Catching up to 1970's technology

[rgonzale]

I owned a Minox 35EL, purchased in 1976. This was a pocketable, 6.6 oz full-frame 35mm camera with fixed f2.8 35mm lens and a neat folding design. It was always with me and took dreamy shots: auto-exposure up to 120 seconds (!) for noise-free night photos, sharp 11"x17" enlargements.

OK, where is the digicam equivalent!? Sigma DP2 has a 20mm width sensor and fixed f2.8 41mm equivalent lens. It weighs 9.2oz and is almost twice as thick as my old Minox, certainly not what I'd call pocketable.

I guess the new Canon S90 is physically similar but here we're talking about a "1/1.7" (7.6 mm width) sensor: 1/20th the area of full-frame 35mm.

When Sony/Phillips came out with the CD to replace the LP, what if you needed a playback device twice as large as a LP turntable and the sound was AM-radio-quality? That's today's digital photography technology as it applies to point and shoots!

Wake me up when they make a 6.6oz full-frame digital camera.

[AdamW]

So what's your point?

Digital camera technology isn't advanced enough to impress you? Well, sorry about that.

Things were better in olden times? Oh yes, the 1970s were glorious, weren't they?

Or are you just a troll?

[David Metsky]

Were you able to store 1000 images on your Minox?
Were you able to review shots and retake as needed?
Were you able to adjust ISO at will?
Were you able to shoot videos?
Were there no film costs?

[Mark_48]

Holds its value better than an old digital P&S (?)
http://www.keh.com/OnLineStore/Produ...&GCC=&KW=minox

[cdifoto]

Film is ass compared to digital. Even on a decent P&S.

[AdamW]

Film is ass compared to digital. Even on a decent P&S.

Well phrased, sir, well phrased!

[AdamW]

This guy joined the forum in May 2005 and this is his second post? That some good lurking, there.

[Mark_48]

This arrived in my email a couple days ago...

If you're gonna do digital, go all the way. I bolded the important stuff.

"New Mamiya DM56 Digital Camera Introduced

Elmsford, NY – October 21, 2009 – Mamiya has partnered with industry leaders Schneider, Phase One and Leaf to produce the best of all worlds — the new Mamiya DM56 professional digital camera.

The camera features a 56 megapixel sensor, and is precision-matched to new optics designed by renowned lens maker Schneider-Kreuznach. "The results have created a new standard for digital images," says Mamiya Product Marketing Manager Mike Edwards. "The large sensor, 56x36mm, coupled with a 16 bit/channel color palette, provides exceptional color accuracy and rich high dynamic range images in just a single capture. Other digital camera systems simply cannot compare."

The heart of the DM56 system is the new "DF" camera-core technology, developed by Mamiya, featuring two user-selectable shutter systems: leaf or focal plane. In demanding daylight situations, photographers can use predictable high speed flash synchronization to fill-in or overpower even the brightest ambient light on one of three new leaf-shuttered lenses designed by Schneider-Kreuznach and manufactured by Mamiya. The lenses, available in focal lengths of 55mm, 80mm, and 110mm, deliver an effective maximum flash sync speed of up to 1/1600th of a second. For more conventional situations, photographers can choose any one of 15 other world-class Mamiya optics, from 28mm to 300mm APO, designed for use with the cameras' focal plane shutter system.

Regardless of shutter choice, photographers can look forward to the DM56's faster autofocus technology, open-platform back selection, improved ergonomics, and performance accuracy.

Mamiya recognizes that stellar camera performance is of little value without equally powerful software options.

"That's why we offer the flexibility of choosing from the world's largest selection of professional Raw file processing solutions," continues Edwards, "and that is why we have included both Phase One's Capture One™ and Leaf Capture™. Or, photographers can choose to use 3rd-party software such as Adobe Lightroom™. The power of software choice is in photographers' hands, where it should be."

The Mamiya DM56 continues Mamiya's reputation of perfecting the professional modular camera system for the ultimate in versatility. Mix-and-match components as needed — perhaps a traditional DM configuration today; then if the photographer wishes, use it with a Mamiya RZ or 3rd-party view camera system tomorrow by using optional adapters.

The new DM56 has an estimated street price of $32,490, and is being introduced at the same time as the DM33, with a street price of $19,990. Both cameras come with the sharp 80mm f/2.8 D Series lens, focal plane shutter, and are fully compatible with any Mamiya AF focal plane series lens. The DM33 also features Mamiya's new Guaranteed Trade-Up Program, which offers purchasers of new Mamiya digital products the peace of mind of knowing they can safely choose the right product for their specific needs.

Both the DM56 and DM33 are scheduled to begin shipments in November, and feature 6x7 touchscreens, with the DM56 fitted with a 9288 x 6000 pixel sensor measuring 56 x 36mm, with an ISO range of 80-800. The DM33's sensor has 6726 x 5040 pixels and measures 48 x 36mm, with an ISO range of 50-800.

For more information, visit www.Mamiya.com"

[rgonzale]

Sorry to be a troll ;-)

Hey I don't mean to start a flamewar about digital vs analog. But none of your comments addressed my post: you can't buy a pocketable digital camera that has the image quality of a 1970's film camera. That sucks.

I'm not denying that digital is way more convenient than film, I rarely shoot film anymore. But is convenience the only thing you care about?

"Film is ass compared to digital" -- are you serious? That's a kind of broad statement! I wonder if you are so used to the digital "mush" and smudginess of P&S jpegs that you think this is as good as it gets?

If you guys did your homework you would have found a lot more to criticize about my old Minox 35EL film camera: no on-camera flash, no zoom, no auto-focus -- in fact no rangefinder at all (you set the focus ring based purely on your estimation of distance)! The first two I can easily live without, the focussing issue could be an annoyance.

My point is, 35 years later can't Canon or someone make a digital camera which is the same size and shoots *better* pictures?

[TheWengler]

But is convenience the only thing you care about?

You're the one who's complaining about camera sizes. I'm pretty sure everyone replying to you is carrying around a bag full of gear that isn't very convenient.