3. The Choice Of The 24x36 Sensor

Beyond the publicity effect of announcing 14 million pixels, the real interest of the Kodak DSC pro SLR/n is its offering of a full-frame 24x36 sensor, with no focal multiplier. This is a fundamental point, since professional demands require cross-brand compatible systems, and a photographer who owns Nikon lenses probably doesn't want to reinvest in another set. Further, going from film to digital is as easy as pie; no change in working habits whatsoever is necessary with a with 24x36 imager. The full-frame sensor is a major trump card, all the more since Nikon (unlike Canon) doesn't offer a body with a 24x36 sensor, so that a hard-core Nikon lover who wants to hang onto his or her habits has no choice but to go with Kodak. Until Nikon follows suit, Kodak has positioned itself intelligently with an uncommon unit that may well appeal to a broader public than the purely ultra-professional segment.

With the DSC pro SLR/n, a 20 mm remains a 20 mm, and you don't need to shell out for a 16 mm to regain your original focal length. It's simple, effective and incontrovertible.

The Price War

Which is all very well, but $5,000 remains a hefty sum. However, the numbers may add up in Kodak's favor: You pay $5,000, but $5,000 is all you pay. As we've seen, you won't need to invest in a horrifically expensive ultra-wide-angle to keep a "normal" focal length, and that has to be taken into account. Photographers who are reluctant to put out that kind of money can look to the Nikon D70, but if they want to stick to their working habits and their favorite apertures (f2.8, say - the expensive kind), the total cost begins to climb, to the point where you've rapidly gone beyond the price of the Kodak. So what's the answer? There is no easy one, but the choice has to be carefully weighed. A studio photographer who's in the habit of shooting packshots in 100 mm can buy a D70 with no problem. But an architecture photographer who lives on wide angle would be advised to opt for the Kodak. The decision has to be made on a case-by-case basis.