Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/05/15

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Subject: Re: [Leica] M lenses & digital compatibility
From: Chris Bitmead <chrisb@ans.com.au>
Date: Sat, 16 May 1998 03:48:12 +0000

Alex Brattell wrote:
> 
>  Alan Ball wote:
> 
> I would thus be delighted  for example if Leica announced its intention to
> go on supporting the M mount for future digital developements: very high
> res 24x36 sized CCDs would make very good usage of the optical qualities of
> the M lens range and it would be a nice way to protect current customer
> investments..................
> 
> That was one of my questions when I bought Leica M lenses - will they be
> useable on future digital bodies?
> I was told that yes, they would. Because I wanted to buy the stuff anyway, I
> believed it.

I've got a theory that M lenses are potentially more future-proof
than other lenses as far as digital is concerned. The reason is
that on a digital camera the SLR mirror is redundant. You can get
TTL viewing without a mirror via the CCD and a display. Therefore
any future professional digital camera outfit is more logically
based on a lens system with small mount to film distance.

Digital technology may turn the M system into an SLR system, or
at least a dual viewing system. Maybe one day there will be a
300mm M lens.


- -- 
Chris Bitmead
http://www.ans.com.au/~chrisb
mailto:chrisb@ans.com.au