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Is a new ND around the corner

avid

Member
If not, anyone selling one of the current version? I am considering the purchase of one in order to use the Contax645 lenses on a ND with the NAM1 adapter so I can get rid of the entire Canon system and have one set of lens for both. Question is, do these lenses still produce the same sharp, contrasty images on the ND that I am used to on the C645? Do users that have used C645 Zeiss lenses on the ND see any difference in the image quality? I imagine that the images will be just as good if not better than the Canon's L glass, right?
Wonder if it is better to wait to see if a new version is announced that previews RAW image on the camera LCD? Lack of that feature was a shocking thing to know as every camera on the market (even a 300D) displays RAW images in camera.
Thanks
 
I too was shocked when I realized my ND wouldn't preview raw images. After the Photoshop raw developer was able to do a wonderful job on the ND raw images, I was shocked by how easily I could ignore this lack
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.

On the other hand, if you're serious about 35mm digital photography, wait a bit before you dump the Canon lenses, assuming they're the really good ones, at least 'til Photokina.

DJ
Patiently waiting for the ND 2 announcement ... for a bit anyway
 
Avi, I have frequently used the C645 lenses on ND. For studio portrait, I found that the ND raw images are better than my C645 scans, provided your lighting and exposure are good. Of course, there are a lot of variables, such as what kind of films and how the scan is being done, size of enlargement. I am not making any statement here, but ND with C645 lenses is definitely a good combo. No comment on the Canon L glass since I don't have the EOS 1Ds to compare with.

As DJ pointed out, no raw preview is not a big deal. Most photographers work with no preview for decades. If I need preview, I shoot jpeg first. It is a big inconvenience, but one would learn to work with the limitation. Any gear has its limitation.

Mostly likely, you will sell the Contax system before the Canon system if digital is important to you. I could be wrong but I could not see Contax will produce any dSLR body better than canon, especially there is no sign of new ND (time will tell if you can wait.) However, the zeiss lenses keep be around and I am quite happy with the ND.

Albert.
 
DJ, I actually find that no preview of RAW images is to the better. It brings you even close to the feel of shooting film and makes more disciplined. Digital photographers quickly develop a habit of reviewing every image right after they take it, and it is bad because they do it instead of keeping shooting.
 
LCD review has other values beyond "chimping" the image.

Case in point: While shooting a wedding last Saturday, I discovered my new Canon 1DMKII and 550EX weren't working properly. While the flash was firing okay, it wasn't registering on the sensor at all. Some flaw in the sync either with the flash or the camera (TBD). Without LCD review there would have been no way to catch this problem, and I would have ruined an entire wedding shoot.

Irakly, are you in town? We need to talk ASAP.
 
Mark, I am in London, waiting for my fight back home. Will be in Detroit this evening and will give you a call.
 
Irakly, I also found that to be the case, as I mentioned when we first started testing the Photoshop raw plug-in. But on the other hand, Marc also makes a point. As usual there's two or more sides to everything. It's up to us to make the most of them
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.

As for me, my money's lined up. By November I'll either have a Canon 1Ds or have/be waiting for an announced ND2.
 
DJ, the 1Ds isn't all it's claimed to be.

Lots of noise in the blacks to deal with.

It depends on what you need a digital for. For fast work Canon's the way to go. I use mine for weddings. But any basic shots the ND is just fine.

If I want real resolution for mammoth enlargements, I use my Contax 645 and a Kodak back. I ran a test on the 1Ds and the Kodak back in studio, the 645 blew away the Canon. Just like with film, there's no substitute for real estate.
 
Marc, thanks for the heads up. I was going to ask for your take on the 1Ds, and there it is
happy.gif
. I had considered going the 645 way, but price of the 16MP backs has been a block, the ones I've seen being in the 14K+ range.

I'll be going to China in January, and was thinking of an upgrade, but maybe not ...
 
The discontinued 16 meg 645C is totally portable, was only $12,000 new when it first came out. It can be had with a little shopping for less than a 1Ds body. Irakly paid even less than that for his. Both of us use that set up.

Best of all you get to use Zeiss glass !!!

But I don't want to mislead you. The 1Ds is a fab camera. But not without it's own set of issues.
 
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