[Leica] DMR mk II ?

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

B. D. pointed out:
Subject: Re: [Leica] DMR mk II ?
>>>> Let's see - 20D - $1300 for entire camera. DMR, $5-6K for the back 
>>>> alone - $8-9K for the camera. It bloody well better make the 20D look 
>>>> like a Kodak Brownie. Or am I missing something here? ;-)<<<<

Hi B.D.,
To some degree this whole DMR thing is another peeing in the wind thing the 
LUG get's on when a new piece of gear becomes available as we've seen during 
the past half dozen years or so.

Be it lenses, new bodies, digital or otherwise, you name it and everyone has 
an opinion. The R8 for example became a collection of ridiculous aspersions 
by members who'd only seen pictures of it or had one in hand for less than 5 
minutes.

The DMR falls into exactly the same category. We, us, most everyone has some 
kind of comment good, bad or ugly about it. But what we haven't seen yet is 
anything from a real time working on the job assignment (unless I missed it) 
and I don't mean grasslands, nice looking trees, happy snaps of the local 
school or church. We haven't seen results of it during a news documentary or 
event during the crash & burns situations of life.

What we have seen and hear comments about are "the fineness of detail, 
colour renditions and the "things of greater meaning to rock & fern folks 
with lots of time for just the right conditions."

I don't doubt it isn't good, but many of the things being said fall into the 
usual digital jargon of techie stuff of little meaning to working 
photojournalists who require higher sensitivity settings. We've been there 
sort of, but it still hasn't answered my point, although George L. was close 
on dial twiddling.;-)

It's beginning to look like a fruitless collection of mine is bigger, better 
than yours.

And yes for the kind of money, I know the value to work ratio is meaningless 
to a person who can pop for a DMR, R8 or 9 without a dollar return thought. 
But until I see 20D prints off my 2200 better than we produce now, I mean 
lots and lots better big time then I'm reserving judgement.

Although I did have a 5D in hand, shot some frames, nothing more than 
people in the shop and on the street I'm favourably impressed and for what a 
DMR costs I could have 2 5D bodies and the use of all my Leica glass 
shooting full 35mm frame. ;-) And keep the 20D as a back-up. ;-)

Then I'd be back to my "using three bodies" at the same time to shoot my 
assignments and other work.;-)

Makes a fella think a bit more about digi life at an affordable price may 
not be so bad after all. ;-)

ted.