Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/06/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Damn! Another financial decision to make! Jeffery Smith New Orleans, LA http://www.400tx.com -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+jsmith342=cox.net@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+jsmith342=cox.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Allen Graves Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2006 5:03 PM To: Leica Users Group Subject: RE: [Leica] Leica modifying M-mount for digital M? Funny. When I use manual lenses on my D200, I just enter the focal length and max f-stop. From then on, I can just select that lens from a list.2 different 50's 2 different 35's, etc. Nothing spent on lens conversion. Takes a few seconds.Focal length and max f-stop data available for EXIF data. This could also trigger appropriate frame lines, if an SLR needed them.<grin> If this sort of cheesy "conversion" is required for each lens and doesn't give a lot more functionality than max f-stop and focal length, then Leica will have succeeded in driving one more nail into their coffin-even if the M8 is a fine camera. Even by Leica standards, 125 Euros is a lot for 6 dots of white (or black) paint. Jeffery could rebuild the entire New Orleans Levee system for the cost of converting his 50's. Allen >To add to the speculation: >http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24359 > >This site (in French) seems to have good information. Run it >through AltaVista translator (aka Babelfish) if you don't read >French. >http://www.summilux.net/m_system/objectifs_6_bits.html > >It looks like a 6-bit system that is read optically, rather than >electronic contacts. > >A reasonable conclusion from all this is that the new coding will be >used to tell the camera exactly what focal length is mounted, and >what the maximum f-stop is. This information could be used for EXIF >data, for metering, to compute the working f-stop by comparing the >light read from the lens to the light read from an external sensor. >It could also be used for vignetting compensation, color balance, >and things like that. > >It could also bring up framelines generated via an illuminated LCD. >This could be quite an exciting development, something I've wondered >about for years. It would be like having the wonderful, clean M2 >viewfinder again, but with individual 28 and 75mm frames also >available. It could shift and expand or shrink based on focusing >distance. This would give us more accurate framing than the current >system, which only shifts. The frame selector could work using the >original lens flange, plus one bit in the coding to tell the CPU >whether to bring up the large or small frameline of the original >pair. Or just use the coding for exact focal length if available, >bring up the traditional pair if no coding. > >None of this precludes the use of old or non-chipped lenses. It >just means you'd have less information in EXIF data, and you might >have to adjust vignetting or color balance a bit more manually in >Photoshop, Raw converter, etc. And for the framelines, you'd have >to have a manual override for unconverted lenses. > >My own thought is that Leica would be incredibly stupid if they made >their existing lens base unusable without conversion. And I don't >think they (and their new CEO) are that stupid. Especially with an >R-D1 on the market, and the distinct possibility that Zeiss might >follow suit. They can't afford to lose sales to the existing base >of M and LTM users, because that base will be the majority of their >sales. > >So Leica, if you're listening, PLEASE allow viewfinder frames to be >set manually, if the coding is used to bring up an LCD-based >frameline. Backward lens compatibility is a MUST. > >Supposedly Leica will make an official announcement next week. > >Now, anyone want to take bets on how long it will be before a >do-it-yourself lens upgrade method gets posted on the Web? >Something involving a rat-tailed file, a micrometer, and nail polish >stolen from your Goth-girl daughter or girlfriend . . . Kyle >Cassidy, take note! :-) > >--Peter > > >_______________________________________________ >Leica Users Group. >See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information