Re: Leaf and Canon questions

John,

I've been using a Leaf Cantare XYon a Mamiya RZ67 for the last three years.
This camera is the forerunner to the valeo with a 6mpix 35mm sized sensor
and delivers an 18mb raw file. I can only say the camera is nothing short of
fantastic and I'm sure the new one will be even better. We also have a Leaf
Valeo mounted on a Siner P2 for three shot work when quality is paramount.
Both are very much studio cameras but the new Valeo is probably better out
and about than ours.

All of our post production work is carried out in Photoshop, in standard
8bit Tiff format-sometimes converting to JPEG for e-mail etc. Workflow on a
Mac is reasonable though the Leafcapture software doesn't have Adobe 98 as
one of its native profiles.

As for pinhole work, I don't think this is possible as the lens/shutter and
flash sync are part of the cameras(the Leaf back's) circuitry. The digital
back will not work without the electrical contacts in the lens and sync.
system. We have a Sinar back that will work and indeed have managed to mount
a 20mm Nikkor onto the Sinar camera body. This gave us, effectively a 20mm
wide angle lens (wide angles of view are very difficult for a digital on a
m/f or l/f camera body back due to the small sensor size). I've been itching
to try a pinhole on it but I think gumprinting time gets in the way!!

Not sure what you mean by Pyro-like result. Do you mean the colour , which
can be produced in Photoshop as a spectral density neg or the
acutance/compensatory effect which can also be achieved in Photoshop, though
your output method/inkset/substrate will have more of an effect here.

Hope this is of interest....

Julian Smart.
Oxford UK

----- Original Message -----
From: "PhotoGecko Austin" <gecko@photogecko.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 2004 2:43 AM
Subject: Leaf and Canon questions

> Greetings all,
>
> I'm wondering if anyone on the list has experience using the Leaf Valeo
> on a Mamiya 645AFd, or the new Leaf/Mamiya ProDigital6. I understand
> the later might not even be available as yet, although the publicity
> about it is ubiquitous in the circles I've been lately traveling.
>
> Also wondering if anyone on the list has experience with the Canon EOS
> 10D.
>
> Specifically, regarding both devices, I'm wondering how translatable
> the file types are (the proprietary file types for Leaf, and the
> Jpeg-Raw files for Canon) for use in PhotoShop and subsequent digital
> negative production. Any problems or surprises (pleasant or not)
> associated with using either of these devices would be appreciated.
>
> After years of being a die-hard (meaning, I suppose, hard to kill) film
> only (and Pyro developed only) purist, the current demands on time (for
> processing) and space (for organizing negatives) are forcing me to
> re-think the media and workflow.
>
> Which brings up another question: Is there a way to achieve Pyro-like
> results in digital format. . . ? I don't believe I've ever seen this
> question addressed in the list.
>
> Oh, one more thing (and this is a stretch). . . .
>
> Has anyone experience with using a *pinhole* (or zone plate) adapter on
> either of the above configurations (the Leaf or the Canon)?
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.
>
> I hope everyone is well and prosperous.
>
> Best regards to all,
> John
> __________________________
> John Campbell
> PhotoGecko Studios & Gallery
> 1413 South First Street
> Austin, Tx 78704
>
> (512) 797-9375
>
> www.photogecko.com
>

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