Can you give me just one example of a type of image that might not be possible, or at least more difficult to take using 35mm instead of MFDB, apart from the higher flash syc of some MFDBs which might be necessary in certain conditions.?
Multiple strobe hits without building ambient exposure (e.g. interiors with lighting where the power of the pack cannot build enough exposure in one hit but there is enough undesirable ambient light that you cannot simply exposure for multiple seconds and fire the flash multiple times). This can be done with a Phase One back (
explanation).
True multiple exposures (the exact equivalent of doing it on film where the medium remains actively exposing while the camera body allows exposure independently). One can try to simulate the effect in post, but both technically and creatively many would prefer to do it in camera. Haven't seen this on a dSLR lately (please correct me if I'm wrong).
Triggering an exposure with zero mechanical movement (for
extreme macro work where registration is measured in fractions of a mm). This can be done with a Phase One back using a simple wakeup cable.
Sync speed (as you mentioned) - the 1/1600 sync speed of a Phase One P40+/P65+ is the highest in the world.
High resolution single-capture images. Stitching may be an option for some types of images (assuming you don't mind sitting at the computer running stitching programs all day), but some types of images MUST be captured in a single frame.
Multi-purposed images in a commercial environment - it is very common for our customers to report back to us that (long after a shoot ends) an Art Director has asked them for a very small crop of a frame. With a P65+ you can crop in very very tight and still end up with a magazine sized image that will look sharp in print. It's very hard to produce those crops after the fact with a dSLR - and even if it would have been better to
The "look" from Alternative lenses. As one example you can buy a Holga lens for a Canon (
I have one) - but the smaller sensor really fails to look of that lens that you got used to with 120 film. Or take the
Canon 85mm f/1.2 lens used on a Mamiya body - again, the look from the MFDB cannot be accomplished via a dSLR. (Maybe if you got a
kubric lens - hey I wonder if that would cover 645!?)
While not an "image you produce" - working with a traditional view camera, or a particular medium format body may provide you tools (e.g. a waist level finder, ground glass, swing/tilt/shift with any lens) that allow you to create images differently.
Friends just arrived or I would continue. Also came to mind just now but don't have time for:
True B+W capture (available on the Phase One Achromatic sensor)
Very long exposures (some dSLRs are surprisingly good at this - but none can match a P45+)
And of course these are just things that are nearly impossible with a dSLR and ignores the higher overall image quality etc etc.
Doug Peterson
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