Date:         Wed, 6 Jul 2005 07:56:17 -0700
Reply-To:     Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Subject:      Re: [NVC] Digital Camera
In-Reply-To:  <o6cmc15n8teakjpo0g34c8kqagqso5np68@4ax.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Most folks want autofocus for their digital work, and the Oly Zuiko (not
Zeiss) lenses are almost all manual focus.  Also, film is able to
receive light at a more oblique angle than is a CCD, so wider angle
lenses needed to be redesigned to move the rear element of the lens
further away from the CCD.  If you use a wide angle film lens on a
digital camera, you can get some odd effects, especially around the
edges of the image.

Fuji has developed a rather different way of packing in the sensors on
the CCD - sort of a honeycomb instead of lines and rows, making for a
bit better resolution.  They've also piggybacked a second sensor to each
existing sensor - the function of which is to give a hi-lo signal to
increase the dynamic range of the signal.  This should (and to my
experience, does eliminate the blocked up shadows that Andrew was
complaining about.

My son uses a Fuji E-550 (around $300), and I'm always tempted to grab
it rather than most of my pro gear due to its light weight, unobtrusive
profile, and image quality.  It'll focus down to around 5 inches (don't
know if that qualifies as super close) and has very good low-light
capabilities.  The E-500 has a less sophisticated CCD, but does focus
down to something like 3/4"!!

I had opportunity to use a Fuji S-20 Pro, which looks like an SLR but
does not actually have an interchangeable lens, using instead a fixed
35-210 mm (35mm equivalent) along with the Super CCD and several other
bells and whistles.  Like the camera a lot, but at around $800, it might
be a good thing to look at an interchangeable lens SLR, like the
new(ish) Nikon (don't recall the model #) selling with a normal zoom
lens for under $1000.

I tend not to be a camera techie person, and strongly believe in going
to several camera shops and picking up and playing with the different
models from different manufacturers.  What feels good to the hand is
what will work for you.  If you spend $300 in today's market, you're
going to get a $300 camera.  They're pretty similar.  A good buddy of
mine is a sales rep for Fuji, so I tend to have easy access to their
line, though neither he nor I earn a commission should you buy one.

He does suggest that One Call is a good source.  They're in the Pacific
Northwest, and run price surveys constantly.  They will show what the
best internet price is on the unit you're looking at and will match it.
www.onecall.com

Karl Wolz

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
Behalf Of
> BA
> Sent: Tuesday, July 05, 2005 6:20 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: [NVC] Digital Camera
>
> Last time I bothered to notice, Olympus had stated they would
> *deliberately not* design their digital cameras to take their SLR
> lenses.  Something about the optics/physics being wrong, so the image
> would never be as good, and they didn't want to dilute the Zeiss
> reputation.
>
> Of course, they may have reconsidered, once they found out that
> someone was already working on creating a converter-connector thingie.
>
>
>
> B(&S)
> '87 Westy 'Esmerelda Blanc'
> SoCal
>
>
>
> On Tue, 05 Jul 2005 19:14:30 -0400, you wrote:
>
> >Why not look for an Olympus digital SLR?  I know the Canon and Nikon
digital
> >SLR's use the same lens as their film cameras.
> >
> >There are a few van images I took with my Canon here:
> >
> >http://www.limbobus.org/copper/thumbnails.php?album=lastupby&uid=20
> >
> >
> >
> >Dan Brideau
> >http://www.skidweeb.com/