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New Pani / Leica DSLR?


chrisbo

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I've read an announcement from an officer of Panasonic that they are planing the release in 2007 of a second DSLR with a new Leica lens (f3.5 up to 150mm). The technology of the camera is rumored to be the equivalent of the current Olympus E-510. This would be a dramatic improvement over the current L1 / Digilux 3 technology. An iminant release would also help explain the relatively rapid drop in the prices of the L1.

 

Anyone know (or heard rumors about) whether or not Leica will be releasing an equivalent version as the Digilux IV at the same time Panasonic releases their new DSLR?

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Hi Chris,

 

Thanks for the news and Riley's, spot on - the new cam that you mention is going to be the budget DLSR from PanaLeica and they have already hinted that a Pro cam is in the works for sometime in late 2008.

 

Cheers

 

Harj

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its an entry level dSLR meant to sell at US$300-$400

another dSLR is in the works for next year

 

Pull the other leg - a dSLR, which has 'Leica' imprinted on it somewhere, for under $400? Ah hae ma doots.

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Thanks for the link Riley. I had read about the low end DSLR planned by Panasonic, but the article I read mentioned two DSLR's set to come out at the end of 2007. I'll try to find the article again & post a link.

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I've read an announcement from an officer of Panasonic that they are planing the release in 2007 of a second DSLR with a new Leica lens (f3.5 up to 150mm). The technology of the camera is rumored to be the equivalent of the current Olympus E-510. This would be a dramatic improvement over the current L1 / Digilux 3 technology. An iminant release would also help explain the relatively rapid drop in the prices of the L1.

 

Anyone know (or heard rumors about) whether or not Leica will be releasing an equivalent version as the Digilux IV at the same time Panasonic releases their new DSLR?

 

I now have an E-500 and an E-330. An imminent and huge-ish price drop on the L1 would be wonderful, 'cause then I could get one of those with the IS lens. This would be kewl.

 

There is nothing, NOTHING wrong with Four Thirds. I love these little SLRs.

 

Flickr: Photos from fastfashn

 

By the way, I was shooting pix at a party last week, and a Nikon owner came up to me and said (regarding the E-500), "Man that thing is quiet. I was listening for it and barely heard it!"

 

Compared to my old Contax 167MT, it is amazingly quiet.

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I've found open boxed DMC L1's for $850 from reputable companies. I've found some new ones around $1,50.00 to $1,150.00 but the online vendors are disreputable. They have complaints like refusing to ship the camera unless you purchase expensive accessories like a battery, a lens cap, etc.

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Until I received a letter today from the President of Leica offering to allow me to exchange my sensor broken Digilux II for a new Digilux III for $950.00, I had decided to buy a Panasonic L1, primarily for the lens and either buy the E 510 or wait for the much anticipated and soon to be released pro-grade E3.

 

I'm seeing very few complaints about the 4/3rds camera lenses. The only complaints I do find are about the higher ISO noise of the 4/3rds camera sensors used by Olympus, Panasonic and now Leica. Well, a good hit of image stabilization can do much to get rid of the ISO problem.

 

I've seen interior and hand held photo's taken with a Digilux III at ISO 100 with no flash and a two second shutter that looked simply great. If the camera can do that, I can certainly put up with the higher ISO noise of an Olympus, Leica or Panasonic.

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Perhaps with all these people refusing to take them up on the D3 offer Leica will now realize that all we wanted was a modest update to the Digilux 2. Better ISO performance and a faster buffer would have done it. Not that there isn't room for something like the D3 but it's a totally different camera from the Digilux 2.

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Perhaps with all these people refusing to take them up on the D3 offer Leica will now realize that all we wanted was a modest update to the Digilux 2. Better ISO performance and a faster buffer would have done it. Not that there isn't room for something like the D3 but it's a totally different camera from the Digilux 2.

 

"Not that there isn't room for something like the D3 but it's a totally different camera from the Digilux 2."

 

Yes, the D3 is much better.

 

Please, don't speak for everyone with generalizations.:eek:

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Yes, the sensor of the DL 3 has better performance than the sensor of the DL 2, no doubt.

On the other hand, there are REALLY many people waiting for an improved DL 2, because the DL 3 is a completely different story and cannot replace the DL 2 by no means.

 

edit: there are already several threads where possible improvements have been listed, most important of then higher ISO speed. Some more pixels, RAW buffer and an EVF with higher resolution would also be fine.

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Yes, the sensor of the DL 3 has better performance than the sensor of the DL 2, no doubt.

On the other hand, there are REALLY many people waiting for an improved DL 2, because the DL 3 is a completely different story and cannot replace the DL 2 by no means.

 

edit: there are already several threads where possible improvements have been listed, most important of then higher ISO speed. Some more pixels, RAW buffer and an EVF with higher resolution would also be fine.

 

If it were me... I'd go the route that Sigma is going with their big sensor 28mm fixed lens p/s camera. SIGMA DP1

 

Of course you could put a nice little Leica branded zoom on something like that. Put an auxilary finder on it (optional) so we could have glass instead of a TV set to look thru. No more pixels unless you go to a bigger sensor!

 

But... Frankly, I don't see a whole lot of point anymore in buying a small sensor (expensive) p/s. When you can get a digital SLR for peanuts, please tell me what the point of spending $800 for a high noise p/s is?

 

A big sensor Leica CM type camera? Great! Another me too PanaLeica super zoom? Count me out.

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Perhaps with all these people refusing to take them up on the D3 offer Leica will now realize that all we wanted was a modest update to the Digilux 2. Better ISO performance and a faster buffer would have done it. Not that there isn't room for something like the D3 but it's a totally different camera from the Digilux 2.

 

You're on target. The demise of my Digilux II is what has me doing research on new cameras like the Digilux III, the L1 and Olympus E-510 and the soon to be released E3.

 

I just received my offer letter from Leica yesterday asking me to give up my Digilux II and pay around $1,00.00 for a new Digilux III. I sent a letter back saying that the Digilux II was unique and not being produced anymore. I just couldn't part with it. I'm afraid that there may a limited amount of the sensors for repair. Given the volume of Digilux II's that are biting the dust, I'm a bit afraid that Leica may not be able to repair the Digilux II's at this point.

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...There is nothing, NOTHING wrong with Four Thirds...

 

LOL

Why would anyone buy a Four-Thirds sensor camera when any APS-C DSLR has a significantly larger sensor, thus larger pixels per same pixel count, with inherently greater dynamic range and a better S/N ratio? A Nikon D40X with its superb new 18-55mm lens or a Sony Alpha with its great range of Carl Zeiss glass is a far better choice in the same price range. Twenty-five hundred for a D3 like looking through a straw? No thanks. I'll keep my D2 (and D200).

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LOL

Why would anyone buy a Four-Thirds sensor camera when any APS-C DSLR has a significantly larger sensor, thus larger pixels per same pixel count, with inherently greater dynamic range and a better S/N ratio?

 

not so much larger, with 4/3rds at 1.92, Canon at 1.62, Nikon at 1.52; if size where important why would you have a 1.3x ?

 

The DR issue appears to be a metering issue of the kind only someone like Askey could setup, this because when shooting RAW the DR is higher

 

As to noise, that has been balanced in this iteration of sensor for 4/3rds, go download some review images, open PhotoShop, Noise Ninja, click reset/ click Profile-Image/read & record noise index

 

E-410 iso1600 NR OFF 35

E-410 iso800 NR OFF 17

 

D40 iso1600 NR? 39

D40 iso800 NR? 31

 

XTi iso1600 NR? 42

XTi iso800 NR? 29

 

still think APS C has a better s/n ratio ?

 

A Nikon D40X with its superb new 18-55mm lens or a Sony Alpha with its great range of Carl Zeiss glass is a far better choice in the same price range. Twenty-five hundred for a D3 like looking through a straw? No thanks. I'll keep my D2 (and D200).

 

Both Canon and Nikon kit lenses are inferior to the Oly or Leica D kit by a long way, the Sony is pretty much the same camera that K/M gave up on, there appears to be no solid replacement. Both the XTi/400D and the D40 are the featureless bimbos in the room.

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Breaking News

June 26, 2007 1:36 PM PDT

New Panasonic cameras coming in July

Posted by Stephen Shankland

 

Panasonic plans to announce new digital cameras and high-definition video cameras at a July 17 event in New York, according to an invitation.

 

The company didn't share further details. But perhaps we'll see more about the new lower-end Panasonic digital SLR geared toward consumers.

 

Panasonic's current DMC-L1 is a midrange SLR (single-lens reflex) model with a midrange price, but the company could use something to go up against the models from Olympus, Canon, Pentax and Nikon that cost hundreds of dollars less.

 

New Panasonic cameras coming in July | Tech news blog - CNET News.com

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LOL

Why would anyone buy a Four-Thirds sensor camera when any APS-C DSLR has a significantly larger sensor, thus larger pixels per same pixel count, with inherently greater dynamic range and a better S/N ratio? A Nikon D40X with its superb new 18-55mm lens or a Sony Alpha with its great range of Carl Zeiss glass is a far better choice in the same price range. Twenty-five hundred for a D3 like looking through a straw? No thanks. I'll keep my D2 (and D200).

 

I've used a D-200. I didn't like it.

 

No soul.:cool:

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