What's new
Medium Format Forum

Register a free account now!

If you are registered, you get access to the members only section, can participate in the buy & sell second hand forum and last but not least you can reserve your preferred username before someone else takes it.

H system questions

L

lawscreen

New Member
Three questions regarding the H system,
1. which backs (40, 50, 50MS, 60, 200MS) does Kodak make?
2. With the financial trouble Kodak is in, will the backs they make be a problem to repair, replace, etc?
3. If the 200MS back approximately represents a 200 megapixal image, what does the 50MS approximate?

Many thanks, Arthur
 
Kodak doesn't make digital backs. They once did, which were sold under the name Kodak, but ceased doing so some time ago ... the last being the Kodak Proback 645 ... a square sensor, 16 meg back with a top ISO of 400. When first made available, these backs were very innovative, and one of if not the first backs to be totally portable and use CF type card slots ... the biggest of which was the revolutionary 1-gig IBM Micro-Drive that cost over $500. each and was susceptible to destruction by a 1 foot drop onto a feather pillow ... LOL! My how times have changed.

Kodak makes the sensors for all of the current Hasselblad digital backs EXCEPT the H4D/60 which is made by Dalsa. My choice BTW : -)

Currently there is no reason to doubt that the now sold Kodak sensor division will suddenly stop making sensors for Hasselblad, Pentax and Leica MFD cameras. I believe these MFD companies must maintain replacement parts for at least 5 years or so, and Leica has stated that they will maintain a supply for six years from the date of its last sold version of the S2 even if it is replaced by a S3 down the road. Six years is a lifetime when it comes to MFD cameras.

-Marc
 
Oh, here's an answer regarding #3:

The H4D/50 MS is both a single shot and 4 shot camera. The final resolution and file size is the same for both. The difference is that rather than an interpolated neighbor pixel guess at the RGB colors like all other single shot digital cameras do, it captures each one independently which results in much more faithful colors and the elimination of moiré ... which is why they are so favored by reproduction photographers, micro technology, and fabric shooters or still life photographers looking for the ultimate faithful representation of inanimate objects. The 200 M/S does add resolution by adding 2 more shots to the multi-shot sequence. The RAW file then goes to 200 meg ... exactly how it does that I do not know, but it does.

-Marc
 
Thanks

Marc, thank you so much for your detailed answers. You have really helped me to decide which H4D to get and I am now leaning towards the 50MS, with the assurance that the sensors will remain available. Plus, your explanation regarding the 50MS makes a lot of sense to me too. Now all I have to do is find the funds and convince my wife!

Regards, Arthur
 
Good luck!

Finding money is a lot easier than getting the wifey to let you spend it on a camera ... LOL!

-Marc
 
My Imacon Ixpress 528C has a single shot 22MP image, 4 shot MS and 16 shot MS. The 16 shot MS comes out as a 528MB file, which is great until you start trying to process it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top