S4 wish list

[Sarnian]

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On 3/28/2024 at 5:54 PM, ynp said:

If there was an AF adapter to use my S lenses on a Fuji or any other modern MF body, I would not be waiting for the S4.

I use my 30-90mm on my GFX100S with a dumb adapter. Best of both worlds (almost - the GFX100ii would give a better focussing experience as the EVF is better for manual focussing).

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[will c]

For the look of the camera, please make it look like the existing s but slimmer without the mirror, don’t make it square off like the SL or Fuji gfx, the S and and R8 were designed by external company that offer great ergonomic, please don’t change it

[Miksu_Master_JBL]

I'm gonna be crazy and say this.

I hope they destroy Hasselblad and Fujifilm!!!!

And become rivals against Phase One IQ5 system.

Straight to the 247 megapixel masterpiece!!!!!

247 megapixels and Leica's colors = Perfection!!!!!

It would cost a lot, but it would be the best Leica ever.

[davidmknoble]

I have to say I have really enjoyed the hasselblad x2D. But with their older lenses. The new lenses have all kinds of field curvature problems and aberrations. But the older ones have some beauties. Different from the Leica the 35-70 xcd is really sharp across the frame in most all focal lengths. But the S system is my goto in bad weather because of how well sealed it is. 

[hong kong boy]

Perfect Leica S4 would include:

• 100 MP sensor
• 6:7 or 4:5 aspect ratio options
• Only an EVF with high MP resolution and a top display for information only
• No rear display
• Double exposure functionality
• Built-in GPS
• Reliable operation in extreme weather conditions
• Partnership with Kodak for film emulation, with options to purchase classic looks like Kodachrome, Portra, and Tri-X

 

Lens wishlist:

• 30mm tilt-shift lens
• Central Shutter (CS) with a maximum speed of 1/2000

[JohnathanLovm]

1. IMX811 sensor for 247MP or IMX661 for 127MP global shutter (the Hasselblad killer) with ibis. 

2. Build-in GPS like SL601.

3. Wider TTL flash support. (Since Leica flash mount is similar to Nikon…)

4. multi-shoot (bonus if support flash)

5. SL lenses with adapter. (It’s was confirmed)

6. S3 or SL601’s minimalist back design. 

7. SL601-like design. 

8. USD8000 - USD9000.
 

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[ynp]

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5 hours ago, JohnathanLovm said:

SL601-like design. 

8. USD8000 - USD9000.

+1

[helged]

Re the exterior: Nothing comes close to holding an S-body. Size and form factor feels just correct.

Another beauty with the existing S-system becomes clear when mounting lenses: You mount the lenses with the engraved focal length pointing up and viola, the lens is where it is supposed to be. I smile every time when mounting lenses on the S-body: So simple, so quick, no need to find and match red (or white) dots on the body and lens.

[helged]

With Sigma’s CEO Kazuto Yamaki-san stating interest in making medium format lenses, one would think that S4 with L+ mount will, eventually, come with Sigma lenses as well as new Leica medium format lenses. Purely speculation, clearly, but it seems odd if Sigma starts to make medium format lenses to Hasselblad, Fuji, etc., but not to their L-mount partner Leica. I guess more will be known later in 2025.

https://petapixel.com/2024/02/26/sigmas-ceo-wants-to-make-lenses-for-medium-format-cameras/

[Stuart Richardson]

After seeing the SL3 generation, my biggest hope is that they do not do the same EVF information style. I am 99% sure they will, unfortunately. But the biggest challenge I had with the SL3 other than the power button was the fact that the information text is now superimposed over the display, rather than against black backgrounds where they were extremely consistent and legible. This especially concerns me here in Iceland, as we have snowy and white backgrounds for so much of the year. White text on a white background is usually still readable, but it is harder to read and more tiring on the eyes. Designing for this task is like designing for road signs. It should be extremely obvious and clear, not immersive and unobtrusive. The other thing that I found really distracting was the viewfinder information rotating when the camera was placed in vertical orientation. I am sure that some people would love this. I have not had a camera in 25 years of photographing that has done this, and to me it is just distracting. I am not sure if it is possible to turn off in the SL3, but if it is carried over to the S4, I hope there is an option to turn it off.

Personally, I feel like the SL3 interface is a big step backwards from the one in the SL2 generation, so I hope they go more in that direction. But I assume they paid a lot of money to make these changes, and the people who made them are likely still the ones making the choices, so I imagine most or all of them will carry over. But I would beg them to reconsider if I could. At least about the white text over the display. Along with the weird power switch and cramped body design it truly removed all interest in the SL3 for me.

Edited January 28 by Stuart Richardson

[hoolyproductions]

On 1/28/2025 at 12:22 PM, Stuart Richardson said:

After seeing the SL3 generation, my biggest hope is that they do not do the same EVF information style. I am 99% sure they will, unfortunately. But the biggest challenge I had with the SL3 other than the power button was the fact that the information text is now superimposed over the display, rather than against black backgrounds where they were extremely consistent and legible.

I actually prefer the new interface, but I would very much like that they rework the 'info bars' options:

• I 'avoid' the superimposition by having both top and bottom info bars turned off. I prefer the clean view and I get the key information when I half press the shutter button (I'm not suggesting this would work for you, just how I have worked around the issue). I would still do it like this if they were displayed in a black border instead of superimposed, my 'busy brain' gets distracted by the icons.
• The main downside of having info bars turned off in all the info profiles this is that when in playback mode you cannot review the information on shutter speed, ISO etc
• To work around on this I have a 4th, unnecessary info profile where I have turned the info bars on. It is of no use to me when shooting but means that I can toggle the Fn button in playback mode and see my settings

So I would like:

• An option to turn OFF the top info bar (useless to me) whilst still having the bottom one turned on. Then my info profile 4 would be more useful and less cluttered.
• Regardless how this is set up in shooting mode, playback mode should still offer a view with the key information displayed.
• I guess if they would also move the info to a black background you would also be happy

[Stuart Richardson]

On 1/29/2025 at 2:00 PM, hoolyproductions said:

I actually prefer the new interface, but I would very much like that they rework the 'info bars' options:

• I 'avoid' the superimposition by having both top and bottom info bars turned off. I prefer the clean view and I get the key information when I half press the shutter button (I'm not suggesting this would work for you, just how I have worked around the issue). I would still do it like this if they were displayed in a black border instead of superimposed, my 'busy brain' gets distracted by the icons.
• The main downside of having info bars turned off in all the info profiles this is that when in playback mode you cannot review the information on shutter speed, ISO etc
• To work around on this I have a 4th, unnecessary info profile where I have turned the info bars on. It is of no use to me when shooting but means that I can toggle the Fn button in playback mode and see my settings

So I would like:

• An option to turn OFF the top info bar (useless to me) whilst still having the bottom one turned on. Then my info profile 4 would be more useful and less cluttered.
• Regardless how this is set up in shooting mode, playback mode should still offer a view with the key information displayed.
• I guess if they would also move the info to a black background you would also be happy

I definitely agree with you about being able to turn off the top info bar. I would love a mode that just made it like an S or R camera. A single bar at the bottom with the same info included there. I do not need a menu bar saying the bluetooth and wifi status, and all the other information that finds its way up there. I would love a streamlined interface that just shows the essentials, but is not a fully blank screen. Clearly everyone has their own things that they find useful. If they could extend the customization to what items are included in the menu bars, that would be great, but I can also see how that could be difficult to design and probably can lead customers to deleting items they need and not being able to easily put them back etc. In any case, I agree about having a bottom only, essential info bar. For example: aperture and shutter speed at least. But adding a few more basic ones is fine...I don't need jpeg modes, bluetooth, etc.

[tom0511]

4 button interface of original sl was best from the sl generarions.

sl3 now has a worse on off switch, a worse grip and the button layout…. Well.

The ergonomics of the S bodies is better for my taste. But well, I also assume an S4 will be likely like a little bit larger sl3.

[Pieter12]

I wish this list would go away.

But while I'm at it, I wish the imaginary S4 would have an image-stabilization adapter, allowing the use of existing S lenses and still keep a true optical viewfinder. Kind of like the Nikon VR lenses. Of course it will all weigh a ton and I wouldn't be able to afford it anyway.

[CCC]

As I already have stated in this forum many times and others do see it the same way: 

Nothing comes close to the perfected design of the S. It is ergonomically a masterpiece of industrial design. And I do strongly hope that Leica will keep that design. 

We all may argue on the different needs of functions, but if a body is not well designed to be hold for hours in the hands all those functions will become secondary.

I do understand to a certain extent that Leica wanted to go a more commercial way with the SL line with the 'squarish box design' and 'smaller and lighter' philosophy as there are many who do want to carry the camera on shoulder straps the whole day long around them. And there size and weight matters. But the S is different. It's meant and in fact it is being used the whole day as a working tool so ergonomics should stand above the 'unification of commercial design philosophy' along the different lines. And speaking of the SL line: why not bringing two S Bodies like the SL line? For instance an S4 with more photographic centered functions and a higher mx sensor and an S4S with lower resolution and with more video centric features like ProRes 444 10bit codecs, in Body RAW recording (ProResRAW for instance) abilities and HFR. 

[davidmknoble]

On 1/30/2025 at 9:11 AM, Stuart Richardson said:

definitely agree with you about being able to turn off the top info bar

Stuart, I am going to PM you about this.