Photokina 2008: Full-Frame and Megapixels Rule
by Wesley Fink on September 26, 2008 2:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Digital Camera
Kodak Medium Format Sensor
Kodak was the first to produce full-frame DSLR cameras, with models based on both popular Nikon and Canon bodies of the time. Kodak exited the 35mm DSLR market several years ago, but they have remained active in the development and manufacture of digital imaging sensors. Kodak produced the first Olympus Four Thirds sensor and they produce sensors for their own point and shoot (compact) cameras and some of those produced by other companies.
In recent years, Kodak has maintained a visible professional presence in the digital medium format market, producing expensive backs and sensors for Hasselblad, Leica, and others. Kodak announced a series of sensors to be used in medium format cameras - all of them apparently based on variants of their 37.5MP 45mmx30mm CCD sensor. The new Kodak sensor is 56% larger than a full-frame CCD sensor. Details are in the Kodak press release:
Leica, Hasselblad, and Sinar Select KODAK CCD Image Sensors for Use in New Cameras
Cologne, Germany, September 23, 2008 - CCD Image Sensors from Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) have been selected again to power the most advanced cameras for professional photographers. Showcased at this year's Photokina trade fair in Cologne, Germany, the new cameras - the LEICA S2, the HASSELBLAD H3DII-50, and the SINAR Hy6-65 - are based on both new and existing KODAK CCD Image Sensors, and further establish Kodak as the leading supplier of the most advanced image sensors used in professional photography.
"Kodak has a rich history of supplying image sensors of the highest quality for use in professional photography - where image quality, resolution, and color fidelity are critical to a photographer's success," said Michael Miller, manager of Kodak's CCD Image Sensor Business, part of the company's Image Sensor Solutions group. "We are excited to see this legacy continue with the launch of a new generation of cameras from the world's leading manufacturers that will allow photographers to capture images of the highest quality and the finest detail."
The LEICA S2 camera, powered by the new KODAK KAF-37500 Image Sensor, is the third product from Leica to be based on KODAK CCD Image Sensors - a relationship that began first with the LEICA Digital Module-R and was then extended with the LEICA M8 camera. With an imaging area of 45mm x 30mm, the 37.5 million pixel KAF-37500 represents a new optical format for photography, providing an image capture area over 50% larger than traditional 35mm film. The sensor also includes specific design features that optimize its use in the S2 camera, such as the use of microlenses to increase the overall light sensitivity of the device, enabling improved image quality under low light conditions. In addition, an infra-red absorbing optic was incorporated directly into the sensor's packaging, enabling the development of a thinner camera design by eliminating the need to include this IR-absorbing function as a separate camera component.
The new KODAK KAF-50100 Image Sensor was selected by Hasselblad for use in the HASSELBLAD H3DII-50, the top model of Hasselblad's H3DII family and their fourth-generation medium-format camera. Twice the physical size of the largest 35mm DSLR image sensor, the 50 million pixel KAF-50100 sets a new resolution benchmark for the popular 48mm x 36mm optical format used in medium-format photography, while improving upon the quality and imaging performance available from the previous generation of KODAK sensors.
Both the KAI-50100 and the KAF-37500 Image Sensors are based on the new KODAK TRUESENSE 6.0 micron Full-frame CCD Platform, the company's fourth generation of technology for professional photography. This new platform increases both the resolution and camera performance available for photographers by reducing pixel size and "click-to-capture" time for improved camera response, improving frame rate, lowering power consumption, and improving color fidelity while retaining key performance parameters available from the previous generation of technology.
Sinar has selected the 31.6 million pixel KODAK KAF-31600 Image Sensor for use in the SINAR Hy6-65, a new system that brings integrated digital image processing to medium format photography. Leveraging the light sensitivity, wide dynamic range, and outstanding color fidelity available from the KAF-31600 Image Sensor, this camera brings the superb image quality and performance available from the KAF-31600 to a new generation of products available from Sinar.
These three new cameras join a family of existing cameras and camera backs that are based on a full portfolio of KODAK CCD Image Sensors targeted to this market. With resolutions ranging from 16 to 50 million pixels, Kodak has supplied the broadest portfolio of high performance CCD products for this market, providing camera manufacturers the flexibility to meet the needs and requirements of their customers while retaining the performance and image quality required in this demanding application.
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plonk420 - Saturday, September 27, 2008 - link
one person i know says that this is a breakthru for indy film producers. another person in film doesn't believe that it's coming from a digiSLR...http://vincentlaforet.com/">http://vincentlaforet.com/
a short film produced WITHOUT POST PRODUCTION (save for resizing) with the 5D Mark II as source. impromptu petition has even been setup to try to convince Canon to bequeath it with 24p in a firmware update...
yyrkoon - Saturday, September 27, 2008 - link
Being the leader in image manipulation, I am surprised that Adobe gave no details as to what CS4 is capable of ? This is an assumption on my behalf because I am sure you guys at Anandtech.com *would* report the nitty-gritty if it were made available . . . right ?It is rumored that CS4 will take advantage of CUDA for parallel processing of images. This could be a HUGE boon for image retouchers, and judging from the current CUDA enabled scripting filter examples on Adobes site, I would view this as the next logical step for them.
Wesley Fink - Saturday, September 27, 2008 - link
The info provided by Adobe was short on specifics and big on sweeping generalities in the Press release. Adobe does claim more support of current hardware and is said to fully support quad core processing. That should interest our readers. CS4 also claims to better support today's graphics cards (GPU) for smoother pan and zoom functions though they don't specify which GPU hardware they are talking about.To be blunt most PS users are forced to upgrade because Adobe makes new versions of its very popular Camera RAW plug-in incompatible with older PS versions. That means when you finally get your newer camera you are forced to upgrade PS if you want to process RAW files in Photoshop.
We believed our readers would want to know a new version of Photoshop is coming, and they could find out more it they were interested. You can see the Press Release for yourself at http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressrel...">http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressro...srelease... We decided not to repeat it. We will know more when Photoshop CS4 and PS CS4 Extended ship next month.
yyrkoon - Saturday, September 27, 2008 - link
Yeah, thats exactly what I did: read adobes support pages, and the list is quite extensive. Albeit not as extensive as I hoped.One thing that Adobe can not do quite right is standardize their UI, which they have changed AGAIN, and honestly it is annoying. They *claim* it will improve the user experience, and help speed things up, but that yet remains to be seen.
melgross - Friday, September 26, 2008 - link
There's an error in the first chart. The Nikon etc. numbers should read 15.7 x 23.5.This also shows why the 4/3 format has such a problem. If Olympus/Panasonic want to make a 15 MP sensor, the pixel density will jump to 6.2. That's way above where the other cameras will be. The 50D, with 15 MP is at 4.5. This will be a disadvantage in S/N. With less pixels, this hasn't been as much of a problem (though Panasonic has always has noise problems), but as site size continues to diminish, they will find it more difficult to make up for it.
Wesley Fink - Friday, September 26, 2008 - link
Dimension is corrected. The area was correct, but the decimal number for one dimension got dropped in editing.melgross - Friday, September 26, 2008 - link
Olympus doesn't use the faster, and often more accurate, phase detection for auto focus?Or is it that the compatibility will only extend to the older method of contrast detection?
If so, and there's no phase detection, that's a negative.
strikeback03 - Monday, September 29, 2008 - link
They do use phase detect in their SLRs, along with some having contrast detect capability. The micro-4/3 cameras, as they have no mirror or other means of redirecting light, cannot use phase detect AF.And I also wonder why anything in the lens has something to do with whether contrast detect AF works or not.
Johnmcl7 - Friday, September 26, 2008 - link
"The prototype has interchangeable Micro Four Thirds lenses and can fit today's Four Thirds lenses with full functionality by using an adapter"As far as I'm aware the G1 does not have full compatibility with 4/3 lenses, there's no AF unless the lens supports contrast detect AF which is expected to be the same for the Olympus micro 4/3. The press release is vague on the point as it simply says you can mnount the lenses.
John
Wesley Fink - Friday, September 26, 2008 - link
You are certainly correct that the Press release is less than crystal clear on this point. Based on the info you provide I have slightly changed the description you quote to remove "with full functionality".We are also dealing with a prototype 6 months from introduction and we can only speculate on the shipping product. If your speculation is correct then four current 4/3 lenses support contrast detect. They are the 14-42mm, 40-150mm, 25mm f2.8, and the latest Panasonic/Leica 14-50mm.
Olympus was able to add contrast-detect compatibility to these lenses with a firmware upgrade. We are left to wonder whether that may be possible with other current 4/3 lenses. We will know with the shipping Olympus Micro 4/3 compact.