FredR Posted November 22, 2015 Share #1 Posted November 22, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) In Leica digital M240 cameras, are the most important electronic components that become obsolete capable of being easily replaced with next generation parts (e.g., the sensor)? Fred (film shooter) Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 Hi FredR, Take a look here Upgradeable?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
hepcat Posted November 22, 2015 Share #2 Posted November 22, 2015 Well, since the "new sensor" is vaporware, there's no way to tell. I'd guess, though, with the experience now of twenty years of digital cameras in general, and specifically in the Leica line the M8, M9, and M240 that have few or no electronics parts that interchange, it'll be a pretty safe conjecture that the current model M240 will likely not be retro upgradable. IIRC, Sigma or someone actually built a camera that was upgradable... the shutter and lens component had a changeable back (or, I suppose the back had interchangeable lenses mounted on the front body half. I don't think it stayed in development after the first iteration. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mornnb Posted November 22, 2015 Share #3 Posted November 22, 2015 (edited) You can't just upgrade a sensor.... the CPU and memory need to be there to support it. The amount of data that comes of a 50MP frame in one photo for example is massive. The other issue is high ISO require significant assistance from the processor to obtain a low noise shot with good quality colour. The sensor, CPU and software all has to be built to work together. Edited November 22, 2015 by Mornnb Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo63 Posted November 22, 2015 Share #4 Posted November 22, 2015 Well, since the "new sensor" is vaporware, there's no way to tell. I'd guess, though, with the experience now of twenty years of digital cameras in general, and specifically in the Leica line the M8, M9, and M240 that have few or no electronics parts that interchange, it'll be a pretty safe conjecture that the current model M240 will likely not be retro upgradable. IIRC, Sigma or someone actually built a camera that was upgradable... the shutter and lens component had a changeable back (or, I suppose the back had interchangeable lenses mounted on the front body half. I don't think it stayed in development after the first iteration.I think it was Ricoh Had a 28 2.8 module A 24-70 equivalent module and a M mount APSC sized sensor module. module I remember seeing it at the PMA show in Melbourne - i remember there being an extension cable to seperate the back and sensor modules, a printer and projector modules too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsolomon Posted November 22, 2015 Share #5 Posted November 22, 2015 The DMR for the Leica R 8/9 Series was the ideal solution, an interchangeable back: Film or Digital. It took about 60 seconds to make the swap in the field. It really was an engineering marvel. shame it didn't continue on Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWC Doppel Posted November 22, 2015 Share #6 Posted November 22, 2015 (edited) I think anything like this is not really viable with packaging and design integration today. There will always be a compromise but doubt the value balance makes economic sense for Leica or customer However adding functions to a paired down model makes some sense and choosing build options too Edited November 22, 2015 by IWC Doppel Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaburger Posted November 22, 2015 Share #7 Posted November 22, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) The DMR for the Leica R 8/9 Series was the ideal solution, an interchangeable back: Film or Digital. It took about 60 seconds to make the swap in the field. It really was an engineering marvel. shame it didn't continue on It was certainly an innovative solution. Not so sure I'd characterize it as ideal though. It necessitated a 1.3x crop factor, increased the size and weight significantly (compared to a non-motordriven R8) and if one wanted to shoot film and digital simultaneously one still was better of with a second body. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jto555 Posted November 22, 2015 Share #8 Posted November 22, 2015 In Leica digital M240 cameras, are the most important electronic components that become obsolete capable of being easily replaced with next generation parts (e.g., the sensor)? Fred (film shooter) While it would be a great idea, it would also be like swapping the engine and suspension in your current car for the next generation. Do-able but at great cost and inconvenience. Somewhere else on the forum the same question was asked and one of the answers was that it might come down to the mounting points for the new sensor and motherboard might be different to the mounting points for the current sensor and motherboard. Even now, try and get the buffer on an M240 upgraded form 1GB to the 2GB of the M-P, and that should be an easer upgrade. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted November 23, 2015 Share #9 Posted November 23, 2015 The DMR for the Leica R 8/9 Series was the ideal solution, an interchangeable back: Film or Digital. It took about 60 seconds to make the swap in the field. It really was an engineering marvel. shame it didn't continue on I must confess I never reconfigured my DMR for film. I have plenty of film bodies, it is simply not worth the hassle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loren Posted November 23, 2015 Share #10 Posted November 23, 2015 In Leica digital M240 cameras, are the most important electronic components that become obsolete capable of being easily replaced with next generation parts (e.g., the sensor)? Fred (film shooter) No. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_livsey Posted November 23, 2015 Share #11 Posted November 23, 2015 Leica announced a perpetual upgrade program for the M8 on 31 January 2008. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M9reno Posted November 23, 2015 Share #12 Posted November 23, 2015 The camera will be good for parts at some (not too distant) point in the future. Follow the sticker and use a recycling centre, not a trash bin. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/253437-upgradeable/?do=findComment&comment=2935334'>More sharing options...
ECohen Posted November 23, 2015 Share #13 Posted November 23, 2015 The camera will be good for parts at some (not too distant) point in the future. Follow the sticker and use a recycling centre, not a trash bin. Sad but true...Digital Leica cameras ...like computers ......no matter how well build ......will be obsolete as new technology replaces the previous model..... quicker than quick .....Isn't it called "Moores Law" ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted November 24, 2015 Share #14 Posted November 24, 2015 Dunno- still a happy Digilux2 owner, my DMR is still fine, my brother is using my M8 -hang on, we are a decade further by now and still no dustbin in sight... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ECohen Posted November 24, 2015 Share #15 Posted November 24, 2015 I hope your right...But I can see a really great sensor and firmware .....a processor ......"Leica"color profiles that will blow away todays 240....Don't get me wrong I love love using the my 240, but the future of electronics moves in leaps and bounds..... 10 years is a long time for anything digital......don't you think? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mornnb Posted November 24, 2015 Share #16 Posted November 24, 2015 The camera is capable of great photos. This won't change merely because better models are out. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted November 24, 2015 Share #17 Posted November 24, 2015 I hope your right...But I can see a really great sensor and firmware .....a processor ......"Leica"color profiles that will blow away todays 240....Don't get me wrong I love love using the my 240, but the future of electronics moves in leaps and bounds..... 10 years is a long time for anything digital......don't you think? Well, I have no problems showing prints from my DMR next to those of the M240 (if anything, the colours of the DMR are better), nor those of the M8 (in B&W only surpassed by the Monochroms); even the low-MP and rather noisy Digilux2 still shines by virtue of its lens. Those leaps and bounds result, it seems, only in marginal progress in the appreciation of the final images. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ECohen Posted November 24, 2015 Share #18 Posted November 24, 2015 "Those leaps and bounds result, it seems, only in marginal progress in the appreciation of the final images." You are 100% correct! I can see myself using the 240 a long long time. I guess my thought came from when Hasselbad/Imicon changed it's color profile after a year...it was like a different camera ......it went from bad to great over night.......but that was a long time ago Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsolomon Posted November 28, 2015 Share #19 Posted November 28, 2015 it would be interesting if somehow Leica locked-in to the size so that the body case could be reused -- probably not possible but something about keeping "my own" camera body is attractive to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exodies Posted November 28, 2015 Share #20 Posted November 28, 2015 An upgradeable camera might be interesting to a manufacturer if it was rented out to users, like jet engines on aeroplanes. Maybe 200€ per month and you could swap it for a refreshed one at any time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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