Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Jim, The issue here is not really "to capture as much, and as fine, detail as a Leica and Kodachrome 25" IMHO. The issue is to ponder at which stage the molecular level recording ability of film will not be recognized by the market as enough of a reason to maintain a chemical process in an otherwise totally digital workflow. I could make the analogy with Super8 against VCR. Up till the most recent video recording generations, the Super8 film remained largely superior to tape regarding pure imaging qualities. And only now are some TV screens capable of competing with a projection screen. Nevertheless, Super8 died extremely fast as a mainstream medium as soon as VCR reached a certain ratio of performance/convenience/price. Only a very small niche of die hard fanatics keep (or kept) on using Super8. Things are of course different in the very high end of the moving picture market (35mm and 70mm). So, I do agree with you that digital is a long way from providing what you call the Leica/K25 level of quality. But that does not mean you and I will necessarily still be shooting mainly film in 10 (?) years time. Maybe we will use it for nostalgy or for giant enlargements. But, if we satisfy ourselves already today with inkjet prints and Photoshop tweaking, and enjoy web pages, we will ALL be very tempted to forget about film when a certain number of conditions, not yet there for our applications but already there for many other applications, are met on the digital front. BTW, I'm sure there will be a Leica/digital level of quality that will be sold as visibly superior to others. High quality digital capture will need high quality glass. Alan. Jim Brick wrote: > > Many thanks BD... What you said, about my thoughts, is absolutely correct. > The 50 year thing was simply the date in the original post. We simply "do > not know" how long it will take for a portable, affordable, 35mm size, > digital sensor to be able to capture as much, and as fine, detail as a > Leica and Kodachrome 25. One problem is that in film, physical chemistry is > recording at the atom/molecule level.....<gigantic snip>...........