35mm film vs Panasonic G2

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Inspired by Essexash's MF v's D800 thread, another film vs digi shoot-out, this time between a 12 mpix Panasonic G2 micro4/3 camera and 35mm film, both using manual focus Canon FD lenses.

[this is utterly frivolous, BTW :D]

First up Panasonic G2 with Canon FDn 24mm f/2.8 lens. PP and b/w conversion in Adobe Lightroom the day I took it (which was 31st July)

20120731_0030.jpg


From the same spot, a few seconds later, with Canon A-1, FDn 50mm f/1.4 and Kodak BW400CN. Scanned with Vuescan on an Epson V700 and PP in Photoshop CS5.


John Street by cybertect, on Flickr

I didn't look at the digital version for about two weeks before doing this.

The digital version has a fraction more detail than the 35mm when you look close up, but that's probably as much down to the limitations of the V700 as anything else.

I must admit I was kind of surprised how close they were otherwise, though I discovered I'd accidentally cloned out some real spots of white paint on the brickwork of the building on the left, thinking they were dust on the neg :lol:
 
That's really interesting. What surprised me is there is more in the clouds from the first (G2) than the second! I thought the reponse curve of film at the bright end would mean that went the other way...
 
I may have used a graduated filter in Lightroom to pull it back a little on both. I'm not particularly purist with my PP. As I said, it's rather a frivolous exercise rather than anything scientific :)
 
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Richer tones on the film image to my eyes. I like it.
 
The film shot seems to have better contrast and detail (the sign, the brickwork and the staining on the roof for example).

Nice test.
 
MindofMel said:
35mm wins this one for me... DPI you scan it in at?

4800 dpi color scan which I then extract the green channel for monochrome as I usually find it's the sharpest. Spot and down-res to 2400 dpi final file.
 
(I understand that this is a frivolous exercise)

I like the contrast and the "bite" that the film shot has a lot, although that could probably be replicated in the G2 shot with some PP. The sky is blown (especially around the crane) in the film shot though, although again some PP/scanning fix could resolve that.

The G2 doesn't fare too badly though, considering the sensor is the same size as the 110 cameras were back in the day! It is such a flat shot compared to the Canon though.
 
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