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New M at PhotoPlus Expo 2015?


Rick

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Leica commissioned the M sensor maybe five years ago, introduced it three years ago.  I think it doubtful that they would introduce something radically different now, my guess is that they will concentrate on the peripherals this iteration.

 

Ii think that's probably right, provided they can improve the sensor as an evolutionary process. Do we know how they changed the sensor in the Q? Or how it differs?  I've never really understood why they didn't just use the CMOSIS sensor they'd already developed. It made me wonder if the R&D was already written off, or if the new sensor is a development of the original sensor, and fabrication costs aren't as great as I had thought.

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Regarding the new S, David's article explains how there's more going on than just the # of MP...

 

http://www.reddotforum.com/content/2014/11/why-leica-is-staying-at-37-5mp-for-the-s-typ-007/

 

Interestingly, one can now purchase a new S-E (Typ 006….still 37.5MP) and 70 lens (56 equiv) for just over $10k, about the same as an M240 plus a 50 lens...

http://www.reddotforum.com/content/2015/07/new-leica-s-typ-006-s-e-typ-006-and-70mm-cs-lens-promotional-bundle-announced/

 

Jeff

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Ii think that's probably right, provided they can improve the sensor as an evolutionary process. Do we know how they changed the sensor in the Q? Or how it differs?  I've never really understood why they didn't just use the CMOSIS sensor they'd already developed. It made me wonder if the R&D was already written off, or if the new sensor is a development of the original sensor, and fabrication costs aren't as great as I had thought.

 

The Q has a new sensor with a Maestro II processor, so the capture and generation of the digital file are both different from M240. Jaap suggests, as I understand him, that Leica could utilize the basis of the Q set up with adaption to existing M processing in camera.

 

I think Lou started this thread of threads because he finds the Q DNG have a bit more potential than the M DNG, which I agree with completely. So that represents a step up in IQ, and Leica can aim the next M at improved chassis (footprint, weight, etc.) and EVF attachment.

 

Leica's social media leaks about ceramic or carbon fibre components (on one or two of the rumor sites that is pounding on an October 21 release of Mxx in New York) makes a ton of sense  :lol: . All other premium engineered products (aircraft, bicycles and even Patek Philippe's top drive train) use ceramic or carbon components, so Leica would be "catching up."

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Ah yes you're right so what sensor size is there between 24 and 37.5 MP?

 

That's really a question for Michael,  as there are two questions here - sensor size and MP. 

 

As as I understand it, Leica invented the 30x45 sensor size for the S camera, whereas our 24x36 sensor approximates 35mm film size. I'm not sure if 24MP on the M gives similar resolution as 37.5MP on the S, but it seems likely. I've always suspected that there are far more important and beneficial improvements that can be made than just increasing MP - dynamic range and ISO performance for a start ...

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a foveon with 80mp :-)

Back when I bought a camera with a Foveon, Sigma used some funny arithmetics to express the resolution of their sensors. In fact, they multiplied the number of pixel sites by 3. The reasoning behind that was that the cameras with color filter arrays gave the number of sensor sites as the pixel count. By that reckoning, an "80MP" Foveon sensor would really have about 27MP.

 

I don't know if they still use that scheme.

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Back when I bought a camera with a Foveon, Sigma used some funny arithmetics to express the resolution of their sensors. In fact, they multiplied the number of pixel sites by 3.

There is a Japanese industry standard for determining sensor resolution that funnily counts photo sites but states the result with ‘pixels’ as the unit. By applying this standard Foveon/Sigma is correct in multiplying the number of pixels by 3 – it’s the standard after all. According to my own measurements the effective resolution of a Foveon X3 sensor is equivalent to that of a Bayer sensor with twice the number of pixels.

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There is a Japanese industry standard for determining sensor resolution that funnily counts photo sites but states the result with ‘pixels’ as the unit. By applying this standard Foveon/Sigma is correct in multiplying the number of pixels by 3 – it’s the standard after all. According to my own measurements the effective resolution of a Foveon X3 sensor is equivalent to that of a Bayer sensor with twice the number of pixels.

 

Applying that standard, do I multiply my Monochrom MP by 4 to get a standardised pixel count?

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The Foveon has issues shared with film. Long frequencies, red for example is farther from the surface so that in susceptible subjects the COC is greater. How very much the impact depends upon the subject. The latest generation of Foveon supposedly uses micro lenses to accommodate some angular light entry, but to what degree we do not know.

 

One thing that fascinates me are algorithms that deal with other than Bayer filters, but that is for another discussion.

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Putting a series of colour filters over the sensor sites, and using 4 sites to produce one colour pixel has always struck me as wasteful, and as increasing the potential for noise. I appreciate that a digital signal is always on or off, but surely it will be possible at some stage for sensors to detect wavelength.

 

I know nothing about Foveon sensors, but I do believe we will look back in 10 years or so, and say that what we've been using to day was a dead end. Now, if only Leica could make sure that such new sensor technology could be made to fit into my M Edition 60 ... please, don't wake me up.

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Applying that standard, do I multiply my Monochrom MP by 4 to get a standardised pixel count?

The standard doesn’t offer any benefits here. Whether there are RGB or clear filters in front of the sensor pixels their number stays the same. The effective resolution corresponds to a Bayer sensor with twice the number of pixels though which is why the original M Monochrom was still superior to the M (Typ 240) and only surpassed by the M Monochrom (Typ 246).

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