Franka Solida IIL and Xenar 3.5 samples

[PaulC]

I got the Epson v500 up and running last night, so here is one of my first samples. It shows the quality that can be achieved by a folding camera on an ultra lightweight tripod. All the hand-held shots were a bit soft.

I scanned at high resolution and downsized until I was happy with the image quality (which has really been defined by the grain in the 400ASA Fomapan film). At 150 dpi this would print at about 2 ft 6 in (75cm) square. The cropped out section is at 72dpi, so that is what you would see in a five-feet (150cm) square print, viewed at the distance you are from your screen; it is more realistic to step back a couple of paces so that you are viewing it from the distance you might look at a billboard.

I would say that the quality achieved by the Franka IIL/Xenar lens combination is up to modern glossy magazine quality IF the camera is clamped perfectly still.

The shot was taken at about 1/4s and probably around f8. I suspect that the problem with camera shake in hand-held shots is partly due to the light weight of the camera meaning there is more tendency to wave it around. However, the camera and tripod together weigh less than a 5D SLR.

[Farside]

That's rather good. So much for the assertion that they were all crap.

[PaulC]