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M Mount Nikon Digital rangefinder?


Mike Rawcs

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I don't believe that Nikon would go back to rangefinders after 50 years though either.

 

They did build over 10,000 Nikon S3-2000's and another 2,500 (? Not sure) Nikon SP-2005's. I bought an S3-2000, but not an SP-2005. That is because my three SP's have held up exceptionally well and have Titanium Foil Shutters. The VF/RF patch was as good as the SP-2005 that I tried.

 

1465385308_f059373c6c_o.jpg

 

Can you tell which one is almost 50 years old and which one is 3 years old?

 

My M8 demands equal time.

 

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I just converted the Sonnar to this LTM yesterday.

 

RF coupling SLR lenses can be more of a challenge. I've only made a couple. One was a 50mm F2.8 Tessar originally in 42mm screw mount. Remounted the optics to a Russian focus mount. It is possible to do the same with some of the Nikon SLR lenses.

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Well, it's not looking good for the digital Nikon rangefinder, is it? Nikon are supposed to be announcing a surprise at PMA next week, but people think it will be a 50mm F1.2. If this is the case I will be disappointed; not just with Nikon but with camera manufacturers in general.

 

The M 4 thirds concept has shown that there is a market for a small, interchangeable digital camera. Many serious photographers have been crying out FOR YEARS for such a camera. The X1 shows the image quality such a camera is capable of (but is let down by poor af speed, inadequate LCD display (Leica, hoe dare you put such a display on a camera that costs so much!) no ergonomic grip (what? you want me to pay extra for a grip!).

 

 

Mike.

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The M 4 thirds concept has shown that there is a market for a small, interchangeable digital camera. Many serious photographers have been crying out FOR YEARS for such a camera. The X1 shows the image quality such a camera is capable of (but is let down by poor af speed, inadequate LCD display (Leica, hoe dare you put such a display on a camera that costs so much!) no ergonomic grip (what? you want me to pay extra for a grip!)..

 

I really hope that more manufactuers get into this type of camera. DSLRs are just too big and heavy for most... especially those used to rangefinders.

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I really hope that more manufactuers get into this type of camera. DSLRs are just too big and heavy for most... especially those used to rangefinders.

 

Photojournalist Bill Pierce has been banging on about this subject for some time in his Nuts and Bolts column on the Digital Journalist site. He notes, this month, that his Pro DSLR with zoom is about as heavy as the Speed Graphic camera he used at the beginning of his career!

 

I'm hoping for someone to do for digital photography what Olympus did for 35mm film photography in the 70s with the introduction of the OM system. So far all we have are hybrid cameras: digital capture inside a film camera body. I mean, what's with the reflex mirror? It's so ... 20th century.

 

Mike.

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The Samsung NX10 is even smaller. Uses an EVF though.

 

The difference between film and digital cameras is that all 35mm film cameras used 35mm film. Provided that you had a good lens on a compact camera you could get the same results as from a 35mm pro-spec camera. True, you may not have interchangeable lenses or motor drive but, at the same focal length, the results would be the same or very similar.

 

Digital cameras use different film i.e. different sensors. The larger, heavier, cameras have the larger sensors. The compact digital cameras have really small sensors. It can't be beyond the wit of man to develop a small digital camera with a large sensor.

 

O.k. something's got to give: like lose the reflex mirror and replace with high-quality LCD view and focus - but leave the dials - don't bury the controls in a menu!

 

If I'm not careful I'll talk myself into an X1!

 

Mike.

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Digital cameras use different film i.e. different sensors. The larger, heavier, cameras have the larger sensors. The compact digital cameras have really small sensors. It can't be beyond the wit of man to develop a small digital camera with a large sensor.

 

The Samsung LCT mentions uses an APS sized sensor.

 

Samsung NX10 launched and previewed: Digital Photography Review

 

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/samsungnx10/

 

I would guess that the small number of small cameras with larger sensors is down to it being a hobbyist, rather than a true mass, market.

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I have a Pentax MX which I "inherited" from my grandfather. It shows that SLR's can be quite compact. If they'd make a DSLR this size, I'd be first in line.

 

I too used to have an MX. I occasionally use an Olympus E-410, very compact and neat body and 10MP, its not a bad little DSLR really but the only lens I have to fit it is the Vario Elmarit 14-50 F2.8 from my L1 which is a fair chunk of lens and rather defeats the object of a small compact body. I need a bit of wide angle and would like a 17mm f2.8 pancake for it, which would make it really neat, but seems to be only available in micro 4/3 and won't fit. The 25mm 4/3 just won't do it for me.

 

Nigel

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Hmm - 55 posts (some duplicate posters, and quite a few expressing NO interest) out of, what, 46,000 digital M's (8 & 9) sold so far? Substitute "a few" for "many" and you're probably right.

 

I have only one issue with the M9 (red edges with my 21, and that's an issue Nikon or Canon would have to deal with anyway - goes with RF-sized lenses on digital)

 

But I'd still love to see the return of more interchangeable-lens rangefinders (the real deal, not dressed-up P&Ss). The digital equivalent of 1960, when there were at least four brands on the market. The more, the merrier. And a little price competition never hurts.

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I agree with Andy. Whatever happens in this forum is usually just an insignificant tempest in a teapot as it represents only a tiny minority of the Leica users worldwide and there are several reasons to assume that this sample is not in any way representative.

 

As for the Nikon rangefinder rumors: I would love to see one (if only because of the competition), but I'm very, very skeptical that Nikon (or any other major vendor) will ever release something like that. It simply seems too unrealistic to me.

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