fotografz Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 From the thread below, here is the consensus for a M digital. Most feel it should retain the characteristics and feel of our beloved M, and only have the essential features needed for digital capture, not all the bells and whistles of today's Digicams It retains the form of an M, but eliminates the rewind and advance levers. The counter would remain where it is, but electronically indicate what shot you are on. The 8 Megapixel CMOS sensor would be smaller than 24X36 because the distance from film flange to sensor is narrower than most other cameras causing problems with light hitting the sensor on an angle. But the image proportions would enlarge directly to 8X10, and all the current lenses would work with something like a 1.5X factor. So, there would be a new bright line .092 finder to indicate what was being captured. No electronic finder, just an optical one like the current Ms. It would use the space where film now goes for a rechargable battery, and the additional electronics necessary to digital capture, (if they can fit it all in a camera the size of a G3, they can do it here). There would be a 1.5" LED in the rear that is automatically programed to indicate overexposed areas. The only menu options would be a Histogram, Color Temp/White Balance, File size and type. (K.I.S.S.). Shutter speeds would be increased to 1/4000, and sync to 1/250th with HSS TTL built in for fill flash using a Metz. I'd call it the Leica M8, for 8 megapixels (and it's the next number up for the M.) Thanks everyone for the input. Anyone know the e-mail address of Leica's Boss Man? Hey Jack, you lurking out there? Would this bring you home?<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger c Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 I want 50MP...that's about the equivalent of a frame of Fuji Reala. More practically, I'd question the lack of an electronic finder, since one of the advantages of digital is that you can instantly discard the duff shots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_a. Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 Marc, You never cease to amaze me. Very cool post. I hope Leica is listening! I want one already! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografz Posted January 18, 2003 Author Share Posted January 18, 2003 Roger, an 8 meg sensor would give you a 46 meg 16 bit Tiff file without any grain to deal with. An electronic finder is not necessary to delete crap files. The LED review screen is for that . By retaining the current rangefinder system you retain the shooting characteristics of the M, and do not need to introduce lenses with electronic contacts to communicate with the body....all current Leica glass would work on our M8. Plus, the idea is to suppliment film Leicas with a digital M for times when digital would be a good solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wbowman Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 I think you mean LCD, not LED. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_kastner Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 There's something wrong with that picture. It's not 1.4/35 ASPH but 1.4/40 ASPH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografz Posted January 18, 2003 Author Share Posted January 18, 2003 Opps! Thank you Wesley. Michael, Huh? It's a 35/1.4 ASPH (which would equal a 52mm on our M8 if you figure a 1.5X lens factor). Where do you get 40? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
art waldschmidt Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 Wonderful.....however I'll wait for the *black paint* version with the Leica script on the top plate!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_clark Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 Yes, yes, yes. If only they would keep it so simple and elegant. I fear though that if it does ever come about a Japanese or Korean company will do it and it will be come a monstrous clone of all those that already proliferate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_clark Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 Trouble is 24 f2.8 x 1.5 = 36 f2.8 too slow for my most used focal length. Though a 75 f1 wouldn't be bad if it were useable, nor would 112.5 f1.4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will_perlis Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 "instant on" capability, otherwise how are we supposed to spend a few years wandering in the deepest Amazon rain forest looking for Elvis? Nice work, Marc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m3 Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 Whom do I send my payment to.... hehe :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry_kincaid1 Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 Before you send this in, all you need to do is estimate the potential market for it. Percent of current active Leica users who would buy this as a backup and alternative plus collectors, and then some estimate of how many new users would be attracted to it. Seems to me that the current user base would justify the camera. If it really does reach an adequate level of quality, I would certainly buy one. An interesting question is whether or not the quality difference and/or style of photography (retaining the bright viewfinder and "instant" shutter)would bring in Fuji, Cannon, and Nikon users who are unhappy with their "digital solution," and choose not to buy their next "new and improved" upgrade. Right now I'd rather spend my money on a new Leica lens than the latest $1000-$2000 digital camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giles_poilu Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 But where's the self-timer? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean_christophe_barnoud1 Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 With the small sensor you consider best, there is no real wide angle (12, 15, 21 mm) in the lens line-up and most wide angles would have a paltry aperture. Sorry, but I won't buy any digital camera with a small sensor and the present lens choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralph_barker Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 I'd be happy with your design parameters, Marc, and would surely buy one. But, I'd call it an M8d to distinguish it from the M8 film-based camera with similar shutter and flash-sync features. Hey, if we're gonna dream, why not dream in color? ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografz Posted January 18, 2003 Author Share Posted January 18, 2003 Jean-Christophe, simply use a VC 15mm =22mm, and use a 21mm clip- on finder. Robert, the lens X factor has no effect whatsoever on the speed of the lens. The size of the sensor is smaller than the coverage of the lens, so it sort of "crops' in a bit. A 50mm Noctilux then becomes a 75/1.0 !!! with the same DOF characteristics of the 50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografz Posted January 18, 2003 Author Share Posted January 18, 2003 Opps, the 2nd half of my last post was also meant for Jean-Christophe. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprouty Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 Since there are entire digital cameras (including the lens) that could fit into the body of the M6 what is the big technical challenge to fitting a sensor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 Marc, I still prefer the name "Leica DM" better than "Leica M8". Now that Germany has switched to the Euro Leica could refer to all of them as "DM Commemoratives" and charge tha big bucks...Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kens Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 It works for me. Nice job, Marc. I'll take one. BTW, I'd really prefer a black dot rather than the red one, but I'd manage somehow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografz Posted January 18, 2003 Author Share Posted January 18, 2003 Stephen, as I understand it, the rear elements of Leica M lenses are closerto the film plane than an SLR, which has a mirror box and thus a greater distance to the lens flange. Light is bent to strike the film surface across the whole 24X36 area, and film is sensitive to any light regardless of direction. Digital sensors, on the other hand, need the light waves to strike more dead on (think of them as microscopic light buckets). I think the Fovan sensor would be even worse, since the light has to penetrate into layers of R, G and B pixel "buckets". It has taken a huge feat of engineering to even make the full frame SLR sensors work. That's why most were smaller than 24X36 up until now. The little P&S cameras you are refering to have tiny sensors like 2/3" wide with lenses especially designed to make light rays strike straight on.Even the latest, greatest Canon G3 with it's 1 1/8th" sensor has a zoom that is only the equivilant of a 35mm at it's widest end. The objective here is to make a digital M that will use our exsiting lenses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troll Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 Don't be silly. The objective would be to make everyone buy a whole new set of lenses for digital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackflesher Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 <I>Hey Jack, you lurking out there? Would this bring you home?</I><P> Hell yes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albert knapp md Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 Marc- what about a chrome version? Otherwise looks fantastic. If only.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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