not be as dramatic as the Pro-1.  So my question is whether 
==you have found the increase enough to allow shooting at a 
==more optimum aperture (many are sharper at middle apertures, 
==less distortion, etc) for the lenses you're using.  And also 
==faster shutter as well (fewer blurry windblown things).
==
==I'm asking because I look forward to moving to a larger 
==sensor camera someday, but have gotten terribly spoiled by 
==the Pro-1's DOF (2/3 sensor).  I'm wondering what I'd be 
==giving up.  When I was in DVNP in January I used mostly f/5.6