Hello Feroze, I am not a profesionnal nor an expert, but from reading some photo magazines and because of my interrest in digital photography, I think I can put these personnal humble opinions to the community :
> 1] A DSLR needs a lens of a higher resolution capability than > a film lens? YES, if the sensor has the same size as the film. Why ? because sensor is far much sensitive than film to lens performance decrease from optical axis to the angles. Decrease in resolution and luminousity in the angles of the image are more visible on an image shot with sensor than on a film image. NO, if the sensor is smaller than the film for which the lens has been made. Why . because in that case the image is taken by the sensor in the "good" part of the image circle, where differences between digital image and film image in resolution / luminousity / contrast are not be so remarquable. > 2] All else being equal a 11-14MP DSLR image equals or > betters a 35mm scan in some instances? YES, recent tests in "R�ponses Photo" (dec. 2002) have proven that Canon EOS 1D images are sharper than 24x36 film images and are more comparable with 120 film (the equipment competing was : EOS1D + 16-35mm f/2.8 F100 + 35mm f/2 Hasselblad 500CM + Zeiss 50mm CFE). > 3] If you used a full frame lens designed for a DSLR than all > else being equal the digital image would better the 35mm scan in most > instances? YES, assuming the DSLR is same size as film. Why ? because optimum digital image got from scan of a 24x36 slide is about 9 million pixel, while full frame 24x36 sensor gives more (at the date of today excepted Contax N digital). Aditionnaly common color film resolution reaches 120 to 150 l/mm, while 150 to 200 l/mm can be reached with top-of-the-range sensors. > 4] What would, assuming the above are all true , be then the > result of using a high resolution lens on a SLR eg a MZS with ISO 100 B & W > film, would the lens resolve too detail much for the film? Possibly YES, but if I'm not wrong, no lenses have been specifically designed, at the date of today, for full frame 11Mpix DSLRs. Facts have proven that specifically designed DSLR lenses (12-24mm from Nikon) are smaller in size, and size image, than SLR lenses, which leads to the unusability of such DSLR lenses on full frame SLRs. It would be interresting to test the first full frame DSLR lens on both DSLR and SLR bodies. I hope I have offended nobody, and if I have, I appologize in advance. Cyril www.pentaxiste.org --- Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.459 / Virus Database: 258 - Release Date: 25/02/2003
