Press Release: S2 Technical Specs.

[Guest guy_mancuso]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I very much look forward to a vicarious S2 ownership experience, brought to life through enthusiastic posts from forum members. No pressure Guy but I hope you do get one. I will enjoy your expressive posts on the subject a great deal. I will even send you a year's supply of punctuation so that the NESBs in the audience have as much fun as me.

 

NESB = Non Engrish speaking Brackground

 

Punctuation? These things - . , : ; ? ! :-)

 

 

p.s. Finally got me a DMR. Fan-bl**dy-tastic!

 

Hell that would slow me down Rick. I see you got a DMR , it will be pretty hard to put down. Great images from it.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Guest guy_mancuso]

Simon you asked 18 pretty important questions and their are probably about 18 more if I sat down to think about it. I'm afraid those answers won't get answered until someone outside of Leica get's there hands on it and can actually post real information.

[Guest stnami]

There is one thing about Guy is that he is consistent, I'm not sure that if he were a captain of one of Queen Elizabeth First's ships if he would have ever got off the wharf let alone the harbour constantly changing ships and rigs. Guy maybe a Spanish galleon is more to your liking RED / Index ....... well good luck either way:p

[Guest guy_mancuso]

LOL that would be because the rum is to good to leave the dock. LOL

 

The RED is a very interesting future not sure I can actually converge into it though. Thinking motion is a whole new set of thought patterns and readjustment to the creative side. I hope to retire before I would be forced into it.

[rosuna]

Well, Johnston's comment has nothing to do with the specification, it was more about the comment on his own comment, in other words, he thinks that there's a bunch of people who are not specification conscious at all if I read it correctly ... I think he is right.

 

Well, his comment is indirectly related to specifications... in other words, he thinks this is not a specifications/price agressive product. The camera would be oriented to brand-concious customers without budget constrainsts, looking also for some uniqueness in handling and ergonomics (handheld photographers). The first condition is necessary in any case.

 

Johnston thinks this concept can work, can be a success, and I hope and whish it will be. I would like to see the system evolve bringing interesting solutions also for other "pros".

[sdai]

I agree with you, Ruben. Quiet unfortunately, I don't meet the first condition Leica set for all if that's what they've intended.

[Guest guy_mancuso]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Not sure i know anyone that does not look at at least the general specs to make a buy or not buy decision. Just a 3:2 image format may throw someone off because they like 4:3. 37mpx camera would be about 178mg 16 bit Tif file for example. How many want to deal with that storage and processing horsepower needed to deal with this level of file for instance. How many would actually need that type of file. Of course you can throw the need out the door with some folks because it would be all about want.

 

Than again people buy a Rolls because they want a Rolls. Not rich enough to relate I guess. LOL

[sdai]

Simon you asked 18 pretty important questions and their are probably about 18 more if I sat down to think about it. I'm afraid those answers won't get answered until someone outside of Leica get's there hands on it and can actually post real information.

 

You're right, Guy ... although I think some questions can only be answered by engineers.

 

In fact, Leica has done some quite remarkable job if you crunch some numbers in the very limited information they've offered so far, such as the viewfinder ... while it's no match to the Hassy or Contax, Rollei finder on full fledged 645 bodies, it is already very close to the Mamiya finder in terms of viewfinder size.

 

However, they've left too many things wanted and I guess I'm too spoiled by some features found in competitors' products.

 

Cheers,

[Guest guy_mancuso]

Simon if you don't mind , I would like to take some educated attempts at this and they maybe wrong no doubt but from some chatting about this system I seem to remember some of it. but don't hold me to it and I am guessing for sure. LOL

 

It's completely unnecessary for me to put up this post but I feel the urge to bring the thread on track, hopefully you guys can understand and tolerate this "long" post.

 

There are many important information missing from the specification, just some quick examples:

 

1. What's the resolution of A/D converter inside the camera? I believe 14 bit to 16 bit conversion

 

2. Does the camera support pixel binning? I have a feeling that with the loss of C1 which pixel binning was a important part of the raw processing and with the generic raw converters now this is gone from the system. But we certainly need confirmation and it was not in the specs this round. Which makes me wonder. If you read anything on Sensor Plus you will notice C1 comes into the conversation on it.

 

3. What are the ISO steps? 1/3, 1/2 or 1EV? With the ISO 80 start it must be 1/3rds

 

4. Does it support DNG+JPEG writing or do people must choose either DNG or JPEG? My guess here it will do both at the same time

 

5. What is the AF working range? starting from -1 EV, 0EV or +1 EV? Simply not sure,

 

6. Does it support exposure bracketing? Certainly hope so for a new system like this.Even my old filmed based Mamiya does this

7. What about EV compensation range? in 1/2, 1/3 or 1 ev steps? I would think 1/3

 

8. I know there's a AF lock button but is there a AE lock button? Most likely the combination of the same button on the back

 

9. Is AF micro adjustment user-controllable? Not sure

 

10. Does it support WB bracketing? Doubt it very highly

 

11. Can I set WB using Kevin temperature? I would say yes here and also be able to create your own WB

 

12. What's the metering range? Not sure

 

13. Is there an orientation sensor? I don't remember one on the prototype but this could have changed

 

14. Moiré detection and suppression using digital signal processing? that's pretty new, no special raw processing needed? This is a real question mark and reason why is it would actually be processing it out on the raw file before it writes the DNG. Also no matter how you slice the cheese it will have Moire just like any other back. I will give it credit for the 6 micron sensor which is actually less than the 6.8 micron sensor. Remember the 9 micron sensor is the worst at Moire so the smaller the microns the less the Moire but without dedicated software don't expect miracles . i don't think LR has any controls for this , so it will have to come in CS4 to control it. C1 has this control in the raw processing and so does Phocus for the Hassy. This one has some real question marks on how they are doing this in camera

 

15. Does the lens support manual overriding in all settings? I know just by focusing the ring it takes over the AF but not sure it actually holds there without releasing the half way shutter

 

16. Is it possible to enlarge the image and check focusing on the back LCD? Yes and it is fast the zooming and panning of the image

 

17. How about battery life? is there any indication in camera? Normal battery without grip is relatively small not sure I would expect more than 300 pops out of it in normal temps.

17. Does it work under -20 °C, or may be -30 °C? this is very important to me because winter is simply too long, too brutal in my area. Great question, I know my Phase back can go very low temps but not sure here

 

18. Camera strap seems to be missing from the scope of supply.

Would you really use it. LOL I am sure one is supplied

 

Anyway obviously I know some questions better than others but these are great questions and hopefully we will get the exact answer. I took a shot at it , just don't sue me if I am wrong.

[sdai]

Simon if you don't mind ......

 

I don't mind at all, Guy ... very nice try actually, at least some of the answers are very positive. Thank you.

[barjohn]

On question 16 did he mean ala live view or after the shot? I don't think it supports live view focusing like the E-P1 for example.

[robsteve]

The 4% is all around the outer edges of the frame. It is rather minimal but I understand that some people feel more comfortable with 100%.

 

Wasn't it originally so you would see the image as it would appear in a Kodachrome slide mount

[wildlightphoto]

In film cameras, viewfinders were never 100% accurate at all times, even the Nikon F series. The distance from the exit pupil to the film varied and the film gate was not in the same plane as the film. With short lenses the image area would be bigger than for a long-focus lens. The '100% accurate' claims would have to have been made with an assumed exit pupil distance. I'd rather the viewfinder show less than the sensor with short lenses and not more than the sensor with long-focus lenses.

[mgcd]

Wasn't it originally so you would see the image as it would appear in a Kodachrome slide mount

 

Absolutely!

[zapp]

Simon if you don't mind , I would like to take some educated attempts at this and they maybe wrong no doubt but from some chatting about this system I seem to remember some of it. but don't hold me to it and I am guessing for sure. LOL

 

Would you really use it. LOL I am sure one is supplied

 

Anyway obviously I know some questions better than others but these are great questions and hopefully we will get the exact answer. I took a shot at it , just don't sue me if I am wrong.

 

 

4. Does it support DNG+JPEG writing or do people must choose either DNG or JPEG?

15. Does the lens support manual overriding in all settings?

 

RTFM - read the press release/spec sheet. It has some infos in it.

 

 

16. Is it possible to enlarge the image and check focusing on the back LCD? Before or after the image was taken - review or preview

[dhsimmonds]

I note from the press release that the S2 processor produces "16 bits per pixel".

 

I have never seen colour depth expressed this way before. Can one of you technical guru's explain the difference between this and "16 bit colour depth" which is how many digital back spec's are described?

[carstenw]

There is no difference. Each pixel is either red, green or blue, and so it is 16-bit colour. The full RGB colour is only assigned to each pixel after de-Bayering the sensor output.

[Guest guy_mancuso]

4. Does it support DNG+JPEG writing or do people must choose either DNG or JPEG?

15. Does the lens support manual overriding in all settings?

 

RTFM - read the press release/spec sheet. It has some infos in it.

 

 

16. Is it possible to enlarge the image and check focusing on the back LCD? Before or after the image was taken - review or preview

 

I'm sorry but I am actually confused by your post with the quotes from me since it is several bunched together. Is this a question or some statement

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[Guest guy_mancuso]

4. Does it support DNG+JPEG writing or do people must choose either DNG or JPEG?

 

 

The LEICA S2 has slots for both Compact Flash and SD, with an option for saving RAW format Adobe DNG data onto Compact Flash and JPEG to the SD card, simultaneously.

[Guest guy_mancuso]

15. Does the lens support manual overriding in all settings?

 

 

All S lenses have a generous focus ring with just the right amount of drag, letting the photographer override the autofocus at any time.

 

 

I answered both of these questions but this one really does not say how to do it. Press releases are nice but does not allows explain HOW just that it does

 

 

Just as forum policy when someone makes a mistake is it better to curse them sideways and tell them to read or actually post the correction so the data is correct. See from my perspective why insult , badger a forum member when you can just simply post the correction instead and 9 times out of 10 you will be thanked for the correction which I certainly do every time. That's how good forums run with good members but telling someone to read the fucking manual ( RTFM) is that really in good taste.