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Thread: New BetterLight back

  1. #1

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    New BetterLight back

    Better Light has annoucned a new back coming by the end of March:

    http://www.betterlight.com/super10K_PR.html

    In short:

    72 x 96mm capture area
    10,200 x 13,600 pixels
    416 Megapixels
    794 MB 48-bit true RGB (no interpolation)
    70 lines/mm with 60% contrast (per manufacturer specs, no tests yet)
    1/8th - 1/20th of a second capture times
    64 - 1000 ISO
    11 resolution settings
    ICC-aware
    $22,995

  2. #2
    Jack Flesher's Avatar
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    Re: New BetterLight back

    Hehehe, pretty sweet, eh? Only problem is finding lenses that will as good as that sensor!
    Jack Flesher

    www.getdpi.com

  3. #3

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    Re: New BetterLight back

    this would be an excellent solution for art repro... especially very large images that need to be repro'd at the same size.

    i'd say it has limited, if any, use in field capture (the Super6K actually gives more than you really need for the field). There are very few lenses than will be usable with the back, since it out resolves almost every commercially available lens for LF.

  4. #4

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    Re: New BetterLight back

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim collum View Post
    this would be an excellent solution for art repro... especially very large images that need to be repro'd at the same size.

    i'd say it has limited, if any, use in field capture (the Super6K actually gives more than you really need for the field). There are very few lenses than will be usable with the back, since it out resolves almost every commercially available lens for LF.
    That's what they singled out in their release as the primary field of application.

    But I find it very interesting for all of us as it is indicative of the way and pace of progress in LF digital capture.

  5. #5

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    Re: New BetterLight back

    Quote Originally Posted by Marko View Post
    That's what they singled out in their release as the primary field of application.

    But I find it very interesting for all of us as it is indicative of the way and pace of progress in LF digital capture.
    capture of raw image data (4x5 LF) has been at it's maximum for quite a while (i got my back in 2001). With the Super 6k that i use (9000x12000), i often exceed the capabilities of the lens before i do the sensor. I've had to pick and choose very carefully to get lenses that will capture at that resolution. The area that needs to be addressed is speed of capture and 'size' of the capture package (and there have been upgrades that have addressed both of these areas.. but there can still be more done).

  6. #6
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    Re: New BetterLight back

    Quote Originally Posted by Marko View Post
    1/8th - 1/20th of a second capture times
    Unfortunately, those are line times. The minimum scan time for a full image is specified as 114 seconds. So while this is welcome incremental progress within the niche that the BetterLight currently serves, it doesn't expand the range of situations where this back is practical.

    From a brief discussion with Michael Collette at the VC conference a couple of years ago, it sounded as though reducing the scan times remains a major technological hurdle. Talk about a worthy challenge for a clever engineer - success on this front could result in a truly transformative product.

  7. #7
    Ted Harris's Avatar
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    Re: New BetterLight back

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim collum View Post
    this would be an excellent solution for art repro... especially very large images that need to be repro'd at the same size.
    In fact, Better Light and Academic Imaging are working together to design a turnkey art reproduction system using a modified version of the Fotoman 45PS camera on which to mount the Better Light back. I spoke in some detail with Jerry Skapoff at Academic Imaging and Mike Collette at Better Light about the system last week. They should have a prototype ready to go in the not too distant future. Target market will be museums and universities.

  8. #8

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    Re: New BetterLight back

    20grand.... so in 3 years it'll be 5 grand....

    so by the time I have a need for one, it'll be under a grand

  9. #9
    Kirk Gittings's Avatar
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    Re: New BetterLight back

    1/8th - 1/20th of a second capture times
    The Betterlight comparison PDF's don't show any back faster than 22 seconds?.
    Thanks,
    Kirk

    at age 73:
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep"

  10. #10
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    Re: New BetterLight back

    Quote Originally Posted by Kirk Gittings View Post
    The Betterlight comparison PDF's don't show any back faster than 22 seconds?.
    Kirk - you're right, the shorter specification is line time, not overall scan time.

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