Can digital MF survive the D800?

boomguy57

boomguy57

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With resolution like this, a far smaller size, and at a fraction of the price, can digital medium format survive the D800 (and the others that are surely to follow)?

I have been eyeing a digital back for my 501CM, but...at that price it's hard to justify, D800 or no D800.

Furthermore, does Hasselblad--and other MF makers--have a raison d'etre anymore?

Finally, can this be true--files that are 200+MB:

http://weblog.robvanpetten.com/archive/nikon-d800
 
Though i'm no sensor expert, my intuition would say that the d800 just raises the stakes for the Digital MF cameras. If the D800 can do this, what can the latest and greatest MF do soon?
 
huntjump said:
Though i'm no sensor expert, my intuition would say that the d800 just raises the stakes for the Digital MF cameras. If the D800 can do this, what can the latest and greatest MF do soon?
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That's true, but...a 40MP sensor was amazing in the 6-10MP days. Could one possibly need anymore than 36MP?
 
I'm very happy with the resolution I get from my D700. I can see a purpose for the D800 in my future but definitely not yet!

MF digital has never interested me.

How does the D800 compare to the mega expensive Leica S2 ... has anyone seen any comparisons?
 
Keith said:
I'm very happy with the resolution I get from my D700. I can see a purpose for the D800 in my future but definitely not yet!

MF digital has never interested me.

How does the D800 compare to the mega expensive Leica S2 ... has anyone seen any comparisons?
Click to expand...

I haven't seen anything from the S2. For me, the D700 is all I need from a DSLR as well, and I have no interest in the D800. I just am not sure where digital MF can go from here.
 
boomguy57 said:
I haven't seen anything from the S2. For me, the D700 is all I need from a DSLR as well, and I have no interest in the D800. I just am not sure where digital MF can go from here.
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I can see a camera like the S2 being made fairly redundant by the D800 and what may follow it ... particularly when you consider the price difference!
 
Of course there's a future! Just toss in video functionalities! Imagine a Hasselblad CFV back with video on a Hasselblad 203FE, with lenses like the 110mm f/2!

...just kidding.

But in all honesty, I think MF digital is to 35mm digital as MF film is to 35mm film. If 36mp density can be achieved on a 24x36mm sensor, then let's see that kind of pixel density on a full-frame 645 back! We're also still waiting on full-frame 6x6 and 6x7 backs.

Innovations will keep coming slowly but surely in my opinion. We just have to grow old waiting for them 😀
 
First off, I don't think the NEF file size for the D800 is anywhere near 200 MB. From the little I have read on the net it is more like 40-45 MB. I am certain that the advances made to FF sensors can and will be applied to Medium Format sensors. You will still have to be willing to pay for the difference.

Bob
 
Nikon Bob said:
First off, I don't think the NEF file size for the D800 is anywhere near 200 MB. From the little I have read on the net it is more like 40-45 MB. I am certain that the advances made to FF sensors can and will be applied to Medium Format sensors.
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Sure they will. But by the time they are, FF sensors will have advanced another two generations -- and cell phone sensors will still be (at least) two generations ahead of FF sensors, just as they are today.
 
Granting that physical size matters, at base ISO the D800 appears to equal high end digital MF in dynamic range and easily bests DMF at ISOs at noise performance above 800. Presumably the latter is tied to DMF coming largely (entirely?) in CCD form - I have to wonder if someone out there is working hard at upsizing CMOS technology to larger formats.

This isn't the days when a 35mm frame was tiny relative to a 6x7 negative, either - DMF isn't all that much larger that 35mm.
 
For some time now, I've thought that the only way medium-format film gear could make any sense at all is if someone comes out with a very reasonably-priced medium format film scanner. I've heard that Plustek might be doing so, but price is still unknown. Even so, I think medium format is not here for long. Digital is just becoming too good, and I don't see the pace of improvement slowing down at all.

Large format film may continue on for some years, or more, due to the camera's movement capabilities. But even this benefit is being challenged with more and more tilt-shift lenses being developed.
 
Keith said:
How does the D800 compare to the mega expensive Leica S2 ... has anyone seen any comparisons?
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Lloyd Chambers did a comprehensive test - I don't have access to the results, but it doesn't sound like it's a $20k-$40k difference anymore once sharpness/resolution is considered.

I think the lines between a 35mm D800 sensor and the 44x33 segment (S2, 645D) are starting to blur (no pun intended), in that I don't think amateurs will try to stretch for these systems anymore. For backs that cover a larger surface area, that's a different story.

You could also try this rationalization: if you don't own any Nikon gear (let's pretend) and you want the highest possible resolving system, you'd get a D800 and the best possible lenses. That could run you almost $10k. A CFV-50 is $16k. Sounds like a decent deal in that context!
 
semilog said:
Sure they will. But by the time they are, FF sensors will have advanced another two generations -- and cell phone sensors will still be (at least) two generations ahead of FF sensors, just as they are today.
Click to expand...

Could be very true. There is much more demand for cell phones than FF cameras and even less demand for medium format digital cameras. It could also be that the advances go where the need is greatest first. Regardless it will eventually creep into all areas.

Bob
 
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