dave_l.

<p>You should not have to worry about being discrete with your equipment, but PLEASE be aware that many people in SE Asia do not want their picture taken for cultural reasons or because of "tourist fatigue" in the region. Same can be true in temples. Be sensitive, respectful, and ask permission.<br> What you carry is of course based on your needs as a photographer. If it were me, I would not take three 2.8 zooms unless I knew I needed them for specific photographic goals. </p>

Bill, my math works out the same by working back from a FOV calculation. Would I gain measurable resolving power with a medium format setup? Presumably less sensor noise and fewer lens issues...

<p>Objects will be planar and not moving. There is some likelihood of trying to measure distances between objects, as well as the size of the objects themselves. <br> <br />I hadn't thought about it from a pixel pitch - lens magnification point of view, although that is very helpful. I am well aware of focus errors, and that is my biggest concern with the experiments. I am considering using calibration targets as a focus aid.</p>

<p>In addition to being a hack hobbyist photographer, I also happen to be a computer vision (image analysis) researcher. I'm looking at setting up a new research project that has some funny parameters, and I could use some advice on equipment purchasing. I am debating between a Nikon D800E system or a digital MF systems. Budget is around $20k, but less is always better! I could also rent the equipment.<br> <br />Basically, the goal is to resolve objects of 0.25mm in size from as far away as possible using a modest telephoto lens (ie I am not shooting macro or super-telephoto). I can control the lighting, although strobe work is possible. I'd prefer a system with some field portability, but most work would be done in the lab. Dynamic range is a complete non-issue.</p> <p>What I don't have a good feel for is the quality of the lenses available in MF systems. Lens performance is going to play a huge role in the results, so high quality, highly corrected lenses are essential. <br> Any guidance on suitable systems would be appreciated!</p>