[LargeFormat] Death of Large Format !

[stuart phillips]

I assumed that the poster wasn't familiar with an Etch-A-Sketch; it was the
only way to make sense of a clearly ludicrous statement.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Sullivan" <michael@haywood-sullivan.com>
To: <largeformat@f32.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 12:49 PM
Subject: Re: [LargeFormat] Death of Large Format !


> I think this is an amazingly naive statement (although the WORK part
> "might" be legitimate -- however, considering that my digitally-backed 4x5
> is about the same overall weight as your 8x10, it might just be a draw).
>
> 8x10 lenses are not as sharp as 35mm lenses. Period. They certainly are
> nothing compared to the new medium format digital lenses by Schneider and
> Rodenstock. As such, a montage made up of as many images as this one will
> almost certainly have MUCH MORE data in it than even the best 8x10. No
> kidding. The real issue is OUTPUT -- inkjet printers cannot come close to
> the resolution of emulsion. A digital image (no matter *what* its
> resolution) printed on the best inkjet printers at the highest settings at
> 8"x10" cannot come close to the detail that an 8x10 contact print
provides.
> Period. I feel that this is the main issue REALLY LARGE format
> photographers should focus on.
>
> OTOH, a 40"x60" digital print from a 4x5 digital file vs a wet print 4x5
> chrome/color neg (in spite of Christopher Burkett's admonitions to the
> contrary) is likely to be MUCH SHARPER and have MORE DETAIL than the
analog
> version. No kidding. I have tested this thoroughly in case you are
> wondering. I've been doing digital scanning since the late 80s (in fact I
> was one of the very first people to do scanning and digital separations on
> a Mac, way back in 1988). I've also shot 8x10, 5x7, 4x5, 2 1/4 since the
> late 70s, so I'm quite familiar (and comfortable) with both camps.
>
> I only ask that you keep to the facts (in spite of the many smiley faces).
> Casting aspersions against "anything digital" is counterproductive -- 
> especially to those of us who shoot LARGE FORMAT DIGITAL!    :-)  :-)
>
> J Michael Sullivan
> author of "Make Your Scanner a Great Design and Production Tool" 1995 (out
> of print)
> http://www.haywood-sullivan.com/photography
>
>
>
> At 06:33 PM 12/3/2003, you wrote:
> >A single sheet of 8x10 (and most likely 4x5) film would make this
> >gigapixel image look like an Etch-A-Sketch drawing. And at about 1/1000th
> >the work.
> >
> >:-)
> >
> >Jim
>
>
>
>
>
>
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