D70 Printed Image Quality vs Medium Format

[reuben_siuda]

Hi,

 

am cosndiering D70 to replace ETRSi. Want to use for studio

portatits (particularly my 6 month old daughter) as well as outdoor

portaits / landscapes.

 

Reason? Portability, instant feedback, digital archive, processing

costs etc

 

The main worry I have is that of printed image sharpenss/quality

compared to what I'm used to at medium format. Has anyone experience

of having say up to 20"x16" prints from D70? How was the sharpness?

or what is the maximum 'sharp' image size from say a RAW image taken

in studio?

[ky2]

<i>Reason? Portability, instant feedback, digital archive, processing costs etc...</i> -- Reuben, you've listed your reasons well. Ultimate sharpness is not among them. QED.

[ilkka_nissila]

What is "sharp" is very subjective. Also, two prints may appear sharp but have different levels of detail in them. You can expect prints to look sharp and detailed up to 8x12 inches. Much higher than that, prints start to look a bit soft if viewed at the same viewing distance normally used for 8x12 prints.

 

If you want maximum detail, keep shooting medium format film, or buy a camera with more pixels such as the Canon 1Ds Mk II.

[frank_skomial]

I shoot Pentax 6x7 and D70 (not to mention other cameras that perhaps of no interest to you). Certainly 6x7 gives better quality at very large size print, but I think D70 should be OK for 16x20. The most important is to get the best lens for the job, and of course proper lighting setup. I use Nikkor 85/1.4, and quality is perfect in 16x20 if the picture is perfect. With D70 I shoot 5 times more frames, comparing to 6X7, and can always select perfect picture for enlargement.

[scott_warn]

I have one of the sharpest MF format systems ever made, the good old Mamiya TLR. BTW, Mamiya made some exceptional lenses for the TLR's for anyone wanting a MF bargain. A big plus is no big mirror flapping about, just a nice quiet click.

 

In an 11x14 print from the Mamiya I can examine the print with a 10x magnifying loupe and see the fuzz on the thread in a fine shirt. It aint gonna happen with the D70 prints, what I will see is dots of ink. It only shows that the MF film based system is capable of some really HUGE prints, like a 9 x 12 FOOT wall hanging.

 

Now to your original question, I bought a tabloid sized printer just because my letter sized printer was NOT capable of really showing what the D70 can do. Side by side, at a viewing distance of 24 inches, it would take a real eagle eye to see the difference between a print from the MF gear and the D70. My vision is 20/30 combined and I can't see the difference. 30 years ago when it was 20/10, maybe I could have, but thats a very iffy maybe. On an 11 x 14 print the D70 is simply stunning. At 16x20 inches you may be able to see a very slight advantage to the MF shot, but the "average" Joe won't. As for the maximum image size, that will depend on how critical you are. I think the upper limit is probably 16x24 inches but I'm a fussy MF experienced shooter. For your "average" consumer quality, 20x30 is a definate possibility and you might even stretch it out to 30x45 inches.

[aj_nadershahi]

Maybe you should look at this...

 

http://www.letsgodigital.org/html/events/PHOTOKINA-2004/news/mamiya/ZD_en.html

[vivek iyer]

For portraits, D70 prints will do fine (even with the kit lens), in terms of sharp prints. Few of my large test prints confirmed that.

 

For wide angle shots, if you have it, hang on to the 40mm Zenzanon and use it.

 

Even if you buy a MK3 2Ds, DSLRs will not be able to produce decent wide angle shots, regardless of the features/price/pixel count.

 

Vivek.

[alistair o]

In terms of your digital archive requirement, are you fully cognisant of what you will need to get the equivalent archive properties of film? Budget on a good backup drive and be prepared to refresh your digital media at least annually. Do not consider that you can just copy to CD and that will last as long as a negative. Depending upon storage and brand, a CD will start to deteriorate within a couple of years.

 

Also, consider the storage media and file formats. The issue is unsolved by current technologies so look out for a couple of quick technology lifecycles to pass through before an effective long term solution is converged upon. We have seen 5.25 inch drives, 3.5 inch drives, zip drives and now CD's in the last 10 years. Still not there so you will need to be prepared to update your technologies to keep current as the technology cycles through.

 

Failure to manage this issue will render the files of your most precious memories just a jumble of 1's and 0's.

[frank_skomial]

"CD will start to deteriorate within a couple of years"

 

In photo.net recently there was an extensive discussion of CD media life span, with some reference to results of scientific accelerated aging experiments of the media by heating up in condensed humidity environment. The reflective foil on the CD was becomming wrinkled and could come off the CD, thus destroying the contents. I am certain that an US Governament testing agency can invent a test that will destroy any media, and fast.

 

I recorded myself CD data disks about 9 years ago, and none of the disks lost a bit of information.

 

"We have seen 5.25 inch drives, 3.5 inch drives, zip drives" -

 

those were magnetic and mangeto-optical technologies subject of constant and long time natural influence of the Earth magnetic fields, that eventually was causing magnetic media to de-magnetize.

 

Optical techlology is different. Initial CD media was rated for 25 years of shelf life. Latest CD media is rated for 100 years of life.

 

As with any technology, CD media needs to be treated with due respect. Keep your CD Disks separately in envelopes, in a drawer or on the shelf. Do not let you children play with CDs, do not step on the CDs, or soil them, and they will last as long as you need them.

 

CD File format is a standard ISO format and will last for next many decades, regardless of computer system advances, or better media yet to come. CD will always be upward compatible media and file format, for next 20, 30 years or more.

[brandonhamilton]

I printed this image @ 24" x 16" and it came out fantastic with my D100 (same rez as D70).

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/1950915

[holger]

I did a similar move, and I am happy with the results. Sure, poster sizes in perfect quality are better obtained with mf, but for the sizes requested, the D70 delivers. However be aware that depending on your experience with digital darkroom / post processing, there might be a learning curve ahead. When I bought my D70, I was rather disappointed from what I got right out of the camera. Only after having learned to use RAW and photoshop, results became much better than expected (and I am still learning...). And: I did not sell all my film equipent. It's not used that often anymore, and I concentrated on the bodies / lenses I really used in the past, but I am happy I still have it. Came back from a week in the swiss mountains yesterday, with about 1000 D70-shots, but with 10 bw-films also, pictures I would not have brought home with the D70 because I would not have dared to take the camera out in really wet weather.