Medium Format releases at PMA / Focus 2002

[andrew booth]

Coverage of the Medium Format side of the current PMA (Florida) and

Focus (UK) photo shows seems to have been a little sketchy. <a

href="http://www.bjphoto.co.uk/">The British Journal of

Photography</a> today published a number of news stories which are

probably of interest here, so I'll summarise them below:

<p>

<b>Rollei releases 6008AF:</b> Featuring a 3 zone H sensor focussing

system with a mode switch on the RH side of the body to change

settings. Settings include AF single, AF continuous and shoot when in

focus mode. New LCD display indicating shooting data. New Metz

SCA3562 adaptor. Adaptor for computer control from Windows PC. AF

lenses to be introduced: (Schneider) 160mm f/2.8, 60-140mm f/4.6,

80mm f/2.8. Available summer - price not decided.

<p>

<b>Bronica Releases 100mm f/4.5 for 645 rangefinder:</b> 6 elements

in 5 groups - weighs 450g. Bronica UK importers Introphoto confirm

they are importing the 135mm f/4.5 lens - they will match a

purchaser's rangefinder to the lens free of charge (to avoid the

adjustment problems which have marred this lens). Not sure if this

applies to non-UK purchasers. (This from UK <a

href="http://www.amateurphotographer.com/">Amateur Photographer</a>

magazine).

<p>

<b>Bronica releases PS 50-100mm f4-5.6 for SQ-Ai:</b> Features light

weight compact construction. 12 elements in 8 groups, including 2

hybrid aspherical lenses. (Again from <a

href="http://www.amateurphotographer.com/">AP</a>)

<p>

<b>Kodak releases 645 teatherless DCS pro-back:</b> 16M pixel, Contax

645 and Mamiya 645 fittings available in April. Price £10000 (a lot

lower than the previous DCS back).

<p>

<b>Jenoptic Digital Backs:</b> Three new backs - 6, 11 and 16M pixel

sizes. Available now, in May and in Autumn respectively. Prices from

13500Euro for the 6M to 26900Euro for the 16M.

<p>

<b>Sinar Bron Digital Backs:</b> Two new backs using Kodak's 16M

sensor. One is single shot, the other multi. Both are actively cooled

for > 11 stop dynamic range and 42 bit colour. Price from 28600 -

34300 Euro.

<p>

<b>Leica introduces M7:</b> Priced only fractionally above current M6

price, this has DX coding, electronic shutter with manual backup,

high speed dedicated flash to 1/1000s. 0.72x, 0.38x and 0.85x

rangefinder versions to be produced. M6 remains in production.

[kevin_kolosky]

sign me up for 1 of each

 

Kevin

[alan_krantz]

First time I heard that m7 has a modified back to take medium format film...

[william_carter1]

See this link for more info on the Rollei 6008 AF (and other Rollei news) from PMA: http://www.beststuff.com/article.php3?story_id=2998

 

(scroll about halfway down the page)

[_____133]

It'd take a bold, no, make that an extremely bold man to buy into that first few initial production runs of the Rollei 6008AF.

 

This could make or break Rollei completely. Based on its track record, I am a little worried for the company.

[vijay_nebhrajani]

Damn, I can't help but appreciate this company. By the looks of the new camera (assuming that this is the final version) they have managed to keep the same size while putting in autofocus. My guess is that they must be using some kind of USM in the lens. The lens seems to be a 180mm f/2.8 and knowing that the non-AF version is HEAVY, it must have a big motor or a redesign using internal focus. Again that seems to be done without a size increase.

 

Now that is some technical achievement. If they have managed to do all this, that is. I will be looking forward to it, even if I don't buy it!

[vijay_nebhrajani]

Eric and I posted at the same time. I agree completely, this could make or break Rollei.

[_____133]

Rollei is a company with great ideas. It just seems to have trouble implementing them reliably to the consternation of its consumers.

[ShunCheung]

Now M7 can either mean Mamiya 7 (7 II) or Leica M7, the 35mm format range finder, but as long as we are talking about medium format, M7 should be the Mamiya.

[andrew l. booth]

Shun - I agree. I just included the Leica since I thought it might be of additional interest.

 

Perhaps we should put together a petition to persuade Leica to call their camera something else. One M7 is enough!

[ShunCheung]

Andrew, I actually received some e-mail about my comment on the M7. What I wrote earlier was a semi joke. The successor to the Leica M6 should clearly be the Leica M7. Meanwhile, referring to the Mamiya 7 as the M7 is merely an informal abbreviation. In any case, there shouldn't be any confusion in the Medium-Format Digest since the Leica isn't medium format.

[andrew l. booth]

I was joking too!

[jhbeckman]

Andrew -- did Contax introduce anything interesting for the 645 system, do you know?

[william_carter1]

One more link on the Rollei 6008 AF: http://www.pdnonline.com/newprod/articles/article1435.html. Only info in addition to that already presented here is that the camera will apprently sold as two "kits" -- one with the standard 6x6 back and another "RB" kit that comes with the 6x4.5 rotating back. Also states (as above) that "summer 2002" is the expected release date.

[roger_urban3]

New link, with more pictures including closeups at

http://www.sl66.com/slx/6008af.htm

 

The 6008AF sounds like it would be a nice tool for a variety of uses and subjects: from portraits to weddings to sporting events.

 

How is Hasselblad going to compete against it?

[roger_urban3]

Forgot to mention that the 6008AF will also allow 6001, 6002, 6003, 6006, 6008 owners to use their existing manual focus lenses as well as AF. It gives a 'focus confirmation'. Although AF lenses will probably be more desireable, it certainly extends the investment(s) already made in manual focus lenses.