Digital BW, The Print

> Hi Austin, have you ever used the SI software that was posted on the
> list about 2 weeks ago?

Hi Jerry,

My scanner is high enough resolution, and I don't print over 20x24 digitally
anyway...so I haven't had the need to use any of those.

> In comparison with Genuine Fractals and Adobe
> bicubic upsampling, it gave sharper, more detailed results than either
> Genuine Fractals or Photoshop Bicubic. I tried it on several images, and
> it is better. Again, not by much, but enough to make it the upsizer of
> choice. I'll send you a copy if you'd like to try it.

Sure.

> It is an action
> that upsamples the image many times in small increments. Hard to believe
> that could work, but it does. I always upsample my D-30 images to 36
> Megs or so for final use, then sharpen as much as I can, and then reduce
> that image if I ever need a smaller one.

I believe that upsampling can get smarter and possibly "simulate"
detail...but in the end, just like a Pixar movie, or Super Nintendo
game...it's still not really real ;-)

> Regardless of the numbers say, the D-30 is capable of some very nice
> images up to 12x18 inches.

I know, and I've never said otherwise.

> And I'm very picky as you know, but probably
> not as picky as you are.

Oh, I don't know about that ;-)

> And I also am willing to bet you have better
> eyesight than I do. It is rare to find someone who is that picky. That's
> a good thing, right?

Well, I really wouldn't call it picky, in my case.  It's just I know how
this stuff works...it's kind of like finding out there is no "fictional
character of your choice"...

> Canon is releasing a 6 megapixel camera soon, that
> has a full size chip. a 17 mm lens will still be a 17mm lens. Wonder
> what THAT is going to cost?

One of the issues I have with getting that type of digital camera now, is
none of them use any of the lenses I already have tens of thousands of
dollars invested in!  It'll probably be 5 or more years before I get a
traditional "35mm" SLR digital camera, and it'll probably be the
Contax...used, as well as wait for more lenses to come out.  I know I will
eventually get one, it's just a matter of time.  I'm in no hurry to stop
using my film based 35mm, and I shoot mostly B&W anyway, except P&S with my
little Contax TVS.

I shoot WIDE open most of the time, and really need FAST lenses and manual
focus.  I don't believe any autofocus can reliably give me what I want when
shooting with a 1/4" DOF.  Most of the digital (and autofocus) cameras have
slow lenses...probably for increased DOF purposes...

Regards,

Austin