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raplace analogue with digital?

hey guys,

i'm thinking about droping analogue and switch to digital entirely...
i use a h3dII-50 for fashion/studio work but did always prefer film for documentary/portrait (on location, available light).

so far, so good... i'm happy with my h3dII-50 at ISO 50 & 100.
iso 200 looks okay, 400 is horrible though.

the recent documentary series were done with a mamiya 7II on the new portra (400-800 asa) which was okay.

question:

is there any digital back (is has to be a 50 or 60) digital back which performs better in high iso ranges than my current 50? how about the 60 and will there be something better (regarding high iso performance) in future? i'm just curious if it's worth getting rid of my analogue stuff and using digital instead.

as i decided to go for my h3dII-50 i had an early p65+ for comparison... it looked quite noisy/grainy, perhaps it was due to the early firmware?!?


cheers!
 

Shashin

Well-known member
Well, if you can stand about a 10% loss in resolution, a 40MP Pentax 645D makes very good files up to 1600 ISO. I used to shoot with a Mamiya 6 with ISO 400 speed film for documentary work. The 645D replaced that and I am more than happy.

Perhaps someone can chime in on the S2, but there again less than 50/60MP.
 
shashin,

yeah... i heared about the 40MP backs. the 40MP hasselblad seems to perform quite good as well. pentax it out since i do have a bunch of hc lenses so it has to be a hasselblad, i think.

regarding resolution: well, i'm planing to crop to 6x7 format so i'm gonna lose another 10% thats why i'd prefer 50-60 MP
 

Shashin

Well-known member
Well, Phase and Leaf says their backs can get up to ISO 800, but I am unsure of the quality. Whatever you find, I think you will be pleased as a replacement for your Mamiya 7--baring the loss of the rangefinder and all that goes with that. I wish my Pentax was the size of the Mamiya 6.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Just request a demo of the H4D;40 and 60 cameras from Hasselblad.

Shoot both at 400 and 800, and size/crop to your usual specifications.

I had the H4D/40 and now have the H4D/60 .... but I can't impose my level of tolerance for noise on yours, especially if 200 looks horrible to you. You'll just have to try them to see.

The sensors in the 39, 40 and 50 backs are made by Kodak, and Dalsa makes the sensor for the H4D/60. In some ways the "noise/grain" looks different between the Kodak and Dalsa .... which is another thing to compare.

How large are you printing? Just curious, what software are you using? Have you tried a dedicated noise software like Define 2?

-Marc
 
marc,

well, i said that iso 400 looks hoorible :)
getting the 40MP would be a real step back, not only because of the file size but as well because i'd lose the 'MF-look' more and more. the larger the film/sensor is, the more beautiful the DOF is (at least in my opinion) thats why i'd rather want to stay with the 50MP or even go to the 60MP back.

i do not print that large... just have a 9800 epson which is enough.
using phocus and im quite satisfied how it handels/reduces the color noise but i'm afraid that theres no software that will make up the loss of detail at higher iso ranges.
 
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