A look at Thom Hogan's site has a very interesting take on the mega pixel creep. Think I read that 90 million is the human eye resolution !! now just need the DR.
What Thom suggests is basically to keep the numbers of camera up to satisfy the markets, the mass producers have to keep adding more stuff and selling more technology in the cameras. The high end makers will continue to charge more and more for a lower set of diminishing returns to a fewer set of pro's and high disposable income amateurs.
At the low end the quality needed has been reached so they will drive Canon and Nikon high end functions into the low end, much like the Formula One development. The High end camera companies will begin to make slight changes and have a huge market in developing functionality from the DSLR market into the high end.
The actual market will shrink, as more Pros' go out of business and the quality demand of digital agencies drops. Most MF shoots now need a Canon 5D to capture the video footage that many mag and editors wants.
Whilst we are crave the higher end, most can say we do not need it. Greatest investment to make is a high quality printer. once you start printing these images, the reduced Gamut will show very little incremental benefit for the amateur and low end Pro alike.
Pentax is hitting a the right time a desire for more perceived quality. The problem is a lack of Glass. Leica comes to the market with amazing glass and it shows. Here is where the new battle shall be fought. At 40 million pixels most applications need nothing more. The only way to improve is Glass.
Manufacturers who can produce cheaper, great glass ( look to Russia in the past who tired it) perhaps China can start to copy designs and bring the cost down, then we will have a visual quality change. I shot and printed from a D3X and a D3s with the new 24-70mm lens. Printed at 24x20 I could see no difference at all. perhaps a slight colour shift but with my processing style of desaturation it made no difference.
How do I justify the Pentax I would love or indeed the I180, I cannot at present, so I look to the forum for the Sword Drawn from the Stone solution. !!!
Just the thoughts of an old MF film buff, who moved to Digital and wants to move back to MF but just cannot justify it, but so wants to. I think Pentax will surprise a few people in the coming months. Many are sick of the Japanese pricing and the uplift on Pro equipment. A new entrant is there, Phase need to react I am sure, but having so many choices is no the best thing as they have left the camera to be developed by someone else.
I think also Phase will engineer a new camera this year, so all Good. Hasselblad, I am not so sure. I think they have some changes coming and Leica is vogue, but for how long.
Dont blame me for the post, just want to blurt this afternoon with perhaps 5% accuracy ?
