[meteorite-list] Digital Photography

From: Matson, Robert <ROBERT.D.MATSON_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:02:28 2004
Message-ID: <AF564D2B9D91D411B9FE00508BF1C8698E5AC3_at_US-Torrance.mail.saic.com>

Hi Martin and List,

There is another issue in the debate between commercial digital
and film cameras. There is a maximum exposure duration for
most commercial digital cameras (usually less than 30 seconds),
making them completely unsuitable for astrophotography. Yes,
you can buy CCD arrays specifically for astrophotography work,
but if you want to record wide field-of-view images (e.g.
during a meteor shower), an SLR film camera is really the
only way to go.

And while digital camera resolution is steadily improving and
approaching that of today's film, photographic emulsion technology
is ALSO rapidly improving and thus will continue to be preferred
by most professional photographers for the foreseable future.
And even if/when the day comes that CCD resolution matches that
of the best film, there will still be purists that prefer analog
over digital (just as there are audiophiles today that prefer
vinyl records to CD's).

On a side note, I wonder how expensive digital cameras would
be today if it weren't for the existence of eBay? Think price,
supply and demand... --Rob
Received on Wed 13 Mar 2002 03:33:44 PM PST