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Compact interchangeable lens camera coming 09/12

andybarton

By andybarton
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andybarton
andybarton

Leica to launch new compact system in 2012 - British Journal of Photography

rob_w
rob_w

Leica have done a fantastic job -- to move from near bankruptcy to three excellent and successful lines of product over the last few years. All products recognised leaders in image quality in their

bill
bill

...but at the same time not too small...   Really small only works with a bit of mass, like the Rollei 35. Too small and too light is downright unpleasant to use, particularly with larger or longe

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pico

pico

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Absolutely uninterested. I've used the same an 4/3. Small, clumsy camera controls for even a midget. Sensor quality <fair.

 

Leica had better to it better than the best.

 

I'll stick to film Ms ad the M9.

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Dan States

Dan States

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Absolutely uninterested. I've used the same an 4/3. Small, clumsy camera controls for even a midget. Sensor quality <fair.

 

Leica had better to it better than the best.

 

I'll stick to film Ms ad the M9.

 

Versus what at this point?

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phancj

phancj

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Pretty much all the EVIL cameras out there take R lenses if you spring for an adapter; I would be surprised if the new system did not. But it isn’t meant to be a revival of the R system, i.e. it won’t support R lenses natively, if only because R lenses don’t support AF.

 

The lack of AF will be a real bummer, and I suspect only the hardcore group will use the camera thus. Also, not sure if the R lenses will balance on a compact body.

 

I've got a feeling that Panasonic is going to be in the mix somewhere...and if Panasonic is involved, I doubt that this camera will be particularly compact -- a really compact Leica could do some damage to Panasonic's very successful m4/3 program. I suspect we'll see something that resembles the Pentax K5 (which is quite compact, but notably larger than m4/3.)

 

If the sensor quality is comparable to the M9 quality, and if there's a line of compact Leica-quality lenses (the size of the Pentax pancakes or even somewhat larger than those) I could well be in the market for this camera. It would be competing head-to-head with the Canon and Nikon APS-C entries, and their systems; in which case, compactness and quality will be critical.

 

I hope you are wrong (about its size), coz if it is comparable to other APS-C cameras I for one wont be interested. IF Leica says compact I would imagine it to be really compact, given the fact their cameras are really really small...looking at the M9 vs FF cams, the S2 vs MF cams, and the X1 vs even the X100 released more than a year later. So I am thinking leica probably may stick to making the best portable cameras.

 

I cannot realistically expect the sensor quality to approach leica's flagship M9 (though dont we all wish for it to be so). It is somehow inferred in the article (at least to me) that it will be a lower end range of camera as compared to the M9. The fact that aps-c was mentioned is probably testament to my assumption.

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jrc

jrc

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The problem with APS-C (or bigger) sensors is that they tend to require bigger lenses, if those lenses offer auto-focus, as this system apparently will. It is possible to produce non-auto-focus primes that are quite small -- M lenses -- but on a system like this, I suspect most people will want auto-focus, probably image stabilization (though that would probably be internal) and zooms. If the lenses are bigger, it helps to have a somewhat larger body to balance the lens...though the NEX does not do this, and seems to be selling to a certain extent. In any case, that's why I think this system will not be terribly small, though not much bigger than an M9. (A Pentax K5 isn't *that* much bigger than an M9, and if you lose the mirror, I think you could get into the M9 size range.) But, it will not be as small, as a system, as the m4/3.

 

I think Panasonic may be involved not necessarily for the sensors, but for all the other electronics, programming, etc. Since Leica and Panasonic continue to have a relationship (see the new m4/3 "Leica" 25mm), I would think it would be efficient to tap Panasonic for the computer guts.

 

I don't think it'll be a rebadged anything. Since it is plunging into a sector that is fairly small in absolute sales, and is hotly contested by Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, etc., it better have something more than a price and a brand name to distinguish it. A great sensor would be one thing...I just don't know where they'd get it.

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dhsimmonds

dhsimmonds

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This camera could revive my Leica interests!

 

The APS-C modern sensor is capable of superb definition even at very high ISO. The key will be the viewfinder and some incredible developments in this area have taken place recently, ie Sony's NEX series and their latest Alpha developments but only the Fuji hybrid optical/EVF has really tempted me so far for my preferred OVF, with option of EVF when needed.

 

The quality of Leica lenses would be a given and even Leica would not launch a new camera in this range without it capable of AF ;) An AF camera can also be used for manual focus if the VF is up to it. Yep, the next Photokina will be very interesting indeed.:D

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Ruhayat

Ruhayat

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Regarding lens size, when I still had my Olympus m4/3 camera, I had the 17mm(35mm)/2.8 lens and was seriously considering the Panasonic/Leica 45mm(90mm)/2.8. Both of these were tiny. Okay, the 17mm is just about the same size as the CV Color-Skopar 35mm/2.5 (which on m4/3 becomes a terrifically tiny 70mm/2.5), but the 17mm had autofocus!

 

So even if the Leica-X doesn;t use M lenses, that might not be such a bad thing. As the newer lenses might be even smaller! With AF! Yummy.

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mjh

mjh

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The lack of AF will be a real bummer, and I suspect only the hardcore group will use the camera thus.

Huh? The R system has never supported AF and R lenses have to be focused manually when using those lenses with an EVIL body; even Leica cannot change that. AF will require dedicated AF lenses.

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mjh

mjh

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Kodak…That's where the M9 sensor comes from. Isn't the X1 sensor an aps-c sensor?

The X1 has a Sony sensor. An EVIL cameras depends on live-view which in turn requires a CMOS sensor; Kodak only manufactures CCDs.

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luigi bertolotti

luigi bertolotti

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Bigger than APS-C might mean APS-H a la M8.

 

Making it with a CMOS sensor of M8 size would be imho a smart choice... a way to "make something different" as thay say... a way to avoid strict comparision with Sony Fuij Samsung etc... a way to "blink" to M users and convincing them to buy.

I think the main issue is to have a GOOD EVF...

 

The news about Dr. Kaufman investment in LFI is also interesting... I wonder who has the intellectual property of the brand title "Many Eyes, One Camera" :D... given the mission of LFI, Dr. Kaufmann could be interested in BUYING also the rights on that fine name... :cool:

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