alexc Posted January 6, 2010 Share #1 Posted January 6, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) Just received newsletter from Leicaboutique in Montreal here is the quote from interview with National Sales manager of Zeiss: " Many rangefinder cognoscenti would eagerly anticipate the arrival of another full-frame digital rangefinder camera. We put the question to Richard and received a frank assessment. While there are no plans to introduce a digital rangefinder at this time, Zeiss continues to be enthused by rangefinder photography. Its aggressive investment in optical research and development will benefit both film and digital M mount and SLR users" full newsletter can be found here: Leica Boutique Newsletter, January 2010 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 6, 2010 Posted January 6, 2010 Hi alexc, Take a look here another digital rangefinder?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jsrockit Posted January 6, 2010 Share #2 Posted January 6, 2010 That sounds like they aren't interested in a digital rangefinder right now no? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted January 6, 2010 Share #3 Posted January 6, 2010 Sounds as if they're saying "We sell lenses". When did Zeiss last release a new M camera or lens? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhabedi Posted January 6, 2010 Share #4 Posted January 6, 2010 When did Zeiss last release a new M camera or lens? Unless that was a rhetoric question: I think the last camera was 2004. Before the M8, but after the M7 and MP. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted January 6, 2010 Share #5 Posted January 6, 2010 ... While there are no plans to introduce a digital rangefinder at this time, Zeiss continues to be enthused by rangefinder photography. ... How did you translate this into the prospect of another digital rangefinder? Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted January 6, 2010 Share #6 Posted January 6, 2010 Leica said they DID have a plan for a digital RF in Jan. 2004, or about 32 months before the M8 appeared. So when (if) Zeiss says they DO have a plan for a digital RF - count on another 32 months from that point. Leica depends on digital M for its survival - Zeiss could drop the Zeiss Ikon cameras (not lenses) tomorrow and never miss a quarterly profit target. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted January 7, 2010 Share #7 Posted January 7, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) You think Zeiss are speaking like football club chairmen when asked about the Manager, of cabinet ministers about the PM "they have my full support" etc.? Sometimes No really does just mean that! Read the quote again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
magd0328 Posted January 10, 2010 Share #8 Posted January 10, 2010 I think a digital rangefinder from Cosina is much more likely. But if such a thing appears I expect it will be like the Epson R-D1: an off-the-shelf sensor in a Voigtlander body. That would be very welcome, as it would likely sell at a price way below that of the M9. But it wouldn't have the technology Leica and Kodak have developed to create a sensor optimised for rangefinder lenses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted January 10, 2010 Share #9 Posted January 10, 2010 I think a digital rangefinder from Cosina is much more likely. But if such a thing appears I expect it will be like the Epson R-D1: an off-the-shelf sensor in a Voigtlander body. That would be very welcome, as it would likely sell at a price way below that of the M9. But it wouldn't have the technology Leica and Kodak have developed to create a sensor optimised for rangefinder lenses. It sounds like it would be welcomed by your accountant but perhaps not by you, the photographer, when viewing the results. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhabedi Posted January 10, 2010 Share #10 Posted January 10, 2010 I think a digital rangefinder from Cosina is much more likely. But if such a thing appears I expect it will be like the Epson R-D1: an off-the-shelf sensor in a Voigtlander body. My understanding is that the R-D1 was already the digital rangefinder from Cosina (which for some reason was distributed and marketed by Epson and not Voigtländer). The question rather seems to be if at some point we can expect a full-frame successor of the R-D1. Whether it'll be called "Epson" or "Voigtländer" I personally don't care. But it seems clear that if there'll ever be another non-Leica digital rangefinder in the future, it has to be full-frame like the M9. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted January 11, 2010 Share #11 Posted January 11, 2010 But it seems clear that if there'll ever be another non-Leica digital rangefinder in the future, it has to be full-frame like the M9. OR...needs to have lenses designed specifically for it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhabedi Posted January 11, 2010 Share #12 Posted January 11, 2010 OR...needs to have lenses designed specifically for it. Right, completely forgot about that one. I was somehow assuming that another rangefinder would want to be compatible with M-mount lenses. But of course that doesn't necessarily have to be the case. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfage Posted January 11, 2010 Share #13 Posted January 11, 2010 I don't like rangefinders. I am a left eye shooter and that is most comfortable for me. I like SLR because I can isolate myself. I can focus only upon what I see through the lens. This is not to say that one can't do that with an RF. I just don't like it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted January 11, 2010 Share #14 Posted January 11, 2010 I don't like rangefinders. I am a left eye shooter and that is most comfortable for me. I like SLR because I can isolate myself. I can focus only upon what I see through the lens. This is not to say that one can't do that with an RF. I just don't like it. So, why post in this thread? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted January 11, 2010 Share #15 Posted January 11, 2010 What I was told by a Zeiss representative the one time I raised the question of a digital RF was - "Zeiss isn't convinced that there is a market for one digital rangefinder - let alone two or more." That was about 3 years ago at PMA, when the M8 was 6 months old. The current Zeiss-Ikon bodies are built by Cosina. Cosina is not a digital camera maker - they built the "analog camera" parts that Epson used in making the R-D1, but Epson did all the digital work: sensor, firmware, LCD, battery, etc etc. So between Zeiss and Cosina, the digital camera capability and expertise is about - zero. They'd need to find partners - the way Leica did with Kodak and Jenoptik. Maybe Epson - but Epson's corporate support for the R-D1 has been lukewarm at best (not the technical support, which seemed quite good when I had mine - but advertising, marketing, etc.) For that matter, there may be contractual links between Cosina and Epson that prevent Cosina from getting involved with a digital camera from another brand (e.g. Zeiss) until they expire. The same way Zeiss can't use their old "Contax" brand until their contracts with Kyocera expire. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstotler Posted January 11, 2010 Share #16 Posted January 11, 2010 The question rather seems to be if at some point we can expect a full-frame successor of the R-D1. Whether it'll be called "Epson" or "Voigtländer" I personally don't care. But it seems clear that if there'll ever be another non-Leica digital rangefinder in the future, it has to be full-frame like the M9. I don't know about full-frame. But I can say that if Cosina can produce a 1.3 crop DRF at an "outrageously" low pricepoint (let's say no more than $1K), people would snap them up. Thanks, Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted January 12, 2010 Share #17 Posted January 12, 2010 Agree. FF means expensive. There is the M9 already. A lower cost APS rangefinder would be welcome. But no APS-H please. Makes 50mm lenses either too short or too long. Just an updated R-D1 or a digital CL that's all. And little 12mm & 15mm lenses why not? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted January 12, 2010 Share #18 Posted January 12, 2010 I don't know about full-frame. But I can say that if Cosina can produce a 1.3 crop DRF at an "outrageously" low pricepoint (let's say no more than $1K), people would snap them up. Thanks, Will If the newest version of the Epson is still $3000+ and is made in conjunction with Cosina, then how is Cosina going to do it for less than $1000? Believe me, I'd love one...especially with the R4m's framelines, but I can't see it being realistic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstotler Posted January 15, 2010 Share #19 Posted January 15, 2010 If the newest version of the Epson is still $3000+ and is made in conjunction with Cosina, then how is Cosina going to do it for less than $1000? Believe me, I'd love one...especially with the R4m's framelines, but I can't see it being realistic. What I'm saying is that if anyone can do it, Cosina can. Who knows why the newest version of the Epson is $3K? Just because the Epson is $3K doesn't mean Cosina can't build one for $1K. For all I know they could figure out how to do it and they're qualified to do the work: "Hey, we know how to do this--let's do it cheaper and with good quality." Just a reminder that Cosina made a great quality f/1.2 35mm lens and an f/1.1 50mm lens, for about/under $1K. And a full line-up of lenses that compete strongly with the Leica glass. Sure, it's not Leica glass, but in most cases you get 80%-90% of the performance for a significantly lower price. Thanks, Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 15, 2010 Share #20 Posted January 15, 2010 Yes- but the fact remains that Cosina is NOT building a 1000$ FF DRF... So it is all pie-in-the-sky speculation, not worth the bandwidth used. As for the quality of CV lenses, optically they are fine - but don't ask what is inside the lens barrel. The opinion of my trusted repairman can only be described as scathing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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