Digital BW, The Print

Yes, it's a bit distressing to see the big names of the film world
falling like flies.  Have to find a replacement for Agfa FB.  I'm also
conscious that Leica needs to get seriously into digital or go under.

I wasn't aware of the Epson.  Interesting article on it here

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/rd-1-lens.shtml

Think I'll hold out a little longer - my golden rule on all things
computer related is to never buy before you have to.  I think I could
be tempted by a digilux with greater resolution than 5MP.

In the meantime, though, I have to try to master my scanner and R2400!
And either find a decent source for Epson VFA in Sydney or work out
how to use the Hahnmuele.  And work out a way of presenting my Xpan
images big... 

Thanks for all of the advice on the above, by the way.

Regards
Gareth

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Adam Maas
<mykroft@m...> wrote:
>
> Well, there's always the Epson RD-1, which is an M mount digital 
> rangefinder.
> 
> -Adam
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Kip Babington wrote:
> > I too would have liked a digital M, but gave up hope several years ago
> > and bought into the digital Nikon SLR world (to keep using my
> > accumulation of Nikon lenses.)  There was considerable discussion on
> > some of the Leica forums I used to visit (before I sold all my Leica,
> > Nikon, Minox and Rollei film gear) that covered the technological in
> > feasibility of successfully (i.e., usefully) mounting a digital sensor
> > in a Leica-dimensioned body, given the current state of the art. 
Epson
> > made (still makes?) a digital rangefinder with a Leica mount but
with a
> > reduced-size sensor (smaller than 24x36mm) and so the delightful
size of
> > an M6 with a 35mm Summicron doesn't get you the same wide angle of
view
> > in the Epson that your get with film Leica.  The consensus of the
> > technically knowledgeable  at the time was that the laws of physics
> > simply precluded the production of digital sensors in 24x36 size that
> > would work with existing Leica lenses at the lens-to-film
distances used
> > in the Leica rangefinders.  Sigh.
> > 
> > As for the obsolescence point, remember that a camera that takes fine
> > pix today will take just as fine pix next year, even if there's a
> > "better" model available next year.  Better models are announced
> > continually in the digital world (who knows when, if ever, that will
> > end) and by the time they're actually available in stores there
> > frequently are at least rumors of even better models right around the
> > corner.  Again, if it would be a good tool today, it will be a
good tool
> > tomorrow.  I paid full list for my Nikon D100 when it came out,
and now
> > I could buy it for half (if it's even still available) but I've had
> > several years of wonderful use from it so far, and have no
intentions of
> > replacing it in the near future as it does what I need it to do.
> > 
> > I kept all of my film gear for more than a year after I got my
D100, and
> > after not taking a single frame of film in that time decided to let it
> > go.  I was surprised that it didn't bother me in the least to let
it go
> > (I had had one of them, a Leica IIIc, since the 1950s) and I have not
> > missed it in the years since.  I had a fair bit of Leica gear,
including
> > an M6 with 7 lenses (2 of them for the Visoflex - hard core!) and
loved
> > both having and using it, but the ease of MY getting better
results with
> > digital made it easy to let go.  I used to go through about 250
rolls of
> > B&W film a year (and about 1 roll of color every 2 years) and did
all my
> > own developing and printing.  I now take MORE images digitally each
> > year, "process" them much more quickly (a dozen or more contact sheets
> > of a weekend's shooting hung up to dry within an hour or two of
sitting
> > down at the computer, and most of that time the software is compiling
> > the contacts while I'm reading email) and create better looking
(to ME)
> > prints faster and easier than I ever did in a wet darkroom.
> > 
> > Of course, YMMV.
> > 
> > Cheers,
> > Kip
> > 
> > garethjolly wrote, in part:
> > 
> >  >Thanks everyone
> >  >
> >  >A couple of things
> >  >
> >  >- like a few others on the list, obsolescence is an issue for
me.  I'd
> >  >like the technology to stabilise before investing.  Top end
digital is
> >  >also very expensive compared to top end 35mm
> >  >
> >  >- I use a Leica M7 (and recently also an Xpan).  I'd like to get a
> >  >digilux, but at the moment, it's spec.s are well off the pace (5
> >  >megapixel).  Actually, ideally, I'd like a digital M where I
could use
> >  >my existing lens.  To be honest, I wouldn't go back to an SLR.  The
> >  >Leica Ms are beautiful camera's to use and suit my style of
photography
> >  >
> >  >- I love darkroom printing - both from an aesthetic point of
view and
> >  >simply as a relaxant.  Scanning film gives me the best of both
worlds
> >  >for the moment.
> >  ><snip>
> >  >
>