50 Mega Pixel Camera

Big Mike · Jul 8, 2008

The new Hassy is 50 MP :shock:
http://www.hasselblad.se/products/h-system/h3dii-50.aspx

Mike_E · Jul 8, 2008

CCD? Must not expect it to get out of the studio.

Like I'd take one to a theme park. LOLOLOL

Alpha · Jul 8, 2008

I can understand why this is a milestone, though not an unexpected one. I think 50MP is great. It's almost always people who've spent most of their photography lives/careers shooting 35mm or dSLR's who are being automasturbatory about their gear and decrying the utility of 50mp resolution. But for people like myself, who are accustomed to shooting medium format film as a hobby up to 6x9 (LF aside), it's nice to know there's a comparable digital system, even if we can't afford it (yet). For professional fashion and beauty photographers who spent most of their early careers shooting medium format film, I'd think that the existence of a digital back that could match the resolution of the "old days" without a compromise in speed or efficiency would be a more than welcome invention.

On the other hand, I've seen few good reviews of Imacon backs. Most people seem to vastly prefer Leaf and P1, which makes me skeptical about this new back.

Village Idiot · Jul 8, 2008

It's only supposed to be about $37....000

Chris of Arabia · Jul 8, 2008

Am I the only one who thinks it looks suspiciously like Lewis Hamilton's helmet...

Iron Flatline · Jul 8, 2008

Alpha is right. What's interesting is that there is such high demand amongst certain fashion and product shooters that they can't make them fast enough.

Another thing, this 50 MP is not the last word, if for no other reason that the next benchmark to be cleared is a large square sensor getting up to true 6x6 size. That Hasselblad uses a sensor that is 48x36mm, but expect 48x48 and even 56x56 at some point in the next twelve months, possibly as early as Photokina in September. Supposedly the sensor already exists, just the back doesn't yet.

Garbz · Jul 9, 2008

That's not hard to make, It's just hard to make and get hi yields. Larger sensors = lower yield rates and less sensors / wafer, and the cost needs to end up somewhere.

Alex_B · Jul 9, 2008

Garbz said:
That's not hard to make, It's just hard to make and get hi yields. Larger sensors = lower yield rates and less sensors / wafer, and the cost needs to end up somewhere.

true in a sense, ... but ... that would not give us such a high price! My feeling is that the company earns a hell lot of money with it

Part of it has to cover R&D costs though.

As for the yields ... if they produced sensors and wafers for all sizes in one production line, and leave the large ones with no faults uncut, but from those with one fault or more make smaller and smaller sensors, more than one on one wafer, then this would mean a drastic cut in costs for the large ones. .. given that the demand ratio for different sensor sizes is similar to the ratio produced by this method.

Jeff Canes · Jul 9, 2008

Alex_B said:
true in a sense, ... but ... that would not give us such a high price! My feeling is that the company earns a hell lot of money with it Part of it has to cover R&D costs though.

As for the yields ... if they produced sensors and wafers for all sizes in one production line, and leave the large ones with no faults uncut, but from those with one fault or more make smaller and smaller sensors, more than one on one wafer, then this would mean a drastic cut in costs for the large ones. .. given that the demand ratio for different sensor sizes is similar to the ratio produced by this method.

would, could or already does that method work?

Jeff Canes · Jul 9, 2008

What image improves would you expect to gain with a 50mp sensor? IMO it would be mostly for better color dynamic range and not for size and sharpness.

EricBrian · Jul 9, 2008

50MP CCD Image Sensor unveiled by Kodak

Kodak saying this should be in production by 4Q 2008.

Village Idiot · Jul 9, 2008

Jeff Canes said:
What image improves would you expect to gain with a 50mp sensor? IMO it would be mostly for better color dynamic range and not for size and sharpness.

Size could be an issue. When you're having a photo displayed in time square, you don't want to use a 6mp Digital Rebel.

Plus the sensor size plays a huge role. 36x48 vs. 22.2x14.8. You're going to need a lot more pixels for that larger sensor. Could you imagine a MF digital camera with a sensor that size that's only 8mp?