Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/09/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On Wed, 4 Sep 2002, George Lottermoser wrote: > > I'm curious that you would find the Leica S series (given its digital > vintage) superior to the BetterLight technology, which I understood to > sit at the head of the class for the kind of work you described. > > George > -- George, This is a bit of a complex comparison as the BetterLight is a scanning camera as the S1 is. The Creo is most definitely a scanner, and the Sinar is a camera with scanning ability. I believe at the time I got an S1, and a friend picked it up in Germany as they were not available in the US at that time, it looked like the best available imaging device under $50K. Leica did later swap it for the newer version in spite of its origination. Perhaps BetterLight was there at the time and I missed it. The intent was to use the Leica 60mm lens, but it turned out that using the Leica as a back for a Sinar P2 with a Schneider lens worked out better with lighting. http://www.money.org/leica_s1.html (pic R3, 50mm 1.4) The statement "I'd used a Leica S1 and the BetterLight appeared like a step backward from the Leica in usability" really says nothing nor was intended to about the BetterLight's resolution, dynamic range, and color depth. It merely meant that the BetterLight looked harder to use. Last winter I did print out and read the manuals for BetterLight before selecting a Sinarback to replace the Leica S1. Judging by the specs, the BetterLight may use a Kodak KLI-14403 and the Creo a KLI-8023. The Creo has a sophisticated mechanical system supporting the sensor and the 8023 appears to have better dynamic range than the 14403. As a scanner it could very well be better, for it's generally intended use, paper, it certainly is. None of the paper money collection scanned with the Creo is up on the web, but there are about 1200 images we intend to put up. As for the Sinar, it uses the Kodak KAF-16801 chip. I've been impressed the Sinar's ability to achieve the color depth of a tri-linear array with computer-controlled multiple exposures and piezo-electric steppers synchronously moving the chip. It is quite nice to focus and it can be used with Leica lenses as the CCD shutter is separate from and can be used behind or in front of the lens. http://www.money.org/h_tml/unite.html is an example. The original image prints well enough at 27" x 27" to get the lab asking how it was made. The statement which set this discussion off was "also interesting that one of the best electronic backs is still no match for film". I don't think I'm ready to retract that yet, especially considering exposure time. Photographing the old plat map was a lark that probably has a useful outcome. In a weak moment I agreed to to the entire book and put jpgs on a CD. That will be a purely electronic endeavor. If anyone is interested, I'd put a detail of the map up for comparison, pure electronic vs 8 x 10 film/flat-bed scan. John - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html