RE [Leica] Chatter about digital M lenses

[hoppyman at bigpond.net.au (G Hopkinson)]

Doug has accurately highlighted that the performance difference for
converted lenses won't be known (or the camera of course) until the hardware
is in circulation.
I'm also enjoying the speculation and finding it extremely interesting. I
also thought there was quite a bit of useful info in the Leica news release
and the accompanying image on the site.
Don't forget I get royalties if the camera is labelled MD as that was my
speculation!
 
So we now have more facts (to base our speculation on)
My summary would be:
The only lens in the current range that will not be given a 6-bit coding is
the LEICA APO-TELYT-M 135 mm f/3.4. It is not codable later, either, as its
extension factor of 1.33 makes it unsuitable for use on the planned digital
M camera. (Yet the Elmarit-M 135mm f/2.8 Black 11829 1963-1997 can be
converted)
The conversion won't optically affect your lenses.
The camera firmware will alter the sensor output based on the binary number
representing the lens model. This information is also retrievable from the
EXIF data. 

WARNING WARNING personal opinion, extrapolation and rampant speculation
follow:
The mapping (?) from the camera firmware will be identifiable/optional in
the RAW or DNG file
Most of your M lenses will do just fine without the conversion.
The conversion will consist of replacing the bayonet flange.
Tom Abrahamsson and other revered Leica technical Titans will figure a way
to do it faster and cheaper.
As long as you can buy film, you can ignore the whole thing if you choose.
You can still buy the M7 or MP new and the current lens range. If you buy a
new lens with the 6 bit bayonet flange it won't give your beloved M3
DigiHIV.
The MD camera will do a better job than the Epson, 
Although Cosina's president has stated he is not interested in getting into
the digital arena with its low profits, huge R&D and short model cycles,
Zeiss will cooperate with him to release a ZI RF "ZID"
It will be cheaper
Pro's will ignore the Leica MD
It'll cost too much
We'll want one anyway

Cheers
Hoppy
Feeling speculative down under




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Message: 22
Date: Wed,  7 Jun 2006 14:43:07 -0500
From: "dnygr" <dnygr@cshore.com>
Subject: [Leica] Chatter about digital M lenses 
To: <lug@leica-users.org>
Message-ID: <200606071443.AA2221474074@cshore.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

A lot of speculation in the absence of hard facts adds up to little.


What does Leica mean by "converted?" 

A dealer told me that one can have one's lenses "converted" so that the
f-stop will be recorded and the user can access this information. Neither he
nor I thought much of this.

We'll have to see what they mean. And then we'll have to see if converted
actually means anything. Will it be the same as putting "new, improved" on a
package, that is, will it simply be empty rhetoric.

I'm sure they will come out with a line of "digital lenses," but whether
that will be anything better than what they've produced to date, will have
to be studied.

And if it is better, will it be better enough to warrant buying. One can buy
the new lenes for film. They are better than the old ones, but the old ones
are still pretty darn good.

So we'll have to see. Until we have it in our hands, we are just "shooting
the breeze." There's a crasser way of saying this, but I'll refrain from
that.

Doug