Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/01/28
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On 1/28/04 3:03 PM, "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net> wrote: > Hey, Sam, the great thing about the LUG is that anyone can vent their > frustration over anything...;-)....But I believe that part of what > you're reading is really frustration being vented over Leica's not > having its digital act together...there is absolutely not excuse for the > pioneering 35 mm camera company's not already having a top digital SLR > out there...I'm willing to bet it's going to be at least another year > before the digital R8/9 back appears - if it ever appears - and when it > does it's going to be so damn outdated that it will only sell to the > real red dot fanatics. Good Lord, Nikon's just come out with an 8 mgp > high end point and shoot.... > A week and a half ago on the Leica site there was and is a big update on the R dig back which looked very looming and promising. I forgot to address it on the lug, I'd been a bit pessimistic on it before, but I also forgot to notice that no one else did either. And they've got a digital hosted forum going http://www.leica-camera.com/markt/forum/chat/log/index_e.html Here it is obvious who chat host numbers one two and three are, http://www.leica-camera.com/produkte/rsystem/digitalmodul/makingof/index_e.h tml 1 is Herr Cohn, 2 is Stephan Daniels, and so on. "Core technical data plans call for a resolution of 10 million pixels (10 megapixels), image storage on SD cards, the use of a Firewire interface and a low focal length extension factor of 1.37x. " http://www.leica-camera.com/unternehmen/presse/data/03376/index_e.html 10 megapixels is nothing to sneeze at and should remain a viable non laughable file size for at least the next five minutes. And I donıt think file size will need to get much if at all past that. Much smaller file sizes have been and are more and more now more than viable it's the quality of the pixel that counts just as much as the number of them. The file sizes of the point and shoots have always been eerily been darn close to what they're giving you in DSLR's. A good chance you could shoot a wedding with your DSLR and half the people in there are grabbing bigger file sizes with their purse cameras. That doesn't mean the quality of your image wont be a full step above theirs. "Because of the functions that can be controlled directly during a picture-taking session by means of the setting dial, the content of the menu is minimal and it provides a clear overview." "The LEICA DIGILUX 1 of Leica Camera AG, Solms, has won the DIMA INNOVATIVE DIGITAL PRODUCT AWARD 2002. The American Digital Imaging Association conferred the award to new products that stood out for their innovative technology, application and design. The winning products were chosen from many hundreds exhibited at the American PMA trade show in Orlando. Altogether, the trade journalists distinguished fifteen new digital products for their high quality and avant-garde performance. " You've decided not to go Leica in your digital choices BD. And so have others. And I do some digital nikon. But the digital options Leica has are viable and it would seem to make sense that there would be some on the lug who have been picking those options as this is the Leica users group and people come here to talk about the Leica products theyıve chosen to make pictures with. I think the digital module back will come out on schedule and soon and in effect; tomorrow... As that's how time works with me at least. When that day comes ... Blink... I'll decide if I'm going to trade in my more modern nikon glass and digital bodies for getting into Leica R and Leica R digital or not. AF is fun after a ten year hiatus but I can kick it just as fast as I started back again on it. All it takes I will power and no at glass and it's a distant memory. The 60 macro on an R8 or 9 with a digital back? I could make some fine captures with that! (snip instead of snap?) The new 50mm Summilux? I'd grab a few with that one too! F 1.4 and be there on the old groundglass. The PC-SUPER-ANGULON-R f/2.8/28 mm? Ouch! The SUPER-ELMARIT-R f/2.8/15 mm (also in effect a Schneider)?! The LEICA APO-SUMMICRON-R 90 mm f/2 ASPH!? Having and using in effect the same lens it both its R and M versions might turn out to be a real unexpectedly interesting and useful experience! The LEICA APO-ELMARIT-R 180 mm f/2.8? All the reach I'm ever going to ask for with Leica glass especially when you factor the digital multiplication which is 1.37 X 180 = 246mm! The LEICA APO-MACRO-ELMARIT-R 100 mm f/2.8?! A hard choice this or the 90 as this gets right in there close and what else would you need an SLR for? Other than reach? A 180 macro might make a nifty stocking stuffer but thatıs a way off and they have to produce the lens first. I seem to be getting everything else I want from Leica. Mark Rabiner Photography Portland, Oregon http://rabinergroup.com/Catagorypages/PersonalWork.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html