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Mike,
I use a Bronica SQ 2 1/4" square format camera for capturing my reference material. Shooting Kodak T-max 100 film I can blow up my images to life size and they retain amount of detail I am looking for. The detail I get blows away any digital image I have seen under $25,000. I work sight size on all critical areas (head, hands, jewelry, etc.).
I use Fuji Astia 100 film for color reference. This film recently was reformulated and the color fidelity is quite amazing. Far better than any digital color I have seen (or other color film as well). I use my color to approximate the final colors which I always adjust by painting from life.
One of my students is using a Fuji finepix S2 Pro. I wouldn't even consider painting from those, although he likes it. I'm just used to much better quality.
If you want the highest quality images, unless you're looking to spend thousands for a medium format camera (that can accommodate a digital back) plus very very big bucks for a 22
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