Digital MF

I'm probably going to switch to MF this year, film MF that is, and I

was hoping to one day be able to convert to digital IF 120 film is no

longer available for buying and/or processing.

 

But I also have some doubts about the future of digital MF.

 

So what are your thoughts about the future of digital backs?

Do you think that digital MF has a future?

 

Of course any digital backs now are out of my financial reach, and I

don't like digital photography much either, but once day when film

goes away, I'd like my MF system to be upgradable to digital, and by

that time it is possible that digital backs will not be so expensive,

if they even exist then..

 

So, do you think medium format will survive in the digital world in

form of digital backs, or will digital backs dissapear?

<p>People can simply repeat what's said in <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00FATW&tag=">this very recent thread</a> (and in other slightly less recent ones). And they can speculate away. (Me, what do I speculate? Well, hmm, I speculate that thinking how one might prepare for the time "when film goes away" might be a less useful expenditure of time than, say, thinking how one might prepare for the time when bird flu mutates to a form easily transmissible between humans.)</p>

Film, even medium format film, will probably be available for a long time, even when manufacturers curtail operations. More problematic is the continued availability of commercial processing. This year, Helix in Chicago stopped processing 4x5 film, although they continue to process 120. For 120, there is only one shop within easy driving distance for me. My alternative is to ship film, doubling the cost of processing.

 

Digital MF backs are the only way, at present, to get more than about 16MP while keeping an acceptible level of noise (and dynamic range). That is, sensor cells need to be 6 microns wide, which limits small format sensors to 12MP (APS) or 16MP (FF).

 

The cost of digital backs will not likely come down much, simply because not very many are manufactured. Nikon might sell 50,000 D200's (a wild guess), which would represent a century of production for Phase One (another wild guess). If there is a leap in technology that reduces the noise in small sensors, the future of MF digital is grim.

 

If you don't like "digital" photography, consider your reasons behind that opinion. It is simply another medium, which can be used well or poorly. Look through the galleries in Photo.net to see what I mean. If you simply object to digital as an "easy way out" (the Luddite syndrome) - get over it.

Film as a medium for storage is very attractive to me. Working with computers and electronics all my life, I can say we are not yet at a stage where storing information electronically is a reliable medium. Another problem is ease of vewing, you need a computer with a really good monitor to see the image in the same quality that it is produced. Electornics and computers change every 6months or so. Keeping up with the file formats, and support for older formats will be an issue. Its not uncommon for people to have photographs that are 100yrs old. For me the old photographs that were taken by my grandfather reminds me of how life was for them and how its for me now. Well, so Edgar, if you want to document your life digital is not there yet. If you look at it from a commercial perspective, and dont care what you shoot, digital is a quick fix.

 

I did see a website that offered to store your digital photos for 10yrs for a fee. I am sure major players in the market aka nikon, fuji, canon will start offering similar services. But again, when I am gone who will continue to pay them ? 150yrs later will these photos be around ? Photos my great grandfather took are close to around 100yrs old and they are still around.

Well I'm not asking this becuase I am thinking of going digital. I'm asking it more like a security question, in case I run out of film one day, can I expect to be able to at least get a digital back.

How big do you want to enlarge ??

 

Too much $ for what it can do. Lenses need to be perfect too, IE expensive.

 

Its a bit crippled for super wide angle unless you want to lay out several thousand for a hassy SWA lens.

 

Its also somewhat crippled for telephoto since a full frame dlsr will have around a 2 to 1 advantage.

 

I just bought a demo kodak slr, and I am getting photos equal or better than a pentax 645, E100g, drumscans on a regular basis.

 

Not as good as a Mamiya 7, but its a lot more conveinient.

 

Personally I think they need dslr a Fovean full frame chip with a contax lens mount. that would interest me greatly.

 

All in all i think you would be better off with a high MP dslr. Smaller, cheaper and more versitile, better dof.

 

As much as I like the Pentax 645, I think they missed the boat withthe P645d

 

I also use a 4x5 for landscape. I also like smaller formats like 690 for B+W film, but thats about it.

Well Troy, you have missed my point

 

I'm not looking for a digital solution

I'd like to stay on film when moving to MF, I'm just asking will I one day in the far future still be able to convert my MF gear to digital

Simplest solution, don't run out of film. A friend of mine is still using film that he bought from a bankrupt camera store 30 years ago. He just froze it, which if it's slow speed film (125 asa or less), will enable it to last virtually forever, and has enough chemistry to process it himself.

Edgar,

 

I understand your question but no one has a crystal ball to gaze into. Just trust the present sitation, by sheer weight of numbers, to perpetuate the existence of film (MF & others) for some considerable time.

 

I would venture to say that you should probably have the same concern about the ongoing viability of your motor vehicle today, but just keep using it while you can.

Sure, digital is just another medium, but it might not be the ideal medium for every photograph, depending on the intentions of the photographer.

 

Digital MF will get lower in price over time just as Canon FF has gone down from 8k to 3k. And the differences in quality are obvious to an experienced photographer, so this trend has great motivation to continue. I haven't purchased a high-end DX camera because I don't feel the lenses do well with one at wide apertures and this is one of the reasons I'm still investing in film equipment, among others.

Edgar,

 

I recently made the decision to switch from Canon 35mm film to Hasselblad 645 film. I wanted the larger format and I knew I could one day purchase a digital back.

 

As already said, film will be around for many years to come, many. Yes, it will be more costly and difficult to process, but not impossible. Shoot film until you are comfortable switching to digital, if ever.

 

Good luck.

 

dG

120 film has been around for over 100 years. Will it make it another 100? I doubt it, but nobody really knows. Certainly for the next 5 years it will be reasonably inexpensive, perhaps increasing in real terms in 5-10 years, and after that perhaps becoming elite hobbyist priced. Just a guess on that. As for your original question "will digital MF be around in x years?" I dunno. Certainly used equipment of the current generation will be....whether there be future manufacturers of stuff, who knows. No MF camera company could be described as "fiscally very healthy"

Hi Edgar, just to throw in my opinion. It appears like you prefer MF film (I am assuming, since pricewise instead of MF you can likely get a cheap rebel XT). If I were to worry about one thing, it'd be processing if you shoot color, b&w you can develop yourself. I wouldn't worry about 120 availability for quite a number of years (decades maybe?). By then, if the world run out of 120 film, big deal, just buy a whole new digital system and forget about what you have now. Who knows what the future holds? MF may be dead? We may all be dead? Or the MF backs maybe much much cheaper? You may become a multi-millionaire with enough money buy all of us offering you advice here a digital MF? If you have the spared cash, just get a system now and enjoy taking photos and stop worrying. Best wishes.

http://www.mamiya.com/cameras2.asp?id=1&id2=2152

 

Mamiya might have your answer, now with their 645AFDII, or later, with their future Mamiya ZD. Both cameras are said to use the same lenses.

 

Even my old manual Mamiya 645 lenses are still usable on the newer 645AFDII body.