The Leica M8 and the Sigma DP-1

[carbon_dragon]

Interesting article

 

http://mydp1.wordpress.com/2008/01/06/dp1-siphoning-leica-m8-sales/

 

Apparently this is a rebuttle of someone's article that said the DP-1 would siphon off sales of the M8 and the author

disagreed. I don't know if it will or not, but I do find it an appealing machine. And there ARE *some* things in

common with the Leica concept in that it is small and compact and the image quality is likely to be good given the

APS-C sized Foveon sensor. Like I say appealing.

[charles_hess2]

Looks like the article was written before the DP1 actually hit the market. Now that it's out, the consensus seems

to be that, despite the fine image quality, it has a number of quirks, the most important being that it is slow,

slow, slow. It is no longer is appealing to me, based on user reports.

[carbon_dragon]

Yes, but it's the only pocket camera with an APS-C sized sensor, and that means a lot. My "carry along" camera when my back just can't take the pain is a Leica CL and it's 40/2 lens (and maybe the Voigtlander 25 as well). Just imagine the CL with an APS-C sensor (or the leica M8's sensor). I'm sure I couldn't afford it anyway, but I'd definitely like that combination.

[vrankin]

I hope that some other companies are developing small cameras with APS-C sensors and better speed. It could be a good market to

explore, as not all of us want to lug big, heavy DSLR cameras around, or spend thousands more on glass to get extremely good digital

images.

[michael_dimarzio]

Prediction #7 is way way out there, as regards to a V or Z dRF, but maybe eh?

 

#11 is tempting fate...

[Andrew in Austin]

I usually buy a camera based on its user ergonomics and with careful consideration of what lenses I can use with it.

 

Sigma's effort to put an APS-C sized sensor in a small point and shoot body should be applauded. However, I do think they dropped the ball on user ergonomics and the lens they chose to put on it. A 21mm, the equivalent of a 42mm in on a full-frame 35mm format camera, would have been a better choice. If an f/2.8 requires a larger piece of glass, then so be it.

 

Is their an opening here for Leica with Panasonic's participation to do something similar using an APS-C sized sensor?

[gaijin]

>>Charles Hess , Jul 09, 2008; 03:21 p.m.

 

Looks like the article was written before the DP1 actually hit the market. Now that it's out, the consensus seems to be that, despite the fine image quality, it has a number of quirks, the most important being that it is slow, slow, slow. It is no longer is appealing to me, based on user reports.<<

 

But you can buy at least four DP1's for the price of one M8. So buy four and shoot till the buffer is full, grab the next DP1 and shoot until its buffer is full, grab the next... etc.

[julien_bec]

...Sometime I dream that leica add a fullframe sensor to my minilux.... But it does not happen, why, why, why ?

[ilkka]

"So buy four and shoot till the buffer is full"

 

It is not just the matter of buffer. Focusing is slow, leading to long delay before pressing the shutter button and camera actually making an exposure. The lens is F/4 and high ISO performance is not as good as it should be with large sensor camera, limiting the usefulness further. The DP-1 is no Leica with a fixed lens. It is a 1990s digicam with a slow fixed lens and a large sensor. It is more comparable to a large format film camera than Leica. Slow, deliberate focusing and exposing of un-movable objects.