Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/03/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>Now I'm playing devils advocate here, what if any difference would there be >with a Leica DMR $6000 Canadian dollar R9 digital adapter warrant buying >one >when you get this kind of quality? >Man I keep looking for a common sense answer to this question when it >doesn't even buy you a complete picture taking machine. Regardless of how >much I paid for all my Leica gear because that question is not relevant to >this situation. >ted ted, for the life of me I can't see spending $7,500 for a D1s MkII, These little Olympuses produce a 7.5 Mega-pix image from which you can produce a very nice 20x24 print, there are several other digitals out there that produce good 8 to 12 mp images which have good noise response and make good images in almost any normally usable size. Most current digital platforms were derived from 35mm cameras which have over the years morphed into monsters which dwarf the original 35mm cameras that were their ancestors. The original idea of miniature cameras (remember when that refered to 35mm's) was a small, compact, unobtrusive piece of precision photographic equipment. Much of the current crop of "professional" digital cameras are larger and more heavy than the medium format camera of three decades ago. The R9 with the DMR, the D1sMkII et al, Most of the other Canon line with their vertical battery grips added and the pro Nikon digital cameras are all huge. The Olympus e-330, the Panasonic L1 and its probable Leica clone are at least heading in the right direction, smaller, more compact, less obtrusive pieces of equipment that produce high quality digital images at reasonable prices. My e-330 kit consisting of the e-330 body, the 14-45 kit lens, the 7-14 wide angle zoom (an incredible lens BTW, a 50-200 zoom and a 1.4x extender cost me just under $4000. If the digital M can come in at a price close to the MP then Leica will have a real winner which might give the PJ a modern top professional digital tool that photographers like Capa, Eisenstat, Smith and HCB would have loved to use and maybe that quality of photo journalism will flourish. I had a Canon 20D I traded that for the Olympus as much as a protest against the Canon's size and dominance of the digital market, as to try a new and intrigueing camera. As a result I've found a camera that is comfortable, fast, simple to use and produces really fine images, and is fun. Whew !! Rant over ! (Can't believe that was all in there ??)