S1 was a scanning camera, not a carry-around camera. It's a workhorse still in use today. Very short flange distance, so it could take just about any lens on the market, from Leica M on up. Extremely versatile.
It would have been groundbreaking from any manufacturer, but it was truly amazing that it came from someone as slow and stodgy as Leica. Don't put it down, mooky.
A lot of us have voiced the fear that if Leica brought out an R10, revolutionary as it might be technically, it could never compete with the Japanese on price and speed of obsolescence.
Now if they're naming this new camera the S2 instead of the R10, doesn't that mean they're not going after the Nikon/Canon market, but once again going where they can shine?
I think so and I hope so. IMHO, this company is going to fly!
From Kaufmann interview
FTD.de - Porträt: Andreas Kaufmann - Der Selbstablöser:
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1989 diskutiert der Vorstand ein Papier der Entwicklungsabteilung: "Warum die Digitalkamera die Zukunft ist". Kaufmann wirft die Arme in die Höhe. "'89! Da wussten 99,5 Prozent der Menschen nicht einmal, was eine Digitalkamera ist." Er springt auf und wuchtet einen klobigen, schwarzen Kasten auf den Konferenztisch - die erste digitale Kamera von Leica aus dem Jahr 1996. 38.000 DM kostet das Gerät damals - untauglich für den Massenmarkt. Vier Jahre später wäre eine kompakte Digitalkamera möglich gewesen. "Und wieder zögerte man. Geht das? Was kostet das? Wie soll man das machen?", schimpft Kaufmann.
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