Originally posted by John Trammell The 645Z sensor is smaller than 645 film, so it seems that a good scanning job might rival the 645Z sensor. Does anyone have an opinion on this?
Good question: It is somewhat like trying to compare a 35mm neg vs. a FF digital RAW file. There are more variables on the film side including the emulsion (Ektar vs. Tmax/Delta 100 vs. XP-2 vs. Velvia, etc), the quality of the film processing, the quality of your scanner and choosing the right settings, and then your definition of quality (dynamic range, sharpness, color rendition, noise vs. grain, etc).
Overall I'd say can be comparable in some ways and different in others. Digital excels in low light, convenience, weather resistance and because the sensor is smaller, at the telephoto end. Film excels in having a unique color rendition or tonal curve, and the analog emulsion which is not affected by moire or any aliasing issues. My Minolta Dimage Multi Scan Pro can scan up to 4800 dpi. If I had to replace it today, I'd get the Plustek OpticFilm 120 Film Scanner ($1600) which scans 120 film up to 5300 dpi. The ultimate would be the Hasselblad Flextight X5 Scanner (8000 dpi around $26K), but at those prices, I'd go native digital.