S2 to be shown in Paris 06/06

[andybarton]

Check the French Leica site for details

[stevelap]

8th and 9th June in Boulogne?

[Englander]

Andy,
Can you give a link or more specifics. Of course the site doesn't have a "search" so there is no easy way for me to guess what you were looking at. Thanks,
Joe

[stevelap]

Perhaps this is what Andy was referring to:

Leica Camera AG - Le Leica S2 au Forum du Moyen Format

[andybarton]

Yes, that's the link. I got it via the Leica tweet. A very handy resource if you want to know what's really going on.

The venue is in Paris on the Metro line 10

14 rue du Port, 92100, Paris - Google Maps

[stunsworth]

Originally Posted by andybarton

The venue is in Paris on the Metro line 10

I used to get off at that stop every day when I was going to work in Paris. After the metro is was the bus up the hill to St Cloud. At the time I didn't know who Albert Kahn was, or what he'd done.

The museum is signposted from the metro exit.

[sdai]

Forum du Moyen Format is a photo event held at the same place every two years.

Forum du Moyen Format Festival photo, sur Photosapiens, portail de la photographie professionnelle

I don't think it's a formal product launch, they'll probably just go there and show the mockup again.

[stunsworth]

Originally Posted by sdai

I don't think it's a formal product launch, they'll probably just go there and show the mockup again.

Then again they may have a working prototype or production sample.

Let's put it this way, if I were still living in Paris I'd go along to see.

[andybarton]

Originally Posted by sdai

Forum du Moyen Format is a photo event held at the same place every two years.

Forum du Moyen Format Festival photo, sur Photosapiens, portail de la photographie professionnelle

I don't think it's a formal product launch, they'll probably just go there and show the mockup again.

why announce a mock up showing?

Eventually a final beta is going to be shown. I'd like to be there

[gdb]

I will post a description of the S2 as soon as I come back from the show
Gérard

[elansprint72]

Anyone seen the press release on the Speed Graphic 3 x 2 digital back? Guy?

[guy_mancuso]

Hey don't laugh I shot one of those for years hanging out of a helicopter to shoot aerials . Yes 4x5 film in motion. LOL

Nice stuff too

[guy_mancuso]

I would not waste my time on a mockup a working prototype sure which I did at PMA but I doubt seriously it is just a mockup unit, what would be the point since there are prototypes that actually work. Just bring the deed to your house when you go. I'm sure they will take it in trade.

Honestly I already lost interest in this cam until someone sticks a real one in my hand or it is actually being delivered until than not much to talk discuss that has not been said before.

[zapp]

Looked at the S2 one last week and have to say:
It's as heavy a beast as the Mamiya ZD, probably worse with even more glass mounted to it. There is a reason they compare only size and not weight with Nikon and Canon cameras. There are smaller full and lighter full size medium format cameras available that do digital. Autofocus does the job, not extremely fast, but at the same time the lens feels well made.

[dfarkas]

Originally Posted by zapp

Looked at the S2 one last week and have to say:
It's as heavy a beast as the Mamiya ZD, probably worse with even more glass mounted to it. There is a reason they compare only size and not weight with Nikon and Canon cameras. There are smaller full and lighter full size medium format cameras available that do digital. Autofocus does the job, not extremely fast, but at the same time the lens feels well made.

The weight has been confirmed and is easy to compare to Canon, Nikon, Sinar, Mamiya, and Hasselblad based on published specs from all these manufacturers.

S2 body - 1.3kg
Nikon D3x - 1.3kg
Canon 1DsIII - 1.4kg
Hasselblad H3DII-39 - 1.8kg
Mamiya 645AFDIII w/ P45+ - 1.8kg
Sinar Hy6 w/ eMotion 75 - 1.9kg

Yes, the lenses for the S2 are larger and heavier than those for Canon, Nikon, and Mamiya. Compared to Hasselblad and Sinar/Schneider lenses, they are slightly smaller and lighter.

David

[sdai]

Have you guys ever tried to compare a Rolex to a Casio watch?

Leica has always said the S2 is designed for professionals, these people will not carry the cameras themselves. They'll pay for the caddy boys (aka. assistants) to do that.

[zapp]

Originally Posted by dfarkas

The weight has been confirmed and is easy to compare to Canon, Nikon, Sinar, Mamiya, and Hasselblad based on published specs from all these manufacturers.

S2 body - 1.3kg
Nikon D3x - 1.3kg
Canon 1DsIII - 1.4kg
Hasselblad H3DII-39 - 1.8kg
Mamiya 645AFDIII w/ P45+ - 1.8kg
Sinar Hy6 w/ eMotion 75 - 1.9kg

Yes, the lenses for the S2 are larger and heavier than those for Canon, Nikon, and Mamiya. Compared to Hasselblad and Sinar/Schneider lenses, they are slightly smaller and lighter.

David

The weight has been reported - but not as a published spec on the S2 page for instance as far as I see it - things may change. Still, some cameras just feel heavy which can also be seen as a not so perfect balancing of weight. I felt back pain just after holding the Mamiya ZD and this camera is also not heavier than regular cameras I work with. Medium format camera for digital backs start at 1.5 kg full equipped. Want a monster, buy a monster. While the Nikon and Canon cameras already come with battery grips the S2 battery grip is extra and won't be filled with helium to make it lighter.

If you need an SLR medium format camera and the lenses fit your needs (distortion figures not published yet, especially for the tilt version) it looks quite good.

Professionals still need to hold the camera to take images.
Maybe it is also a problem of how the weight is balanced.

[stevelap]

This show was scheduled to start tomorrow, I'm unable to go but any updated information from anyone able to attend would be appreciated.

[gdb]

A few days ago, I wrote that I would post a message as soon as I'd had seen the S2.

But yesterday before I went there, I called Mr Jean-Pierre Hamadache to ask him if the S2 was really operational, since I had already seen it in Paris last november, and since I have to drive more than 50 miles from home to the Jardins Albert Kahn.

He very courteously told me that nothing was new since last november, that they wanted to be a part of the Medium Format exhibit (it happens every two years) and not lose an opportunity to show the S2. So he kindly advised me not to waste my time in traffic jams, which I really appreciated (and sent him a personal message to thank him).

BUT: he told me:
- that the date of availability was maintained for the end of September,
- that there would be another presentation of a possibly finalized S2 in Arles Photo Salon in July, and another one in Paris in beginning of September, just before launching,
- and that there will be a successor to the R9 that will be Autofocus with new lenses, and same Maestro processor but on which existing R-lenses will be usable with focus confirmation.

Rather very good news... He also told me that they apperently reached the number of potential customers for the S2, which would accelerate the launching of the successor of the R9.

About the price of the S2, nothing is fixed yet, it will depend of the prices of the concurrence in september.

(We could suggest Hassy to lower their prices once more....LOL)

Cheers
Gérard

[tom0511]

Originally Posted by dfarkas

The weight has been confirmed and is easy to compare to Canon, Nikon, Sinar, Mamiya, and Hasselblad based on published specs from all these manufacturers.

S2 body - 1.3kg
Nikon D3x - 1.3kg
Canon 1DsIII - 1.4kg
Hasselblad H3DII-39 - 1.8kg
Mamiya 645AFDIII w/ P45+ - 1.8kg
Sinar Hy6 w/ eMotion 75 - 1.9kg

Yes, the lenses for the S2 are larger and heavier than those for Canon, Nikon, and Mamiya. Compared to Hasselblad and Sinar/Schneider lenses, they are slightly smaller and lighter.

David

The Canon, Nikon ,Hassy and Hy6 have a handgrip included . So one should include the additional grip of the S2 if you want to compare.

Regarding Schneider lenses I would say it depends: The really fast ones (110/2.0, 180/2.8) are kind of big and heavy (with its big image circle)
However I doubt that the Schneider 40mm,80mm and Zeis 150mm are bigger than the counterparts from Leica.
For the achieved image circle I find the Leica S-lenses pretty big.