Future Leica digital ?

[francis a]

This seems to be the next version of the Panasonic Lumix LC5

 

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2002_reviews/lumix_lc5.html

 

almost same specs/lens etc.

 

It is pretty close to the Leica M. It is lighter but

the shutter lag is negligible and it is virtually silent.

It has a simulated shutter sound that you can turn off

and if you do that the my M6 sounds loud in comparison

to the LC5

 

-Francis

[kirk_thompson]

From the focal length of the lens you can infer the sensor size: if 7mm is equivalent to 28mm, then the sensor is 1 1/8" or at most 2/3" (the latter is actually larger than the former!), not APS-size. This places it firmly in the 'consumer' camera category.

 

Digital newbies tend to assume that lots-of-megapixels translates into lots-of-image-quality, but sensor size is another important variable. For every sensor size there's an optimal pixel size ('pitch'). With a small sensor & a high number of pixels (all other things,such as firmware/in-camera software, being equal), you'll get a worse signal-to-noise ratio than with a larger sensor and the same number of (mega)pixels. This is why images from the Canon D30 initially blew people away as a camera priced for advanced amateurs: it was only 3 MP, but the sensor was larger (APS-size), yielding less noise, smoother tonal transitions, better image quality.

 

The inexpensive Canon Digital Rebel now offers an APS-sized sensor, the same one as in the 10D, for $1000, with lens. It's reasonable to predict that the new Panasonic (even with a boutique Leica badge), because of its small sensor, will not produce images of comparable quality.

[harry_soletsky1]

My point of view is that while neither of these new cameras are of interest to me, It does indicate to me that Leica is moving aggresively into the digital arena with a partner with a fair amount of expertiese in the electronics of digital. Therefore it seems likely that they are determined to survive and hopefully the admitedly nitch cameas of the M and R will continue to me made.

[andrew_hall1]

<i>may be closer to the Kyocera-made, Zeiss-supervised lenses made for the Contax line of cameras? </i><P>

 

This is NOT TRUE for the interchangeable Zeiss lenses:<br>

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0066sx

<P>

 

 

<i>This seems to be the next version of the Panasonic Lumix LC5<br>

 

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2002_reviews/lumix_lc5.html</i><P>

It is the same old, one and only LC5, available in silver or black finish.

[Allen Herbert]

A leica M....really!

[lucien1]

http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/news/articles/story_440.html