Are we there yet? (Post your dream camea specs) or when is enough, "enough"?

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Benjamin Marks

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Are we there yet? (Post your dream camea specs) or when is enough, "enough"?

I am sure this is asking for trouble (ask enthusiasts and run for cover), BUT:

Are we basically "there" in terms of digital image quality? For instance I have an E-P2 and a NEX-5 and I can only see a slight incremental difference in their image qualities. I have a D3, which I am not even tempted to upgrade, because the colors out of that camera are so great and the high ISO performance is all I could ask for. So are we "done" for the moment in terms of advances in sensor tech?

I would be interested to hear what folks are holding out for: FF Foveon? ISO 125,000 w/no noise? Affordable medium format digital? Please post your specs for a "dream" machine and an estimate for how many years away you think we are. For me:

Nikon D3 sensor in a Nikon RF sized mirrorless camera with a Fuji-style hybrid focusing system allowing ALL legacy glass to be used a la m 4/3. Expected: Never, but no earlier than 5 years.
 
Dream camera specs?
A full format digital Graflex KE-4.
Use the same pixel pitch as the sensor used in the M9 but make it cover the 70mm format.
It won't be here soon enough...

Phil Forrest
 
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The technology I want/need is currently available, but the problem is that the price of a Leica S2 is hard to justify.

Right now I'm happy shooting B&W film in MF in the meantime.

Cal
 
I think we were there with the original EOS 5D. Sure, my 1DmkIV will take very good photos at silly high ISO's. But, most of the time those high ISO's aren't needed. Just about any APS C size sensor camera these days will take fine photos, and the FF sensor of the old 5D just takes great photos. So, yeah. I think we're there!
 
There's always room for improvement. High ISO and weatherproofing on Ms: less bloated bodies on SLRs. Bigger, faster buffers. Double card slots. Better batteries. But an M9 looks pretty good to me.

Cheers,

R.
 
I'd like my Provia to develop itself and give me both a scanned, adjusted 20 MP 16-bit TIFF (most times, there isn't even that much there, but it's a nice round number) and a nice 11x17 cibachrome.

Taking the picture is all I want to do, everything else is annoying work, not fun. I take photos for fun.
 
Brian: I take it that you don't find digital appealing and that Provia in a film body fits your needs. Are you at all susceptible to the argument any current digital SLR would give you what you want (relief from processing drudgery)? Or do you mean that we are "there" in terms of the image quality that Provia and a good scanner can get you, but you want the process to be more automatic?

Ben
 
I don't really shoot digital much at all, but I think there is still a long way to go. Dynamic range is just not there yet, purple fringing, noise, and other bits and bobs need to be sorted out. In terms of plain resolution, I think is not much need for much more, but I expect there will be a lot more anyway.

I think also the processing time for long exposures needs to go away, on film, I can shoot a 1 minute long exposure, and there is no lag between that at the next shot, on digital obviously there is, but that'll get sorted out along with general improvements in processor technology.
 
I would say the biggest and most important advancement I'm looking for is improved dynamic range.

I'd like the M9 to slim down to the film M size, improve ISO to match the D700, and DR to rival Tri-x. the better buffer, batteries, and double card slots (or more!) are all great ideas, too.
 
D3S-grade digi back for F2. failing that, hybrid flow: F2 as is plus a fast, small, cheap film scanner of 5000ED quality. might be easier than output to film for archival purposes
 
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I'm looking for a camera body that will give me the picture that's in my head not what I see before me...a camera that knows what I want, how I see the final print, perfect light every time...soft when needed, tack sharp for everything else...a camera that makes me look like I know what I'm doing 100% of the time...when I point it at a subject and it's not perfectly framed it will point me it the right direction, up, down, forwards or back, left or right...it will not take a picture unless everyone in the frame is smiling, eyes open and facing the lens...
A camera that knows the Zone System and applies it when I forget to...it can meter 6, no maybe 7 areas in a photo and determine (according to how I see the final print) the proper exposure...
And of course in only comes in Black...will fit in your pocket, have DX coding and a self timer...
 
Nope, not there yet.
My dream digital camera?

- A full-frame,
- weather-sealed
- Olympus Pen Pro (or whatever)
- with control dial around lens mount (less dials on the back),
- built in EVF like X100,
- the size of 35 RD,
- wi-fi image transfer,
- decent HD video,
- and I don't give a whit about extremely high ISO performance (above 3200),
- ... oh, and all black body of course.

... too much? :p
 
Read old photo magazines. There are always articles and letters about how today's cameras offer all the features that anyone could reasonably want, and it doesn't matter when 'today' is. I have magazines going back to the 1920s, and they say the same thing.

Rather more seldom, there have always been letters about dreams and fantasies: 12-300mm f/1 zooms, etc.

Personally, I'll accept that it's always a compromise, and stick with trying to do the best I can with the best kit I can afford -- which isn't always the newest.

Cheers,

R.
 
I'm in agreement with some of the others who point out that we'll never be completely there because technology changes constantly and manufacturers are always looking for an edge when it comes to making their products more desirable. Lots of times they're only adding gidgets and gadgets; bells and whistles, so to speak, but change they will.

On a personal level I'm quite happy with the performance of my Pentax K20D but I can see upgrading to a K5 sometime in the not too distant future. I'll probably try and grab one just when the last of the stocks are being dumped at low prices. One thing I would like to see is a camera that replicates the handling of my Digilux 2 with an up to date APS-C sensor. Would be a fun camera to use...
 
I'm with Will in that until there is a full frame 35mm digital olympus with some sort of reinvention of the revered OM primes, digital isn't there yet.

(Come on olympus, we all know you want to re-invent the OM!!)
 
Are we there yet ? No, far from that. For my interests the M9 was a step in the right direction, though. Also, there is no proven method to store digital image files for a long term without making the one or other fresh copy and occasionally "upgrading" the file format.
 
maddoc said:
Are we there yet ? No, far from that. For my interests the M9 was a step in the right direction, though. Also, there is no proven method to store digital image files for a long term without making the one or other fresh copy and occasionally "upgrading" the file format.
Click to expand...

Which most people don't do, because they have better things to do when they're alive, and after they're dead, their hard drives are either wiped or end up in land-fill. Proponents of 'digital images last forever' tend to ignore human nature. Or reality, as we call it.

Cheers,

R.
 
Film recording machines did exist, but are nowhere to be found anymore. Before Powerpoint it was how presentations were made- computer files were burned to Ektachrome slides for projection. If there was a market these machines could be used to burn film 'originals' of our digital files- DR5 offers this service, tho I'm not sure of their workflow. As they can burn to 810 film I suspect they use a digital enlarger. When a local lab went out of business three or four years ago I toyed with the idea of getting that machine and trying to get it to record to Kodachrome- for 'permanent' film copies of digital images. But at that point the M9 was nowhere on the horizon, and I was happily printing color in the darkroom on easily, reliably available materials. Little did I know.
 
Of course we're not there yet. There's still no digital medium format rangefinder, no folder, no large format, no pocket rangefinder, no panoramic, no cheap 6X6. They can still get away with cameras that have no viewfinder for christ sakes...

Guys the way I see it we were there towards the end of the previous millenium. You could still buy a new Contax, Konica/Minolta was still around and servicing cameras and scanners, there was a lab in every corner, what else do you need?

Then digital took us a 3 decades back and we're slowly working our way towards the 1980's. Remember the 80's? full frame cameras fit in your pocket and Leicas had the correct thickness.

Be patient, 1990 is approaching.
 
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