Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/02/22

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Subject: [Leica] DMR dead end?
From: rdcb37 at dodo.com.au (Rick Dykstra)
Date: Tue Feb 22 12:22:50 2005
References: <011e01c518e2$b1f11710$6401a8c0@ccapr.com>

Well I think there's a solid point to the bodies remaining film 
capable.  I will keep using film as well as a Digital Back.  If I was 
on an extended trip, say in the outback of Australia, and the digital 
bits screwed up somehow or even if the battery simply died,  I could 
swap the backs and keep going.  Who hasn't found the manual winder and 
rewinder useful?  I use them often - should they be deleted simply 
because they are not strictly necessary?  Versatility, flexibility, 
compatibility!

Rick.

On 23/02/2005, at 12:30 AM, B. D. Colen wrote:

> Great, Rick. Pay $4K for digital because you want to shoot digital and
> Leica, and then have it go belly up and be told, 'well, it's backwards
> compatible, you can always shoot film.' Sounds allot like telling
> someone who bought a model T they could always use a horse to pull it 
> if
> the engine died. :-)
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
> [mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
> Rick Dykstra
> Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2005 6:24 AM
> To: Leica Users Group
> Subject: Re: [Leica] DMR dead end?
>
>
> Certainly food for thought.  One thought is, the DMR truly represents
> Leica's commitment to backwards compatibility.  If the manufacturer
> goes completely tits up, just use film!  Try that with a digital from
> Canikonoltashikatax!   Try saying Canikonoltashikatax, late at night.
> :-(
>
> Rick.
>
> On 22/02/2005, at 7:12 PM, David Teo wrote:
>
>> Hi
>>
>> To me, the DMR is definitely a dead end, factoring in the recent bad
>> financial state of Leica.
>>
>> Buying a DMR is not the same as buying a new MP today, the latter
>> being almost guaranteed to work for decades to come, dust in
>> viewfinder not withstanding :) Even if Leica goes belly up, there's
>> always DAG or Sherry to give that MP the overhaul it needs to get it
>> working for the next decade or so. Who is going to repair your DMR or
>> service it if Leica goes bust tomorrow? It doesn't help that Leica's
>> history with electronics is suspect at best. Where are you going to
>> get the new firmware updates from?
>>
>> All of Leica's current digital offerings are made by Panasonic. With
>> the DMR, it is Imacon and Kodak. What if that relationship sours? You
>> will be left with no more improvements to the DMR. Look at Nikon -
>> their sensors come from Sony and they are unable to produce updated
>> versions of their aging D100 nor offer a higher megapixel count D2h.
>> This is very likely a sensor availability problem. Canon, which has
>> inhouse R&D work on their own sensors, is able to produce 4 different
>> sensors within the span of a single year for each of their DSLRs.
>>
>> All it takes is for Imacon to pull the plug and Leica will be left
>> with no digital future. The future doesn't look too bright. And the
>> continual delay of the release of the DMR is not confidence inspiring.
>>
>> Btw I'm just wondering, is DAG or Sherry or any of the reputed Leica
>> repair persons training up new apprentices? This would be a good time
>> I think, to train up a new generation of camera repair people
>> specializing in Leica equipment. Provided of course, with the highly
>> educated youngsters today, there are still some of them willing to
>> take up the job :)
>>
>> ----------
>> David Teo
>>
>>
>> On 22-Feb-05, at AM 02:06, B. D. Colen wrote:
>>
>>> Right...So a brand spanking new, state-of-today's-art, high speed, 8
>>> mpg
>>> autofocus DSLR built for service in Iraq and Afganistan, with a 1.3
>>> magnification factor - oh, that will take R lenses - from a very
>>> healthy
>>> manufacturer for under $4K, v. a $4K+ digital BACK for a manual SLR
>>> from
>>> a manufacturer who may not be around tomorrow? Buy up Ms and Rs while
>>> you can? Sure. But DMR? That makes a great deal of sense - only to
>>> someone with Red Dots where their eyes, heart, and brain are supposed
>
>>> to
>>> be. ;-)
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>
>
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> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>
> _______________________________________________
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>


Replies: Reply from bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen) ([Leica] DMR dead end?)
In reply to: Message from bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen) ([Leica] DMR dead end?)