Interesting article: "36 Megapixels vs 6×7 Velvia" and 4 x 5

[Ken Lee]

See 36 Megapixels vs 6x7 Velvia by Tim Parkin at On Landscape

[mdarnton]

Thanks for that. Here's another article, from yesterday, I was looking for a place for, and this thread seems to be the place:
http://petapixel.com/2014/12/18/comp...-film-digital/

[Ken Lee]

My only reservation/observation is that the Mamiya 7 used in the test is a rangefinder camera: precise focus is dependent on calibration of the rangefinder mechanism.

I don't know if the lenses for Mamiya RB67 are basically "diffraction limited" IE optimal as are the Mamiya 7 lenses but if they are, the resulting images could be even better than those obtainable from a Mamiya 7. A Pentax 67 might do better also for the same reason.

[Bernice Loui]

moiré pattern in the digital test images. What has been done in the digital image processing to result in those images that give the appearance of being higher resolution.

They look digital on the Mac Book Pro display via the web.


Bernice

[koh303]

My only reservation/observation is that the Mamiya 7 used in the test is a rangefinder camera: precise focus is dependent on calibration of the rangefinder mechanism.

I don't know if the lenses for Mamiya RB67 are basically "diffraction limited" IE optimal as are the Mamiya 7 lenses but if they are, the resulting images could be even better than those obtainable from a Mamiya 7. A Pentax 67 might do better also for the same reason.

Mirror shake on the RZ needs to be considered more then glass quality. Modern RZ lenses, have usually tested better resolution then 7 lenses, last time i checked.

[koh303]

In any case this is AMAZING stuff. why even bother with so expensive digital stuff when the quality is so low?

[Ken Lee]

Mirror shake on the RZ needs to be considered more then glass quality.

The mirror can be locked up, no ?

See http://www.mamiyaleaf.com/assets/fil...Z67_Pro_v4.pdf page 29:

With the RZ 67, it is possible to lock the mirror in the up position beforehand, and at the desired instant release the shutter without the usual accompanying mirror movement. Referred to as “mirror-up operation,” this technique is extremely valuable when desiring to eliminate even the slightest mirror shock...

[koh303]

The mirror can be locked up, no ?

See http://www.mamiyaleaf.com/assets/fil...Z67_Pro_v4.pdf page 29:

With the RZ 67, it is possible to lock the mirror in the up position beforehand, and at the desired instant release the shutter without the usual accompanying mirror movement. Referred to as “mirror-up operation,” this technique is extremely valuable when desiring to eliminate even the slightest mirror shock...

Yes of course. I guess for testing puproses the RZ is a better tool, regadless, the results of this test just blew my mind away. I knew it all along, but was basing this on 10 year old knowledge and testing. Surely, i told myself recently, technology has leaped ahead and the world is a different place. I guess not.

[8x10 user]

One must keep in mind that phase one has ~20 years of experience in processing files from digital cameras. Their algorithms are top notch. So the actual raw files might be softer and of course have the bayer grid. A fair comparison would include extensive post processing of the film images.

[Sal Santamaura]

...I don't know if the lenses for Mamiya RB67 are basically "diffraction limited" IE optimal as are the Mamiya 7 lenses but if they are, the resulting images could be even better than those obtainable from a Mamiya 7. A Pentax 67 might do better also for the same reason.

No, the 7 wins period. First, its lenses don't need to deal with a mirror box, so they're not retrofocus, enabling extraordinary performance. Second, any camera with a reverse-curl film path suffers from resolution-reducing bulging unless an entire roll is exposed in one continuous burst.

Pentax 67 lenses just don't achieve the same resolution as either Mamiya. See this page

http://www.hevanet.com/cperez/MF_testing.html

for some numbers.