Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Walt Mucha"
<wkm@k...> wrote:
 
> 
> Photojournalists, fashion photographers, wedding photographers and
many other pros having been shooting digital for years.

Of course.

 
> >The severe shortcomings of digital (eg involving exposure index, wide
> >lenses, physical bulk of higher level digital cameras) make it less
> >suitable for many situations than film. I'm sure this will change
> >dramatically when current Nikons/Canons are retired.
> 
> The exposure index on most pro cameras ranges from ISO 100-1600.

Right, they are limited.

 Canon has a full frame sensor so there is no wide angle problem

Wrong, there's a big problem...they don't have anything to equal
typical film lenses of 20mm, for example. 

> and their bulk is about the same as their pro film cameras.

Wrong of course...they're huge and bloated. But they'll be
discontinued within a year or two for smaller models, more comparable
to film SLRs.
> 
> 
> >Many of us are thrilled with the incredibly fine films that have been
> >introduced only recently, easily enabling beautiful color and B&W
> >rated at 1600 and 3200.

> >
> >As obviously, many of us need physically small cameras with
> >24mm-and-wider lenses, many of us want our standard lenses to be
> >rectilinear, and many of us don't find the inferior viewfinders of
> >most digital cameras acceptable.
> 
> Physically smaller cameras are generally the rage of amatuers.

Yes, and photojournalists. While I agree that amateurs (note the
spelling) aren't the whole market, they do tend to drive the market.

> Take a look at the Canon 5D. Same size as the 20D with full frame
sensor. If you want retilinear lenses they are the same for film as
digital and are found in mostly 14-16 mm and expensive.

Expensive is OK...it's a matter of whose wallet. Why would you assert
that money was a problem?
> 
> >Unfortunately the only digital camera that approaches certain specific
> >professional/amateur requirements, long met by film, seems the Epson,
> 
> You can't possibly be serious!

Walt, fwiw I'm impressed by the work of people like Edward Weston and
even Sebastio Salgado (who is way past mere 12mp gizmos already, but
as you may know has recently done some of photography's best work on
fillum).
> 
> Regards, Walt

Walt, It's great that you enjoy your collection of digital cameras,
but this is a B&W printing Group: it tends to be friendly to people
who shoot film, even including Leicas and wooden view cameras...if you
can imagine!
 
I look forward to committing to digital cameras myself, probably as
early as 2007/8, when Fujiblad or Mamiya's got 22MP under control and
the price drops. They're already relatively cheap, no more expensive
than your gas station's smog testing equipment.

Regards, John


>