Digital M/Digital Rebel was Re: [Leica] Lost Faith in Leica

[dorysrus at mindspring.com (Don Dory)]

I think however, that this is precisely the time to rethink how a
rangefinder works.  Digital is different, among other things, no film to
load.

Things to ask, could you design an electronic rangefinder with no moving
parts or fewer moving parts to increase shock resistance and decrease
assembly cost.  Leica already builds electronic rangefinders in their
other divisions so the technology is there.  The missing piece is the
connection to the lens focusing ring.  It should be an easy design to
have the cam follower transmit distance information to a electronic
rangefinder.  The real question is how this interface should look in the
viewfinder.

Possibly, with new battery technology, the camera could shrink back to
model one proportions.  Other questions to ask, do you really need an
LCD to review images, or could you use a companion Palm like device to
view and transmit images.  If the camera used the SD format, the card
could slip into a palm device directly with no new bits to buy.

If you don't use an LCD then maybe you only shoot in RAW mode so that
exposure deficiencies can be corrected post exposure.  We are talking
about an enthusiast's camera that does not need to cater to the masses.

What I am saying is that anything is possible, what most of us want is a
digital device that provides outstanding image quality, provides a view
of the world that lets you properly compose a photo, uses the existing
mother load of lenses, is small and unobtrusive, and allows us to shoot
in all light levels without having to use a flash.

Perhaps the above is a pipe dream, but the new technology available
today should enable a rethinking of what a camera should be.  If Leica
can't won't, perhaps Cosina, Epson, Canon, or Nikon would look at the
market and provide such a tool.  Hopefully, Epson is selling all the
RD-1's that they can build and are making a profit to boot.

Compared to carrying around an M, carrying a 1Ds or a D2H is like
driving a Chevy Suburban (for non Americans, a 5000 lb truck based
behemoth) when a Mini Cooper would be just the ticket.

Don
dorysrus@mindspring.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+dorysrus=mindspring.com@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+dorysrus=mindspring.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf
Of B. D. Colen
Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2004 8:31 AM
To: 'Leica Users Group'
Subject: RE: Digital M/Digital Rebel was Re: [Leica] Lost Faith in Leica

Wait just a LeicaMinute there, Feli! Remember what happened the one time
Leica engineers got really innovative? That one time they ever so
slightly changed the design of the M -