Nikon D50

I was considering a Nikon DSLR D50 vs a Medium Format (used film

camera) such as a Mamiya 645e. I am also thinking about

enlargements to about 20x24 and larger. Wall size type pictures.

Does this camera compare with Medium Format in the larger sizes.

Also when you save an image in JPEG how many megabytes would that

be. My 35mm film scanner gives me about 38megabytes in a maximum

film scan. I have enlarged to 11x14 with good results but at 12x18

it seems not quite good enough. I would like to go larger and I

would like it to be nice. Also will it hold up to use over years or

will it just break. Sorry about so many questions.

The d50 will hold up as well a n80. Not as well as the pro cams but good enough though it really depends on you treat it. In large fine mode, jpegs are ~3mb in my d70 which should be similar to the d50. As far as enlargment go, it depends...

what you are shooting, your scanner, your skills, the film, your software, the viewing distance and ultimately what's good enough for You. For example, if you are shooting landscape art photography that requires fine detail then it might not be such a good idea but a good PJ shot blowup to 20x24 from a good viewing distance would look ok.

Haven't said all that, I think there's a problem if you can't get a good 12x18 print from a 645 neg. I used to blowup my 35mm film to 11x14 all the time.

If you shoot .jpg 'fine' and 'large' __ the image goes to around 17MB in Photoshop LE. Using Photoshop 5.0 LE, the jpeg 'uncompresses' when you start to work with the image. Haven't shot RAW with the D50 yet __ that may give you a larger file to tinker with.

If you save the image off in the 'native' Photoshop format, you can then save the file to print at whatever size you think you want.

>> if you can't get a good 12x18 print from a 645 neg.

He said 35mm scanner - Can it can scan 645s?

I can only comment on the Mamiya 645 (I have a Pro TL body). You can get nice prints that are 16x20 - I haven't tried larger (I shoot HP5 mostly). For larger prints, you might want to look at a Mamiya RZ. But it's a big, heavy camera that best for studio work.

The Mamiya 645 is excellent if you need to carry it. And the lenses are excellent and very reasonably priced.

Robert

Between a professional camera of any kind and a D50 there can be no competition, the professional camera will win at any time hands down.

Digital cameras don't last nearly as long as film either, expect to be looking at replacing it with something else in a year or 2, maybe 3 at most (versus 20-30 for film as a minimum).

Thank you for your input. I am sure the medium format would provide the quality and print size I am interested in, but was wondering if the D50 would do that also. I looked online last night and the local pro lab has all sorts of services for the medium format including digital scans of 1.44mb to greater than 60mb at reasonable prices. Of course they make prints in all sizes and descriptions.

In regards to replacing the D50, do you mean it will wear out in 2 or 3 years or that the technology will not work in 2 or 3 years. I guess either way it becomes useless. I do not wish to buy a camera that will not last a very long time.

Nolan,

I use a 6x6 setup while a friend uses a Canon 20D. From what I

can see my cropped 12x18's made with velvia and scanned

using a Minolta Multi Pro are sharper than the 8 Megapixel digital

images. However, I've seen some spectacular images made at

16x20 with a 6 megapixil camera - it really depends on your

subject. I've thought about making the digital plunge but I would

want to buy expensive zooms to get the most out of the system.

Furthermore medium format cameras and lenses are much

more affordable than they were say 5 years ago. Then again you

would have to pay for scanning. I'd be temped to buy a cheap

Mamiya TLR system for cheap, use it for a couple of years and

then buy a 12 megapixel digital for $1200 in a couple of years.

Keep in mind I'm a landscape photographer so for people shots

I'd do things totally different.

www.yosemitecollection.com

"Furthermore medium format cameras and lenses are much more affordable than they were say 5 years ago. Then again you would have to pay for scanning."

I print myself with an enlarger for B&W. Color I take to a local pro lab - they print with enlargers, too. So, you see, scanning is not mandatory.

Robert

Hugh:

Your web site and images are fantastic. I have been hoping to go to Yosemite to shoot in the next few months. You have given sound advice. I am mostly a landscape and general photographer. I do not shoot portraits but I do take a lot of family pics which I can do very well with my 35mm. I should take a look at a TLR. I have never heared of a Mamiya TLR but will check them out. I have heard the Minolta Autocord is a good performer also. I have the same problem with the digital camera. I do not have any lenses that I could use on a digital camera as my 35mm is a manual focus Minolta, I would only want the best lenses available for obvious reasons, and that is expensive.

Hugh:

Your web site and images are fantastic. I have been hoping to go to Yosemite to shoot in the next few months. You have given sound advice. I am mostly a landscape and general photographer. I do not shoot portraits but I do take a lot of family pics which I can do very well with my 35mm. I should take a look at a TLR. I have never heared of a Mamiya TLR but will check them out. I have heard the Minolta Autocord is a good performer also. I do not have any lenses that I could use on a digital camera as my 35mm is a manual focus Minolta, I would only want the best lenses available for obvious reasons, and that is expensive and a problem that I would be commited to If I purchased the D50.

Personally, I get amazing detail out of my Minolta Autocord (it is a very clean specimen, however). Nothing I have (Nikon FE-2, Nikon D50, Fuji F810-excellent compact, by the way) can match it. When using the Autocord, of course I use Provia 100F. On my 30X mike it is astonishing what I can see in the distance.

I have directly compared the Nikon D50 with 50mm f/1.8 lens and the Fuji F810. The Fuji provides a bigger image (12 megapixels when using interpolation) and resolves about as much detail (and uses more aggressive sharpening, which I like, though this is trivial). However, the Nikon 50mm is simply less muddy in the shadows and has zero CA (compared to very modest CA in the Fuji).

Wait until the D200 comes out and the Minolta Autocord will probably go onto ebaby. 10 megapixels should be enough to get some nice 20X30's! And no pepper-grain!

Just FYI.