Re: Sony A100 to A700

In article <6a9v4rF36336nU1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Chris Malcolm <cam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I think this approaching point where the full-frame sensors have
medium format film resolution is one of the critical elements in a
number of impending developments which will make a radical change in
digital camera design possible. The first important change, as you
mention, is that in order to take full advantage of the resolution a
completely new range of higher precision lenses will be required.

Chris-

There are existing lens designs for film cameras in formats ranging from
110 film to 8" X 10" sheet film. There is likely to already be lens
designs for any sensor format you can propose.

At present, my 10 megapixel APS sensor's images are approaching the
resolution of lenses designed for 35mm cameras, but they aren't there
yet. Looking at actual images, I estimate the break-even point to be at
least 24 megapixels, where the image becomes lens-resolution-limited
instead of pixel-limited.

Once you reach either limit with any given format, the only way to
increase image resolution is to increase the format size, so less
magnification is required for a given print size.

Don't kid yourself. If you say full frame sensors are approaching the
resolution of medium format film, you are really saying that you are
satisfied with 35mm images. You can't change the laws of physics.

What we are seeing now, is that most people are satisfied with what they
are getting with the common sensors, whether they be APS or the 4/3
system. Most people don't blow up images to poster size prints, or crop
poster images to 4" X 6" prints. In other words, current digital
cameras are "good enough". And they have been since the one megapixel
sensor was developed!

Fred
.

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