[Leica] A review of the Kodak all B&W SLR (now non-existant)onLuminous Landscape

[abridge at gmail.com (Adam Bridge)]

B. D. I seem to recall that Leica develops its digital lines in
concert with vendors of sensors. It's less Leica's in-house ability to
make software and sensors than it is their ability to engineer cameras
and work with the vendors to make equipment.

I'd submit that for "knowing squat" they did a pretty good job with
the Digilux 2. The real test will be the digital back for the R8/9.
Then we'll see what sort of partnership they developed because it'll
be the lead-in to the Digital M.

I want the advantages of the Leica M system with the advantages of
digital - and the option of a camera designed to make the best
possible monochrome images.

You'll note that even today the very best imaging systems still use
sensors that are JUST luminance and apply filters in front of them -
or use optical splitters and three separate sensors. Making a
monochrome sensor is EASIER and the surrounding software is EASIER
with monochrome not more difficult.

I freely admit, however, that it would be more expensive and perhaps
too expensive although without exploring those issues we'll never
know.

Adam


On Thu, 4 Nov 2004 12:56:51 -0500, B. D. Colen <bdcolen@earthlink.net> wrote:
> The problems with the idea of the "black and white" digital M are
> several fold -
> First off, Leica glass is not "b&w" glass - it's just great glass...
> 
> Second, and most important, Leica doesn't know squat about digital
> technology, and what producing top quality b&w digital involves is
> knowing what to do with the firmware....
> 
> Want to shoot black and white with Leica glass...get an M and stick some
> film in it... ;-)