Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/04/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Why "should" a digital M be so expensive? The expensive bits of the conventional M are all to do with precision engineering, a lot of which is just not needed in a digital M. Leica already said, at Photokina last year, that the dimensions, looks and handling would remain the same, but, under no circumstances, could the present shutter assembly be used. I think just about any kind of shutter would be cheaper than the present Leica construction and possibly just as accurate. The RF is of course a different matter and would very probably be the most expensive part of the whole thing. There would however be fewer and simpler body components, fewer machined control elements ( more electronic switches and dials). I can easily imagine that the number of single components could be reduced by at least 60%. Fact is, a digital M would be stuffed with a load of, comparitively, cheaper electronics instead of "Feinmechanik". The obsolescence factor of digital innards should preclude a monstrous price anyway, unless of course everything would be "update-able", pay (a lot!) once and have an annual update (included in the basic price) would be the way to go. What a dream - plug-in a la carte sensors, from, say, 6 to 16 mp , a choice of software on plug-in modules too. cheers Douglas Daniel Ridings wrote: > Well, let's not give up on them yet. There are two positions currently > available at Leica Solms. > > 1) Product manager (digital products) > 2) Engineer in embedded software > > Both of them begin June 1. They don't have signals from their owners to > throw in the towel yet. > > Who knows why Coenen left. There was a lot of talk about the "board". > Considering the fact that he was 50% of the board of managers (the other > member being the financial officer), I suspect it was a friendly > discussion with the board. Perhaps Leica already has their strategy > worked out and he felt someone else could implement it better than he > could. > > And ... it looks like those stock options took a dive :-) > > Daniel > > > > lug-request@leica-users.org wrote: > >> No Digital M = No Leica >> >> I feel that there would be a substantial market for a digital camera >> with an M finder and operating controls designed for actual >> photography rather than a bazillion different "features". >> >> John Collier > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > >