MegaVision B&W digital camera backs are available in 6, 11, 16, and now 39 megapixels.

Why not other CCD sizes for B/W photography?

It is not easy to obtain a CCD with no Bayer Pattern. The CCD manufactures prefer to make them all one way only (with a Bayer Pattern filter applied). Plus museums tend to prefer the maximum size that is available.

The E Series MonoChrome are the most unique B&W digital capture device in the world.

The days that it was possible to evaluate the 16 megapixel version MegaVision black and white digital camera back revealed that it was unique in every respect.  With no RGB channels, so you can’t really manipulate these files in Adobe Photoshop in any normal way.

But you can learn much more by speaking with Richard Chang in California, at MegaVision; e-mail or speak with him directly. Mega-vision (with a hyphen) is their web site name. He knows conventional film as well as digital photography inside out.

Why shoot B&W directly if you can continue converting color photographs to black-and-white in Adobe Photoshop?

To get rid of the issues caused by low-pass filters, anti-moire filters, and Bayer Pattern filter, the CCD used by MegaVision provides true RAW capture (more RAW than anything you have experienced before)! You will never, ever arrive at this clean a shot using a conventional color image and converting it in Adobe Photoshop.

Color images have all the imperfections that result from being shot through so many filters. Each filter debilitates the image in order to impart the crucial aspect that a digital color photograph requires. Remember, a CCD sensor is color blind.

B&W digital landscape photography

I would be curious to try this kind of a back on a sliding back adapter, to do wide-angle landscape photography in pure black-and-white.

B&W digital architectural photography

These special black and white digital cameras are made for industrial purposes, especially museum analysis of art. Although my degree is in art history, my primarily interest would be for doing black and white architectural photography and black and white fine art photography.

Quad black black-and-white digital photography printing

FLAAR is currently evaluating the HP Z3100ps GP Photo printer to see how it handles grayscale conversion and printing. In the past we had a quad black printer (a 12-ink ColorSpan). But nowadays the standard grayscale printers are the Epson 4880, Epson 7880, etc, or occasionally the 12-ink Canon such as Canon iPF 5100, Canon iPF 6100, Canon iPF 8100, Canon iPF 9100.

First posted Feb 15, 2008

Available by october 2008 Available by octuber 2008 Available by october 2008 Available by october 2008 Available by october 2008

Nicholas Hellmuth’s Medium Format Digital Camera Initiative For over 40 years Nicholas Hellmuth has used Rolleiflex and Hasselblad cameras to record the flora, fauna, and archaeology of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. Now for several years he is extending his medium format experience to digital photography. Since FLAAR works both in a studio as well as out on location, we are an ideal focus for judging portability. We have experience with large format digital scan backs (the excellent BetterLight) and we also use Nikon and Canon digital cameras. A full-service digital pro should have at least one medium format digital system and should consider large format digital options as well. Although we started with a Leaf Valeo 22 coupled with a Mamiya 645 AFD body and lenses, we are open to showcasing all bodies as well as other digital backs. Indeed we have tested an Imacon 4-shot back on a Hasselblad H1 body. Then (February 2006 onwards) we are evaluated a MegaVision black-and-white dedicated back for fine art photography. Next we are testing a 33-megapixel Phase One P 30. Since 2008 FLAAR has used a Phase One P25+ (a great way to update an aging Hasselblad ELX body with its excellent Zeiss lenses). Camera resellers or manufacturers who wish to have their cameras, lenses, and backs included in this initiative are welcome to send their equipment for evaluation. FLAAR is the de facto source of information because we have been university based, independent, blunt, and we are one of the few review sources that dares to review advertising specs, advertising claims, and advertising hype. We can afford to reveal all the pros and cons because FLAAR is a research institute. Photographers feel they can trust a university research professor who has devoted years to understanding the pros and cons of each aspect of a digital camera system and workflow. Notice you are not blinded by blinking, flashing, or pesty ads for low-bid camera stores on a FLAAR photography review. I am always amused by a pseudo-review that obviously is simply paid to send you to a camera store. You can download our colorful FLAAR Reports on our medium format digital camera initiative.