1. October 2002
Photokina 2002 - The day after
Photokina 2002 in Cologne - the biggest photo fair in the world - ended yesterday. I haven't yet read any statistics on it's success, but let us just assume that it wasn't exactly a fiasco.
The amount of news presented were huge. Digital is of course big these days, but one could still find new products in the film-camera department.
In this second part of my report from Photokina (don't miss part 1), I will argue that film and digital will live happily along each other, as well as show you some additional pictures from the fair.

As often before I must warn you that there is quite a lot of big pictures at the end of this report. There's little point in showing them if they aren't of some quality, so read the text and wait for the pictures.

"No rules"
Rule number one in many aspects of our modern life in the era of globalization seems to be that there are no rules. Let me give you some examples of what I mean:
In recent years and especially at this Photokina, we've seen digital cameras with German optics, take Sony with Zeiss or Panasonic with Leica. We've seen Hasselblad with Fuji optics. We've seen Hasselblad making both panoramic film cameras and we've seen them making new 6x4,5 cameras. We've seen digital SLR's with full-frame sensors outperforming medium format film (yes, indeed is seems to be true, follow links below). We've also seen a lot of new film-based rangefinder cameras appear - a type of cameras one might think would be dying out, not so! We've seen Zeiss optics with Leica M-mount (Rollei 35RF with new optics). And in the stream of new digicams we also see new fine-grain films appear - even new black&white films (Fuji Neopan)! And we've seen new TLR-type cameras, definitely a type of cameras that many thought was dying out. Or how about a Kiev camera with digital back? - Anything can happen.
There simply seems to be a camera for all needs and at all technology levels. 50 or even 75 years old cameras (Leica 0) are resurrected. This is only done if there is a market for it.

Film is dead(?)
Well, to anyone stating that film is dead, let me give you this list of film-only products that I can memorize just now (there are plenty more, I just don't know about them or can't remember them):
Agfa Ultra Color new 100 ISO negative film from Agfa.
Canon EOS 300V new SLR from Canon.
Bessa R2 new rangefinder form Voigtländer, introduced feb. 2002.
Fuji Neopan Acros 100 new mono film from Fujifilm.
Leica M7 rangefinder camera with aperture priority program.
Leica R9 new SLR from Leica. Introduced at Photokina 2002.
Nikon FM3a updated legendary SLR from Nikon.
Rollei 35RF new rangefinder from Rollei based on the Bessa R2. Introduced at Photokina 2002
Rolleiflex 2.8FX new TLR from Rollei.
Rolleiflex 4.0FW new TLR from Rollei. Introduced at Photokina 2002.
These are all products that aren't just "collectors items", but are meant to be used seriously.

Digital is inferior(?)
On the other hand, to anyone stating that digital well never reach the level of film-based products, consider these products:
Canon EOS-1 Ds new 11mp full-frame D-SLR, according to M. Reichmann from Luminous-Landscape, this camera outperforms scanned 6x4.5 material.
Kodak DCS 14n new 14mp full-frame D-SLR, likely to outperform medium format.
Kodak DCS Pro Back 645H new 16mp digital back, likely to outperform medium format.
Phase One H101 new 11mp digital back, likely to outperform or rival medium format.
Sigma SD9 3+mp D-SLR, likely to rival 35mm.
Sinar Sinarback 54 new 22mp(!) digital back, likely to outperform medium format.
- and of course a range of other medium format digital backs with stunning image details.

More impressions from Photokina 2002
I give you a few more photos taken at the Photokina 2002 fair.
Enjoy and dream!

Products


Canon G3 and accessory lenses


Canon EOS-1 Ds


Sigma SD9


Contax N


Rolleiflex 4.0 FW


Rollei 6008 AF with AF-Variogon 60 - 140mm f/4.6


Rollei 35RF with Sonnar 40mm f/2.8 and Planar 80mm f/2.8


Seagull 4A-109 TLR


B.I.G. Six from "Brenner"


Sensors for the Kodak DSC Pro Backs


Epson 2100/2200 ink cartridges


Sinar p3 view camera with the Sinarback 54 attached

Atmosphere


Kölner Dom in the morning mist


Waiting to enter the fair


High-speed Canon

Links
• www.PHOTOgraphical.NET Part 1 of the Photokina report
• www.luminous-landscape.com Read about the new D-SLR Canon EOS-1 Ds
• www.luminous-landscape.com The Luminous Landscape Photokina 2002 page
• www.photokina.de The official Photokina 2002 site
• dpreview.de At dpreview.com you'll find lot's of news.
• LetsGoDigital.nl Also has a list of news that will be presented at the fair.

And of course you'll find more information about the Photokina 2002 fair around the net.

... buy the Photokina 2002 News from the: PHOTOgraphical.NET shop

Hasselblad H1 645-AF Kit with 80mm F2.8 Lens HV90x Viewfinder, & Magazine Rollei 6008AF Medium Format SLR Auto Focus Camera Body with 120 back Canon Powershot G3 Kit, 4 Megapixel, 4x Optical Zoom, 3.6X Digital Zoom Kodak Dcs14n 14mp Digital Camera Canon EOS-1DS Digital SLR interchangeable lenses (11.1 Megapixel) Sigma SD-9 Digital SLR Camera Body Leica R9 Black Camera Body Bronica Zenzanon RF 100mm F/4.5 Telephoto Lens with hood