Digital Transitions Visualizer - Lens Equivalency Made Easy

[Guy Mancuso]

Or flashing dollar signs would be really helpful. LOL

I'm already there with the Rodie 28HR ouch does that just freaking stink ya. let me tell ya

 

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

Doug, this is a neat tool. Thank you.
Bill

 

[David Schneider]

Well that's rather the point though no?

"That's one of the first things you learn when going to mfd or you think about if you change your mf camera." - I think this makes an improvement over the existing tools or ways in which someone might first learn that. It's one of the absolute most common questions I receive early in someone's consideration of a platform change, and that's not limited to Medium Format; I see the question pop up regarding Nikon/Canon crop cameras and 4/3rd cameras on their respective forums frequently.

Once you've had a few weeks/months with such a camera system a tool like this isn't needed.

Doug,

I understand what you're saying. However, if someone is using a 150mm lens with their mfd, and in their dslr kit they have a 50, 85, 200, for example, I think they will understand the 85 is the closest equivalent. It's not going to make much of a difference if the real equivalent is 95mm or whatever.

However, I yield to your experience with getting those kind of questions. You would know better than I.

 

[gebseng]

I love the tool, very handy indeed! Thanks a lot!

Just two quick questions:
- the comparison is based on image diagonals, could you add an option to change this to image width or height? (this would be useful when comparing e.g. 4x5" to 35mm)
- when choosing film sizes, e.g. 4x5", do you actually use 4x5" as the measurement, or do you take into account the smaller size of the mask of most film scanners/enlargers? (my personal experience is, for example, that a 90mm on 4x5" is more like 36mm on 36x48, rather than the 33mm your tool suggests)

best,

geb

 

[yaya]

You've got my contact details now Doug! A very handy tool!

If people think DT's emails are junk then I think they've chosen the wrong profession/ hobby

 

[dougpeterson]

I love the tool, very handy indeed! Thanks a lot!

You're very welcome! Thanks for taking the time to provide some feedback.

Just two quick questions:
- the comparison is based on image diagonals, could you add an option to change this to image width or height? (this would be useful when comparing e.g. 4x5" to 35mm)

If you uncheck the "auto match lenses" you can slide them independently. That will let you match either the horizontal, or vertical. Is there a different phrase we should be using for "auto match lenses" that would make it more clear what this function does?

When choosing film sizes, e.g. 4x5", do you actually use 4x5" as the measurement, or do you take into account the smaller size of the mask of most film scanners/enlargers? (my personal experience is, for example, that a 90mm on 4x5" is more like 36mm on 36x48, rather than the 33mm your tool suggests)

Excellent question. Actually for 645 we did account for the film gate but on the rest of the film sizes we did not. I'll dig through my reference materials and see if I can come up with a good set of numbers for all the film formats.

Moreover it should be transparent somehow to the user exactly what mm size we are using for any given format, but not in a way that is intrusive or adds visual business. Most novice users won't know or care if the exposed area of film on a typical 645 body was 45mm or 42mm tall, but some more expert users will want to know what the "assumptions" of the calculator are and there shouldn't be any "man behind the curtain" in that regard. I've already received a great suggestion from someone that when you hover over a format in the selection dialogue that the size pops up (next to it? as a "tool tip"? don't know yet).

 

[anGy]

Did give it a try on my iPhone 3Gs.
It is running well.
Two remarks: when changing the focal length I have to put my finger on the focal length indicator and cannot see the displayed focal for the medium format. It should be better to have a slider below both displayed focals instead of using the displayed focals as sliders.
The resulting frame from the chosen focal length is show on Bob's picture by adapting the picture frame. It should be nice also to have a second picture that stays at the widest focal and with frame contours of the (longer) chosen focal inside it (like Viewfinder pro app does for iPhone).
Best
I hope this makes sense, I just did a quick trial of this visualizer

 

[2jbourret]

I am finding the tool does work on an iPad 1 (w/ iOS 5) contrary to what the 'Known Issues 'statement says. Am I missing some functionality?

Here's what I'd like to see added, even though it exists elsewhere: DOF and hyperfocal dist. calculation/comparison. Combining these would make the tool much more useful.

 

[kuau]

Doug,
Are you going to add other backs besides the IQ 180?
BTW, I guess I have been out of the loop for a while, when did you go over to DT from Capture Int? Are you living in NYC now?

Steven

 

[dougpeterson]

I am finding the tool does work on an iPad 1 (w/ iOS 5) contrary to what the 'Known Issues 'statement says. Am I missing some functionality?

Here's what I'd like to see added, even though it exists elsewhere: DOF and hyperfocal dist. calculation/comparison. Combining these would make the tool much more useful.

The iPad 1 issues may have been specific to our iPad as I've now received several reports of it working fine with the iPad 1. But they were not evident right away; the tool worked great for a while and then would lock up after a minute or two of use.

Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to post!

 

[dougpeterson]

Doug,
Are you going to add other backs besides the IQ 180?
BTW, I guess I have been out of the loop for a while, when did you go over to DT from Capture Int? Are you living in NYC now?

Steven

If you click on the button with the name "IQ180" you can select from many different backs.

I'm working on ways to make it more obvious that you can click there. I don't claim that programming user interfaces is my #1 skill .

I resigned from CI in early March (and wish them well - great folks). I am living in Boston this month and move to NYC full time July 1. I'm very excited to be part of the team at DT!

 

[kuau]

Congrats Doug on your new job. I'm sure you will have a blast in NYC,
I lived there for 2 years back in 1982
Steven

 

[dougpeterson]

Congrats Doug on your new job. I'm sure you will have a blast in NYC,
I lived there for 2 years back in 1982
Steven

You lived two years in one year? Then NYC is everything I've heard it is .

 

[MGrayson]

I've certainly aged two years for every year I've lived here...

 

[kuau]

82-83 almost 2 years.....
Though IMHO after revisiting NYC about 5 years ago, they killed it.
It's now like Disneyland. No more edge, no more times square like it use to be in the early 80's, no more smelly subway..

Doug, BTW, the app works great, though the only hassle is having to re register every time you use it.

Looking forward to my first cold call from the sales department... just kidding, excellent job you did, now I know what focal length I am using.....


Steven

 

[Dale Allyn]

Hey, Doug, congratulations on your new digs. Wow, I go head-down for a bit and come back to all sorts of change.

Re. IE 8 compatibility of your web app: I didn't try it, but I can REALLY sympathize. Internet Explorer 8 is a slight improvement over previous versions, but is (was) still a terrible browser with regard to W3C compliance and other Web standards. We build websites and applications to valid standards and then tweak to accommodate IE. That doesn't mean we must always use "IE hacks", but it does mean we must understand the landscape and hold back in terms of design and development thanks to MS's crappy, sub-standard browser; or shuttle IE users off to alternate installations with feature-restricted experiences. Thankfully, IE 10 is looking much better. Even more thankfully, IE has now fallen behind Chrome as the number one browser (31.9% vs 32.8% respectively). I don't like Chrome, personally, but a browser which respects web standards so that all can access information and receive the same rich visual experience is the appropriate goal. </rant>

Good luck in NYC and at DT.

 

[dougpeterson]

We have updated our public beta of the visualizer with several improvements, most of which were suggested here or on LL. Any additional feedback is welcome, either here or in person at our Phase One Photo Plus Expo booth next week.

Link:
Phase One & Mamiya/Leaf Digital Solutions - Visualizer

Fixes/Improvements:
- Can now show equivalency down to 14mm on a FF dSLR
- Added options to match lens by Vertical, Horizontal, and Focal Length in addition to the Diagonal. These update in real time as you slide. You can also turn lens matching "off" which allows you to slide them independently.
- Should run correctly in IE9
- Several sensors/cameras added including:
--- M8/M9 (thanks Dr. Scates)
--- 6x17, 5x7, and 6x9 film
- Size of each film format now reflects the most common exposed-area for that film. (gebseng a 90mm on 4x5 now correctly shows as equivalent diagonally to a 36mm on a 36x48 sensor)
- registration no longer considers Canada to be part of the US (no insult intended Canadian friends!)
- fixed math error which caused wrong results when the two sensors being compared were of very different aspect ratios

Requested feedback:
- anyone have IE8 they can try it in?
- anyone have IE10 preview?
- does the "Auto Match Lens:" wording make sense with the boxes "off", "vertical" etc?

Did not get to:
I was not able to find a way to easily implement a custom sensor size. In the future (early next year?) I hope to add a clever way of showing the specific measurement of the sensor/film selected - just have to close the development for now.

 

[stephengilbert]

Nice, Doug. Even works on an iPad.

And with the Opera browser.

 

[dougpeterson]

We're pleased to release an update to our Digital Transitions Visualizers:
- No more "info wall" (a.k.a. registration screen) required. Free and open to all.
- Additional film formats and new IQ2 series backs
- Streamlined user interface
- Smoother scrolling
- New Image Circle Visualizer

The new image circle visualizer does not seem to work in Internet Explorer. I'm working on that, but for now use a Mac or Chrome on Windows instead.

Feedback on either tool is very welcome. You can post here or email [email protected]

 

[torger]

Great tools! A horizon/crosshair would be nice in the image circle tool. Standard setup for me is a level camera (to get upright rendered trees/buildings) and then shift to place the horizon in the image. Portrait orientation would be nice to have too. edit: found portrait orientation

For example being able to shift down so much that the horizon is on the top 1/3 when in portrait orientation is something I like to be possible.