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Author Topic: Last minute film or digital decision  (Read 3074 times)

larkis

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Last minute film or digital decision
« on: September 24, 2009, 01:27:56 pm »

I'm taking a 10 day trip to the jasper/banff area to do some 4x5 shooting in the parks next week. Normally I take an SLR with me on most trips as a second camera for moments where large format becomes prohibitive. I currently have a 6mp D100 and a few lenses, and I also have a 35mm film body that I can use the same lenses on.
Because I'm due for a digital camera upgrade very soon (counting on the successor of the D700, 12mp or 24mp), and don't want to buy anything in a rush before the trip, I'm trying to decide if shooting Velvia 100F (or another file grain film) would have a leg up over my 6mp D100. If I had a 12mp or higher camera the decision would be clear, but would 35mm velvia scanned on a nikon film scanner have any advantages in this case ?

I would appreciate if anyone with an experience in both film and digital mediums could weigh in on this. I generally don't print higher than 11x14 from the D100 files and in most cases going to that size is already pushing it in terms of fine details.

Eric Myrvaagnes

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Last minute film or digital decision
« Reply #1 on: September 24, 2009, 04:00:37 pm »

I bought my first digital camera about six years ago for a trip to Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay. It was a 6.3 megapixel Canon 10D, with a cheaper Canon film body (so i could use the same lenses on both). Prior to that trip I had used film in 35mm, 6x7, 4x5" and some 8x10" for close to 50 years. In the mountains it had been my custom to use 35mm or 6x7 except when close to the road.  

On that trip I took pretty much everything in both Kodachrome 64 and digital, and the 6 mp digital images greatly exceeded my expectations. Back home later on I made some side-by-side tests on tripod of 6MP digital shots compared with film on my Pentax 6x7 (scanned at a local professional lab). My impression of the results was that the 10D at 6.3 MP pretty much matched the resolution and image quality I got from the much bigger Pentax.

So my suggestion would be to take the D100 as a backup. It won't match 4x5 film, but it will do a fine job in situations where the 4x5 is just too much to carry. Then look into upgrading your digital when you can take time to study your options properly.

Good luck, and please post some photos when you get back. That is one of my favorite parts of the world.

Cheers,

Eric




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-Eric Myrvaagnes (visit my website: http://myrvaagnes.com)

douglasf13

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Last minute film or digital decision
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2009, 06:07:51 pm »

Quote from: larkis
I'm taking a 10 day trip to the jasper/banff area to do some 4x5 shooting in the parks next week. Normally I take an SLR with me on most trips as a second camera for moments where large format becomes prohibitive. I currently have a 6mp D100 and a few lenses, and I also have a 35mm film body that I can use the same lenses on.
Because I'm due for a digital camera upgrade very soon (counting on the successor of the D700, 12mp or 24mp), and don't want to buy anything in a rush before the trip, I'm trying to decide if shooting Velvia 100F (or another file grain film) would have a leg up over my 6mp D100. If I had a 12mp or higher camera the decision would be clear, but would 35mm velvia scanned on a nikon film scanner have any advantages in this case ?

I would appreciate if anyone with an experience in both film and digital mediums could weigh in on this. I generally don't print higher than 11x14 from the D100 files and in most cases going to that size is already pushing it in terms of fine details.

FWIW, the D700 is probably barely half way through its product cycle, so you may not want to wait.
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larkis

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Last minute film or digital decision
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2009, 09:38:45 pm »

Quote from: douglasf13
FWIW, the D700 is probably barely half way through its product cycle, so you may not want to wait.

The Sony alpha900 or 850 seem to be in a similar price range to the D700, is there a case to be made for that camera when it comes to the future ? I don't have a huge investment in nikon glass but don't want to get into a system from another company that can can a dead end. Any thoughts ?

image66

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Last minute film or digital decision
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2009, 02:34:28 pm »

Since you already have the 4x5 for high-res, high-quality stuff, this frees you from having to pick either of the other cameras for that role.

The decision shouldn't be based on resolution, but on color and other factors.  I personally would shoot Velvia 100 in the 35mm and leave the digital at home.  But that's me.
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Wayne Fox

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Last minute film or digital decision
« Reply #5 on: October 21, 2009, 11:14:01 pm »

If its more of a secondary camera for when you don't want to haul the big camera, you might want to consider something like the Lumix GF1 and a couple of lenses.  After reading the reviews on Luminous Landscape and over on The Online Photographer, I'm picked one up for a similar role ... when I don't want to haul the phaseone MF system.  I'm delighted by the quality especially considering how small the system is. A consdierable step above a point and shoot, but not that much larger than one - a multi lens system that fits in a bag that would only hold a dSLR body without a lens. Large enough sensor it performs much more like a dSLR than a point and shoot. so far I'm really pleased ...


Just a thought...
« Last Edit: October 21, 2009, 11:16:05 pm by Wayne Fox »
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