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35mm film is considered to be roughly equivalent to 20 megapixels. A modern digital camera has 42, more than double that. 35mm film is considered to have a dyn
by bicubic 10y ago
35mm film is considered to be roughly equivalent to 20 megapixels. A modern digital camera has 42, more than double that.
35mm film is considered to have a dynamic range around 13 stops. A modern digital camera will do about 13.9
Film has a few advantages and pleasant quirks over digital, but sensitivity and resolution aren't amongst them.
- datenwolf 10y ago> but sensitivity and resolution aren't amongst them. Digital cameras have been more sensitive than chemical film for some time now, hence I didn't mention sensitivity (film is clearly inferior). Regarding dynamic range and resolution, it really depends on what kinds of stock you compare to digital. If you take a low sensitivity ISO 50 fine grain stock, that one will easily outperform current generation electronic sensors – except for low-ish resolution high dynamic range sensors with large charge collecting capabilities¹. But you get this at the expense of having to use slow shutter speeds or a fast aperture. You're right that in the "usual" ballpark of operational parameters (ISO 400 to ISO 2000, ~30MP resolution) modern electronic image sensors are getting close or are on-par with standard application chemical film stock. ---- 1: Ironically chemical film stock resolution and dynamic range increase "in the same direction": Smaller grain → higher DR, higher resolution, but lower sensitivity. It's exactly opposite for electronic sensors since pixel size determines charge collection capacity and therefore saturation levels.
- ekianjo 10y agoif you enlarge a film the traditional way for printing it goes way beyond 20M pixels. Probably closer to 50M pixela at least. Try enlarging a current 20M pixels digital picture to A2 format you will see a huge difference and film clearly wins.
- bicubic 10y agoI based my numbers on http://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/30745/what-is-the-equivalent-resolution-of-a-35mm-film http://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/30745/what-is-the-e... Their breakdown is based around top of the line equipment. If you think 50mp can be pulled from film, I'd like to see how.