Marc
I beg to differ:
"Even if they can pull it off, all this is doing is focusing the marketing element on an ever upward spiraling meg number instead of using technology to really advance art of photography"
Which is what I see exactly on the current MF products !
The better usability, the smaller size, the openness of the systems and the advanced tools (life view!) that support professional image taking - this is what´s lacking and which a company like Sony coming from the consumer electronics is delivering. Who cares for megapixels once they are well beyond 30 or maybe 40 ? I predict that in 2-3 years from now 50 % of photographers will show up on location for customers with mirrorless systems. It´s the photographer that counts, not the camera - have faith !
;-)
Regards
Stefan
I do feel that when you resort to the old chestnut,
"It's the photographer that counts, not the camera" ... it's a bit counter to your previous stance...
"you are tired of the on-going praise for MF on this site" ... but those are photographers who are so happy. :wtf: So, the comment seems selective, and favors those who agree with you while discounting those photographers who don't.
While I do think there is always room for continuous and real-world improvement in all forms of cameras ... I also think there has most certainly been relentless improvement in MFD in the past 4-5 years.
The primary objective with MFD is IQ, otherwise there is no reason to use it. So, whatever additional improvements are made cannot be at the expense of IQ ... and I think the MFD companies have done an admirable job of sticking to that prime directive while making the cameras more versatile and easy to work with.
Heck, Hasselblad solved the off-center AF issue, and Phase has even taken the sync speed to 1600, have the option of an AIR radio as part of the system, and has the best LCD of any camera on the market. To me that is listening to the photographer's real world needs and providing technological solutions. How the MFD makers solve current needs or desires in future (like live view) may take a different turn of technology than conventional thinking may dictate. Hasselblads TF is a perfect example of this in action.
While Leica has introduced a new paradigm, it simply isn't a substitute for how many photographers use MFD ... and it is the photographers dictating this.
Lastly, and this is strictly my opinion ... I've seen this argument over the whole span of digital development, Where a 35mm DSLR is touted as the end of MFD ... Canon's S models for example. I even bought into that premiss and suffered for it. They have never fulfilled that promise in the categories of photography where MFD is used. Frankly, the more obvious repercussion to my eyes has been the lowering of standards of those who do buy into the premiss ... or they never needed what MFD delivers in the first place.
I for one celebrate this site's dedication to MFD photography and the incredible standards of many members in terms of both content and sheer image quality to go with it :thumbs:
I am a photographer, and I approve this message ... :ROTFL:
-Marc
P.S., just yankin' your chain Stefan ... Merry Christmas!