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Digilux 4 or maybe lower price Rangefinder???


jbstitt

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Read the following review of the G1 from Panasonic and Oly closely -

 

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 Digital Camera - Hands-On Preview - The Imaging Resource!

 

 

Note that this camera has a lot of advanced features that really look interesting. This could be the successor to the Digilux line and might bring me back to Leica from the C cameras. What also really caught my attention were the statements that they use a much shorter lens to sensor distance AND that they could have made the camera much smaller but did not think the American market would accept that. Maybe this version is for the soccer mom, but look at the technology they are talking about. I see the potential for a lower cost "auto focus" or maybe a manual with M lenses and adapter rangefinder type camera. My mouth is watering, My breathing is short and rapid. My fingers are twitching!

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Read the following review of the G1 from Panasonic and Oly closely -

 

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 Digital Camera - Hands-On Preview - The Imaging Resource!

 

 

Note that this camera has a lot of advanced features that really look interesting. This could be the successor to the Digilux line and might bring me back to Leica from the C cameras. What also really caught my attention were the statements that they use a much shorter lens to sensor distance AND that they could have made the camera much smaller but did not think the American market would accept that. Maybe this version is for the soccer mom, but look at the technology they are talking about. I see the potential for a lower cost "auto focus" or maybe a manual with M lenses and adapter rangefinder type camera. My mouth is watering, My breathing is short and rapid. My fingers are twitching!

The last time I mentioned this possibility, several months ago, I had to wear a flame retardant suit for weeks. This is very likely the camera I was told about a few months ago, but the fly in the ointment is that Leica has seperated themselves from the 4/3's system. Perhaps Panasonic will put it out under their badge. I would love to have this camera, in M mount, in my hands.

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just an observation but, so many people talk of an M adapter for mFT its probably going to happen,

just not very soon though i think, and by a third party

 

its a bit ironic that, just when Panasonic come up with something potentially useful to Leica, they seem to be parting their ways...

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Its the focal distance and the new sensor that does not have as much the angled light problem that open doors for creativity. If Pana makes this sensor available to Leica, and if Leica is not stupid, then we should see something interesting in the years ahead. If Leica does not do it then someone else is going to make a small rangefinder type camera and if the sensor lives up to its advertising so far, the whole world of digital is going to change.

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just an observation but, so many people talk of an M adapter for mFT its probably going to happen,

just not very soon though i think, and by a third party

 

its a bit ironic that, just when Panasonic come up with something potentially useful to Leica, they seem to be parting their ways...

Why are they parting ways? The D-Lux 4 is still a rebadged Panasonic. Leica's entry into the 4/3 standard always looked short-term to me.

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Why are they parting ways? The D-Lux 4 is still a rebadged Panasonic. Leica's entry into the 4/3 standard always looked short-term to me.

 

yes i know Carsten

you would have heard talk that they were getting out of FT i guess, but no-one has seen anything conclusive on that.

 

But we notice that on release of G1 that the lenses say 'Lumix', not 'Leica', and the talk from Panasonic suggests, its not an 'open format' as they want consortium members to participate instead of sitting on the sidelines. They made it sound like there are negotiations going on, were of course the likely candidates are Leica and Fuji.

 

bottom line though, with lenses marked Lumix, not Leica, it really sounds like Leica are not in it

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My idea is that AT THE MOMENT, Leica stays and waits regard this interesting camera... their relationship with Panasonic is going on... probably they prefer to wait and see if this G1 makes good sales volumes... this 4/3 seems so uncertain and they don't want to repeat the error (it was) of the Digilux3 : if G1 catches on, a partially reenginered Leica version (M mount, no AF, no image stabilizing) could be really interesting... possibly with some lens like a 14 f 4,5 to have a decent WA... :) (otherwise, it could become an engine for CV lenses sales....)

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  • 2 months later...

The G1 can accept the highly regarded Zuiko lenses. Some of which are nothing short of amazing according to some of the tests in Pop Photo and DPreview. Could anyone on this board give me an idea how Zuiko glass compares with Leitz from their own experience?

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The second-tier Olympus ZD lenses I've used thus far -- the 12-60 zoom, 50 macro and 2x converter -- are outstandingly sharp and they render color beautifully. I do see differences between them and my Leica M lenses (as also between Leicas and the the Zeiss ZM line). It's the kind of thing that's hard to quantify, but in practical terms, I elected not to buy the Panasonic-Leica 25mm 1.4 for my Olympus system because it didn't make a compelling case for itself (other than speed, of course), over the 12-60 zoom.

 

As for micro 4/3rds, I am going to let the Panasonic G1 have its day in the sun and wait patiently for the Olympus m4/3 later next year. If it comes with a couple of small, fast Zuiko prime lenses (which it likely will), and has in-body image stabilization (unlike the G1), that will be quite a lot. The ability to use M lenses with someone or other's inevitable adapter would make it that much sweeter. And don't forget, Leica itself has said it intends to design some lenses for m4/3.

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