Naturally, the makers of various MFD systems would have us believe their offering to be best, and I'm sure they personally believe that themselves, as they should. Users or fans will naturally gravitate to supporting their own personal decisions. But one only need scroll through all the images displayed here on just this forum, or to look at actual prints, or even who is using certain gear in the commercial or art world, to recognize how narrow the IQ chart really is.Thats what I just thought. I admit that I love the smooth rendering of some of my Rollei (Zeiss and Schneider) lenses but overall I admit that the IQ one sees from Hassy MF images and Mamiya/Phase Images looks all so good and Iwould expect the same from the new Leica lenses.
If I had to decide between the systems (which I dont have to because I allready went the Hy6-way) I would rather look at factors like:
-availability of lenses
-speed and more important accurancy of AF
-user interface of camera and software
-reliability and service
-size and handling
-price and value
-flexibility
I personally doubt anybody could detect any practical IQ differences between those systems. Just my opinion.
The S2 is smaller and lighter and weather sealed-but the lenses are the same size and bulk. How much do you really gain?
As a hobby photographer who prints big but not that big I would wish for something else by the way:
A 35mm full frame sensor with the character of a MF sensor: ccd, no AA, maybe not so great high ISO but great low ISO detail and tonality
Something like the M9, but with the AF speed and accurancy of a Nikon D700/D3 camera. Give it 16MP or 24 if possible.
The DMR was a little bit like that but I just didnt manage the manuel focus that well.
Specific features probably play a much bigger role than IQ for most experienced people. From all the posts on the S2, it appears the form factor is a main appeal, where with others it is the reason not to buy compared to the other more versatile modular forms of MFD machines. Oddly, my expectations of the S2's IQ was that of a larger DMR ... which for me it was not. Those IQ expectations where probably unrealistic because I was looking for a replacement for my 35mm gear not MFD ... so, even given the DMR/IQ disappointment I may have gotten the S2 had it performed better in other areas like AF, and if you could actually get the lenses needed.
IMO, there are few folks that wouldn't be better off NOT buying yet another upgrade or MFD do-dad ... and spend the time and money getting better with what they have. For landscape inclined shooters, one of Jack and Guy's Workshops would pay more dividends than yet another lens or some $40K system swap. My pal Irakly Shanidze teachs workshops all over the world, and I'm dumbfounded at the creative transformation many of his students make no matter what camera they use. Simply amazing.
BTW, RE; 35mm ... a lot of us have found the Sony A900 to be the closest thing to what you are longing for... but it's still CMOS. However, it seems to have a lot less filtration and more attention to the low to mid-level ISOs and tonality, so the ISO performance and look is more MFD like than NikCan. The Zeiss AF lenses help with the over-all usability, tonality, feel and personality. Beautiful color and character right out of the camera :thumbup:
Marc