Digital back for Bronica SQ-Ai

[Eric]

Could anyone recommend a digital back for a Bronica SQ-Ai?
How many images can be stored?
How does the quality compare with a Nikon D1?
Would it be suitable for shooting weddings?

 

[Phillip (not Askey)]

Better light and litephase,(I hope I have that correct) make digital backs for medium and large format cameras. Leaf also I believe does this. Most of these if not all are scanning back cameras, meaning that they take a seperate exposure for each color in the RGB channels. There is one exception, I believe it is made by Dicomed, a medium format back that is a single scan. These are not really "portable" as in "practical" at this point for a transient location setting such as a Wedding. Although the Little Shot, the single scan back is more compact than the others it is not like the D1 in that the "works" that process the images is not actually part of the back. Here's some links to get you started Erik.

http://www.dicomed.com/

http://www.sinarbron.com/leafmain.htm

http://www.calumetdigital.com/

Could anyone recommend a digital back for a Bronica SQ-Ai?
How many images can be stored?
How does the quality compare with a Nikon D1?
Would it be suitable for shooting weddings?

 

[Darren Bernaerdt]

You could also try MegaVision (www.mega-vision.com). Their S3 back is available with a variety of adapter plates for medium format. 2K x 3K resolution, single shot, portable solution available (as with Phase One's Lightphase). You'll find these backs have far more detail than the D1.

Darren

http://www.dicomed.com/

http://www.sinarbron.com/leafmain.htm

http://www.calumetdigital.com/

Could anyone recommend a digital back for a Bronica SQ-Ai?
How many images can be stored?
How does the quality compare with a Nikon D1?
Would it be suitable for shooting weddings?

 

[Joe Smithberger]

Could anyone recommend a digital back for a Bronica SQ-Ai?
How many images can be stored?
How does the quality compare with a Nikon D1?
Would it be suitable for shooting weddings?

Right now the best, portable, medium format camera option is the Lightphase from Phase One. However, even this back needs a tethered laptop to

function (the tiny Sony VAIO is the recommended solution). Storage is limited only by the laptop's hard drive.

If you want to do high res and work outside the studio, you should really look into the Kodak 560/660. It's a much better solution on location. Function

and portability are similar to the D1, except 6Mpixel resolution and lower ISO (80-200). Medium format backs for one shot use have severe limitations

in focal length because the chip is still 35mm film size. Your normal 80mm lense is now a portrait length telephoto. If you are like me, I have three

lenses for my Hassy system and with the digital back, they are all normal and longer. The 40mm (slightly wide) is about $3k. It's not a good trade off

when you can have fast fixed aperture zooms and autofocus with the 35mm bodied Kodaks.