Re: Digicam vs. Scanner resolutions

[Kennedy McEwen <rkm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In article <3D0424F6.921929ED@worldnet.att.net>, Phil.Lippincott 
<phil.lippincott@worldnet.att.net> writes
>Hi Kennedy
>   As I previously mentioned Ektachrome E100SV has grain that can be
>optically scanned at 8000 dpi without a problem.  I believe all of the newest
>formulation films from Kodak and Fuji may use the newer "T structure" or
>similar random grain technology to that patented by Agfa a few years ago.
>Kodak has had a number of new patents approved also for new dye formulations
>that are better suited for scanning.  This is where Portra came from VPS
>also.  In my testing of scanners no scanner has had an optical visible
>resolution better than 8000 dpi equivalent. Most 5600 optical specified
>scanners really have 3500 or less.  The CCD scanners lack of quality gives
>people the perception that this all the film has but it's not true.  Most
>film is better than most scanners and most professional scanners are better
>than digi cams.  Also slow scan scan backs are nothing more than relocatible
>small CCD scanners themselves.
>
Phil,
   what you are confirming is that your 150in print is far from perfect, 
although it may indeed be as good as any chemically produced print of 
the same size.  Your original statement claimed a grain free image, now 
you are suggesting that the grain is optically scanned - which means, as 
I suspected, that you are scanning well beyond the resolution capability 
of the image.

The fact remains that the film does not have enough resolution (and 
neither do most optics) to produce a 100x magnification without the 
resolution limitations being visible to the naked eye.  Furthermore, a 
150in print from an 8000ppi scan results in a pixel resolution on paper 
which is easily visible.   Although filtering at the printer may avoid 
pixelation itself, even a perfectly sharp original would be visible less 
than sharp when printed at that resolution - and you don't have a 
perfectly sharp original.

As I said before, your 150in print may well look impressive, but it 
cannot be perfect and, for example, comparison with a similar sized 
print from a larger format source would knock spots off it in the 
resolution stakes.
-- 
Kennedy
Yes, Socrates himself is particularly missed;
A lovely little thinker, but a bugger when he's pissed.
Python Philosophers
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