[Leica] Leica] Saving Leica-digital RF system?

[Peter Klein <pklein@2alpha.net>]

At 05:08 PM 7/24/03 -0700, Jim Laurel wrote:
>The only thing that will save Leica is a digital M body or some other
>product that eploits the niche that has always been the domain of the M
>camera - compact size with extremely high quality results.  For now, let's
>call it a digital M, whether or not it uses the existing M lenses or would
>require a whole new range of "digital RF" lenses.

Amen, Jim.  I was thinking about my recent case of digital exploration, and 
I realized yet again that what I really wanted was a digital M.  Why did I 
like handling the Digilux the best of all the little digicams I 
tried?  Because of all of them, it was the most like a Leica M.  I had to 
remind myself of the ISO 400 noise and image quality issues and hold tight 
to my wallet.  If it didn't have these problems, I'd have bought it in a 
minute.  If it had a manual RF and approached the image quality of the pro 
DSLRs, I'd have bought it in a second.

>Ok, reality check.  We've all heard about how a digital M is not possible
>with current sensors technology.  First of all, I am confident that one day
>sensor technology will make a digital M possible.  And second, perhaps there
>is a way to do an interesting product within the constraints of current
>technology.

Y'know, "everyone" says a digital M is impossible is because of the angle 
of the light from RF lenses being cut off by the sensor wells.  The Foveon 
sensor represents one design direction that might make it possible some 
day.   Also--here's a radical thought--what about a curved sensor?  Since 
it doesn't have to wind, digital "film" doesn't necessarily have to be 
flat.  Is such a thing possible? Could it be done economically?  Could good 
lenses be designed for a curved sensor?  The ones in my eyes work 
reasonably well.

>If not a digital M in the traditional sense, then how about a completely new
>digital rangefinder system, with the RF based on the M6/7, but utilizing a
>smaller sensor and smaller lenses designed specifically for digital capture.
>This is along the lines of what Nikon is doing.  But let's have manual
>focusing lenses, with a proper rangefinder, and no anti-aliasing filter,
>just like the DMR.  And most importantly, let's make it as compact as
>possible.  At the typical RF focal lengths  of 21-135mm (35mm
>equivalents) ), the system should produce blisteringly great results that
>exceed the capabilities of the Canon EOS1Ds.  Now that is a unique
>proposition that I would gladly pay for, and I don't think I'm alone.

This would certainly interest me.  It would be an interesting design 
trade-off.  Small sensor, smaller lenses, but more noise. Larger sensor, 
better image quality, less noise, but now you hit the limits of current RF 
lenses' angle of incidence.  Where's the "sweet spot?"

Of course, there's the question of whether rangefinder users are a big 
enough market to warrant any camera company making such a camera.   I have 
a feeling that if anyone does it, it will be a company with deeper R&D 
pockets than Leica.  We may see a digital Hexar RF, not an M.

- --Peter Klein
Seattle

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