Need of comparison pictures

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

We had an interesting and even heated discussion on this forum about whether there is a discernible advantage in DR from MFDBs compared with DSLRs in print.

It's obviously reasonable to find out by renting equipment, but it's a significant expenditure (you can buy a couple of Zeiss lenses for your DSLR for the same cost), so it's an expensive way to find out. Obviously there are tolerance issues involving MFDBs and it also seems that rental equipment may have larger issues than new equipment.

http://www.josephholmes.com/news-medformatprecision.html

Some folks are just inconveniently far away from a rental service.

My suggestion is that a well arranged shoot out, like this one: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/back-testing.shtml would be most helpful for those considering to invest like 20-30 k$
in MF digital equipment, and that companies like Capture Integration are in a good position to do it. The minimum requirement would be:

- Carefully designed conditions
- Reasonably well calibrated equpment
- RAW files offered for download

One of the readers on this forum has indicated that he may be able to shoot a comparison while he is on journey to Sidney, but I may really feel that this task is really something those selling MFDB equipment should take on.

Best regards
Erik Kaffehr

[Dick Roadnight]

Hi,
My suggestion is that a well arranged shoot out,
Best regards
Erik Kaffehr

Hi, Erik...
I was about to start a topic on the same subject... and Europe might be the obvious place to do the test.

I have an H3D11-50, and intend to upgrade to the H3D11-60 when it comes out, and it would be obvious to include the H3D11-60 and the P65+ in any MF test.

Outside my house might be a good venue for a test, giving brickwork at most distances up to 500m, with dark-on-light (TV aerials against sky) and light-on-dark (window frames) res test subjects. Within 600m there are alley-way test sites similar to the Capture Integration test site.

There is a local semi-pro who has a 24Mpx Canon, who, I expect, I could persuade to come along... and we could compare 35 mm DSLR Pan-and-stitch to MF.

There are about half a dozen MFB retailers within two or three hours drive, so there must be several owners/users in the area.

Who has a P65+ in the UK or Europe?

[EdRosch]

Capture Integration does have a comparison with downloadable TIFF's on their site.  Here's the Link.

The comparison is between the Canon 1ds3, and Phase One P21, 30+, and 45 backs.  It suffers a bit in that they use a different color space for the Canon vs. the P1's, so a close comparison of colors isn't appropriate, but looking at resolution and detail is valid.   I would like to see them update this with the latest equipment and attempt to match all parameters as closely as possible.

[Doug Peterson]

We are of course happy to provide out time and equipment free of charge to anyone willing to travel to out studios in Miami or Atlanta. We have Leaf Phase and Canon; the rest someone else would have to bring. We are also evaluating the Leica S2 to decide if we will carry it (we want to judge based on a production unit - not paper specifications). We also have bodies and lenses for each mount (Contax/Mamiya/Hassy-V/Hassy-H) as well as technical cameras such as the Cambo Wide RS.

Miami is a beautiful place to visit!

Doug
Head of Technical Services
Capture Integration

[Christopher]

We are of course happy to provide out time and equipment free of charge to anyone willing to travel to out studios in Miami or Atlanta. We have Leaf Phase and Canon; the rest someone else would have to bring. We are also evaluating the Leica S2 to decide if we will carry it (we want to judge based on a production unit - not paper specifications). We also have bodies and lenses for each mount (Contax/Mamiya/Hassy-V/Hassy-H) as well as technical cameras such as the Cambo Wide RS.

Miami is a beautiful place to visit!

Doug
Head of Technical Services
Capture Integration

Well as I said before I am in Sydney now and will do something like it. However there are limitations. Like no studio access and limited camera and lens access. However if there are people out there with a H3D-50 or a Leaf back or someone with a studio, who has some free time and would be interested in doing the test together, is free to contact me.

Regards
Christopher