[Leica] LEICA could be clever

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

On 2/26/05 8:56 AM, "Feli" <feli2@earthlink.net> typed:

> 
> On Feb 26, 2005, at 1:36 AM, Steve Unsworth wrote:
> 
>> Nathan, I could be wrong, but I wonder if Leica were fixated on the
>> idea
>> of a full frame sensor for the digital M when they kept saying that it
>> wasn't possible? From what I've seen of the vignetting in some of the
>> shots from the RD1 they cold still be right. The decision to go for a
>> 1.3 chip has probably made the engineer's lives much easier :-)
> 
> I think that may have been one of the reason why Leica used to say
> that it wasn't possible. The cost of a good full frame chip, or one
> with a minimum
> of 10MP may have also been a factor.
> 
Their perception no doubt, seems like yesterday, of the just blooming
digital revolution was that the full frame chip cameras would soon kick and
take over and the cropped format would be defaulted to the drooling hoards
of upwardly mobile point and shooters.
Leicas didn't want its digital camera to lower it's image.
And they whole idea of the specs that the glass can achieve making for a
quality image would would not come from one being cropped around 1.5.
And peoples 21's being turned into 31s didn't sound like a crowd pleaser.
(the did announce to use LHSA'ers in October the intention of coming out
with an 18 for the M for that very reason.

They could not anticipate the validity and holding power of the cropped
digital format cameras which are more than holding their own and going
strong. With it's own line of compact glass. Pro level DSLR's being
manufactured and designed as we speak.
The full frame digital 24x36mm market being so for highly limited and
specialized.
Which unfortunately sees itself and is peddled as a replacement for medium
format photography period. Film or digital.
But it's not even close when you compare them to scans people are getting
and using from medium format film. And making 30x40's from.

But the file sizes from medium format digital capture and full frame 35mm
digital capture can be the same.
NOT the sizes of the chips themselves.
But the images those same sized files create respect and reflect the
difference between 35mm and medium format film.
Acreage is acreage.
Eggs is eggs.
Noise is noise.

A bad analogy which I like anyway is you can make a 16x20 from both a medium
format and 35mm cameras.
And you can measure them and they will both measure exactly 16x20 inches.
But they're not going to LOOK anywhere NEAR the same otherwise.

My point being some things being equal does not make all things equal.


Mark Rabiner
Photography
Portland Oregon
http://rabinergroup.com/