Has anyone ever seen or heard of a digital 4x5 field type of camera.I couldn't imagine the cost of such a camera but also won't be surprised to see them more common place in the next 5-8 years. This would truly be the ultimate death of film and film cameras. The quality would be unimaginable.
So would the price.Originally Posted by ignatiusjk
We have scan backs now, but yes large sensors are in the future. Film has other qualities.
The other problem I can immediately think of is power. A DSLR has 1.5in^2 of sensor area. If we have a 4x5 digital sensor, it has a little more than 13 times the power needs. One of my favorite aspects of LF photography is not being tethered to a power source. I can hike or offroad for as long and as far as my legs and truck can go and not worry about how many shots my camera can do between charges, or how heavy the battery power needed is going to be.
On the other hand, it sure would be cool to tether up to a big monitor and be able to see focus and the effect of your movements in so handy a way. It would be great for teaching.
Already here in a limited embodiment for B&W. I think I've mentioned this here previously but hospital digital Xray capture sensors are available in something like 11 X 14 format down to 4X5 or so, and smaller. Some of these use a scintillator coating over the sensor material to improve the sensitivity to short wavelength Xrays. Resolution of the very large format panels of course is poor by LF standards but in the 4X5 range or so I think I've seen pixel pitch down below 100µm.
You capture the image on the panel then need a computer with reader and software to extract the image. I'm not sure anyone has actually used one of these for visible light B&W photography but it would be fun to experiment. Don't know the cost of a panel but probably not cheap knowing the hospital market.
I suppose these could be a path to more practical sensors designed and optimize specifically for large format photographic use. Honestly I'm not sure whether the current panels are based on tiled silicon sensors or if an amorphous semiconductor is utilized a la flat panel technology. Certainly a flat panel manufacturing process offers an advantage in manufacturing economy. You can process a lot of 4X5 sensors on one 60 inch flat glass panel.
Worth googling Xray panels to find more details and dig out price quotes.
Nate Potter, Austin TX., Corea ME.
I'm not sure if there's a need to go that large with digital when current sensors already appear to rival 8x10 film in resolution: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/re..._vs_8x10.shtml
That LL comparison has been widely criticized by many qualified persons. However regardless of who is right the mere fact that there is a controversy over the results points to the great leaps that DC has made.
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"
Digital capture is pretty great right now but who scans their film at 745ppi if they really want to get every bit of information out of it?
There is one sensor that is even bigger, about 8x8". I mean one piece it (and perhaps a few spare ones), and it's not commercially available - if it were, it'd cost perhaps more that all our equipment altogether... And they don't mention mega-pixels...
Mitchell Feinberg uses a custom-mad 8x10 digital back to PROOF his shots that he does, finals are committed to film once he's got things set and lit properly.
www.mitch.fr
http://www.popphoto.com/gear/2011/08...e-digital-back
Dan
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks