The First Medium Format Digital Camera!

[Rex914]

This was actually announced a little while ago, but it's finally shipping pretty soon. Just in case you are unfamiliar with Mamiya, it's one of the major forces in the medium format camera industry. What strikes me as most impressive about this camera is that it hardly looks like the chunky, huge medium format cameras we're used to and rather looks on par with the biggest 35mm cameras instead.

Mamiya ZD- 22 Megapixel CCD
- 1.8" LCD
- 1.5 fps
- FireWire port (a must!)
- List Price ~ $11,000 USD


Image (http://www.dpreview.com/news/0409/mamiya_zd.jpg)

[TheObiJuan]

i have been looking at that camera for a year with marvel.
mmmmmmm :D
i have no use for it, it is not practical for what I do, and the lenses cost way too much, but damn it is awesome.


edit: when i first clicked on the thread, i thought i saw, "my first medium format digial camera" :eek:
i was stunned that someone posting here would need one of those suckers.

too bad the DB costs so much. :mad:

[sherlock]

Hey,

Well this is my first look at this camera, and I am amazed! A medium format digicam? who would've thunk it? Ok, now that I'm done, I have a question, does anyone know the actual size of the sensor? Thanks, and I'm sure someone out there will have use for that bad boy!

[Norm in Fujino]

I have a question, does anyone know the actual size of the sensor?

It's a FFT obviously, and the J site says 36x48mm, tho I don't know how they're measuring it.
A number of other high-end digital backs are available from Phase One, Sinar, Imacon and Leaf, for Hasselblad and Mamiya mid-format cameras. Sensor info for the Phase One says it's 36.9ｘ49.2mm (1.5x3") FFT CCD, with 22 Megapixels. The price for these guys ranges $25-50,000 in Japan.

You can see them at:
http://www.horiuchi-color.co.jp/index2/s_sale/sale_machine/media_camera.html

[Rhys]

It just looks big to me.

If they could have concentrated that 22 megapixels into a 35mm frame, that would have been very interesting indeed.

Assuming a format ratio of 6x 4.5 we can calculate that 22mp / 27 = 814814
the root of that is 902.67
multiplying by the sides, we have 5416 pixels width by 4062 pixels height.

Assuming printing at 150 dpi (my preferred standard) then we have a final print of 36 inches by 27 inches.

It's not too shabby but I'm pretty sure a really good 35mm film such as Kodachrome 25 or Kodachrome 64 would have produced a photo just as good and for a lot less investment.

[ReF]

i can't believe how little it costs compared to a digital back! High MP sensors/cams may become affordable (to us with realistic budgets) even sooner than expected! it would suck for those of us who already spent $$$ on 35mm gear to have to buy a whole new set of lenses though

[Samuel Lo]

i can't believe how little it costs compared to a digital back! High MP sensors/cams may become affordable (to us with realistic budgets) even sooner than expected! it would suck for those of us who already spent $$$ on 35mm gear to have to buy a whole new set of lenses though

The price quoted above is only the body, the digital back have to add about $10,000, so you have to spend $21,000+.

[Rhys]

The price quoted above is only the body, the digital back have to add about $10,000, so you have to spend $21,000+.

Ok. What does $21000 get you with 120? Here, we'll do a straight conversion assuming $21000 is about £14,000.

Brand new, Mamiya 645AFD BODY + 80mm STANDARD LENS + ROLL FILM HOLDER would set you back around £4,000.

This leaves £10,000 to spend on extra lenses and/or film.

Taking the film equivalent that means I can afford to buy and have processed a load of film.

A roll of AGFA RSX II 50 PROFESSIONAL 120 costs £3.49. That's a colour reversal film that provides the best dynamic range. Processing seems to be £3.99.

Of course, all these prices will be over the top of what one would pay in the real world as they're Jessops prices. Even so, at £7.48 per 12 exposures, you would need to take 16,042 photos to equal the expendature.

Somehow, it hardly seems worth the cost - especially when film costs so little in relation to income from medium format photography.

[Samuel Lo]

Ok. What does $21000 get you with 120? Here, we'll do a straight conversion assuming $21000 is about £14,000.

Brand new, Mamiya 645AFD BODY + 80mm STANDARD LENS + ROLL FILM HOLDER would set you back around £4,000.

This leaves £10,000 to spend on extra lenses and/or film.

Taking the film equivalent that means I can afford to buy and have processed a load of film.

A roll of AGFA RSX II 50 PROFESSIONAL 120 costs £3.49. That's a colour reversal film that provides the best dynamic range. Processing seems to be £3.99.

Of course, all these prices will be over the top of what one would pay in the real world as they're Jessops prices. Even so, at £7.48 per 12 exposures, you would need to take 16,042 photos to equal the expendature.

Somehow, it hardly seems worth the cost - especially when film costs so little in relation to income from medium format photography.


It's different, and should not being compared. It's just like some years ago: my typewriter cost only US$150, but the computer is $1,500 with printer, both can type my letters...

[Rex914]

Costs will come down until the digital technology completely dominates because it's cheaper and satisfies all but the most discerning users. I don't see this happening for medium format, but in the case of digital point and shoots and perhaps digital slr's, we're at the point where you can spend a paltry amount ($200) and get a decent camera (A75) that will satisfy an average household. That amount will gradually lower to around $100 and stop around there while the entry level DSLR will cost only a little more than an entry level film SLR. It just takes time, but all this technology will eventually become affordable and more cost effective than the non-digital solution.

[Rhys]

It's different, and should not being compared. It's just like some years ago: my typewriter cost only US$150, but the computer is $1,500 with printer, both can type my letters...

But my argument can be expanded to include the fact that by the time one has had the film through a medium format camera that equals the price this digital medium format camera, medium format digital cameras will have dropped to a sensible price.

[D70FAN]

It's a FFT obviously, and the J site says 36x48mm, tho I don't know how they're measuring it.
A number of other high-end digital backs are available from Phase One, Sinar, Imacon and Leaf, for Hasselblad and Mamiya mid-format cameras. Sensor info for the Phase One says it's 36.9ｘ49.2mm (1.5x3") FFT CCD, with 22 Megapixels. The price for these guys ranges $25-50,000 in Japan.

You can see them at:
http://www.horiuchi-color.co.jp/index2/s_sale/sale_machine/media_camera.html

You forgot Fuji in your list. ;)

[Ant]

Are you sure that's the first medium format digital camera? I think this one has been out for a few months:

http://www.hasselblad.se/products/level3.asp?secId=1135&itemId=3362