Having done a lot of reading about the new crop of medium format cameras, I am seriously considering the Mamiya DL28. I have been shooting 35mm for over 33 years and currently have a Canon 1Ds (the original 11.1 megapixel) and a lot of Canon gear. It is time for me to upgrade and I am having a hard time trying to decide between staying with Canon 35mm or moving to medium format. I know that as you pack more pixels in a smaller sensor a new crop of problems arise.
Ultimately, image quality is my main goal. I mainly shoot landscapes, portraits and commercial subjects and realize that medium format would suit my style of photography. The new offering by Mamiya seems to be a good compromise for me, but I have yet to read a full review of this set up. Would the Mamiya DL28 allow the use of a leaf shutter lens to increase the flash sync capability?
Any information would help me decide, but I am really looking for someone who has purchased the Mamiya DL28. I know it is just a combo of the Leaf Aptus II-6 back with the 645AFD III camera with 80mm f2.8 D lens. At $15,000. this seems like a great deal.
I don't know anything about the Mamiya either, but I do have a 1Ds. I also use a 1DsIII in my professional work. I think it's probably a bigger jump to the Mamiya than it looks, with not that much more capability.
The only way I'd do it is if there was something I could do with the new system that I couldn't do with the old. Leaf shutters are an example of one of those things.
Otherwise, I would proceed cautiously, buying into the system a little at a time without having to sell my Canon gear, just in case I determined that it wasn't worth the hassle.
Good luck with it, Jerry. Only you can make the call.
__________________ Dennis
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
I'm still keeping my current Canon gear. My dilemma is wether to upgrade to the 1Ds Mark III or buy into medium format with the Mamiya DL28. I truly believe that given current technology, 35mm digital has reached a megapixel limit with the current sensor size.
The advantage would be the larger 28 megapixel sensor (44 x 33mm / 6144 x 4622 pixels) with true 16 bit color depth and 12 f stop dynamic range. Mamiya also has a special going adding another lens for "free".
Purchase a new Mamiya DL28 Digital Camera System from an Authorized Mamiya Digital Dealer in the USA, between December 1, 2008 and February 28, 2009 and receive your choice of either an AF 55mm f/2.8 or AF 150mm f/3.5 Lens direct from Mamiya FREE-OF-CHARGE.
Because the system is "modular", you can upgrade the digital back and lenses even going with a different manufacturer.
THe downside is that the iso range is only 50 - 800 and flash sync speed is limited using the focal plane shutter. From what I understand, adding a leaf shutter lens allows flash sync of up to 1/1000 sec.
I truly believe that given current technology, 35mm digital has reached a megapixel limit with the current sensor size.
I'm not completely sure about that Jerry, at least not where the 1DS III is concerned. Reached, maybe, but not surpassed. Perhaps this means you should wait until the next generation before looking for more image detail...
The 1Ds Mark III has larger photosites (6.4 µm) than the 40D (5.7 µm), and frankly I find the 40D produces very good images at the pixel level with good glass, care during shooting, and good processing.
Personally I don't think they can go much farther, but the 1Ds sample images look very, very good. I certainly don't see wasted pixels. If anything, the 1DsIII is taking advantage of the last little bit of resolution available to a 35mm sensor; it hasn't moved beyond.
I was just looking for a 1DsIII raw image to convert and play with, but so far I haven't found one online. Know of any?
how about a used phase one P25, its full frame but only 22mp but i think it would be better perhaps a little cheaper. i shoot it on a mamiya 645 afd2 and its awesome, i cant really specify why but its much different than a dslr. problems, AF is almost useless, iso 50-100 is best, 200 at very most, 400 if you REALLY need it, and forget you have iso 800. (iso 400 = noise like 1 stop lower than highest iso on an slr and iso 800 would be the highest iso on a dslr).
i also have both of those lenses, the 55 and 150 and they are really nice, so is the 80.
i recommend the digital lenses, havent used the mamiya ones (not to knock them, i dont own them) but the rodenstock/schneider ones for a view camera or cambo wds or horseman swd or alpa. i have a schneider 35mm digitar lens on my wds and it is incredibly sharp. also my rodenstock 105mm digitar is just as nice, i use it on my studio 4x5 camera.
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