Big surprise from Leica importer

[Guest stnami]

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The name of the game is called DEFLECTION, the real problems are not solved so a new teaser is sent forth to pacify the punters. Buy a new lens in anticipation

[pklein]

Here's where I think the 33 mp figure is coming from. At the 2005 LHSA meeting in San Francisco, Stefan Daniel spoke about the upcoming M8. He talked candidly about many of the specs, including the idea of going for maximum resolution by eliminating the anti-aliasing filter and putting the IR filter in a thin-as-possible sensor cover glass. He did not anticiate the now-notorious effect the latter would have .

 

Stefan also asked for a show of hands about how many people might buy a B&W-only digital M if Leica made one. A lot of people raised their hands, including me. Stephan mentioned "triple" the resolution.

 

In later discussion on the LUG, Henning Wulff said that such a camera would have some resolution gain, but 3x was a bit too high. See this LUG thread:

 

[Leica] Digital M futures

 

Hit "thread previous" for some of the discussion that led up to it, including some comprehensive reporting on Stephan's remarks.

 

I think Henning hangs around here, so he might chime in if he reads this.

 

That may explain how Leica might use the current sensor, or one currently under development with a bit higher pixel count, and still come up with figures like 17-33 mp. The 33 mp resolution figure is probably too high. It may be someone's idea of how much more effective resolution you get from a sensor when you eliminate the Bayer pattern filters and the effect of demosaicing and color interpolation algorithms, using Marketing Math.

 

Without the color filters over the pixels, the camera would certainly be more sensitive, so it could have a slightly higher pixel count with approximately the same noise, or less. But not 3x more real pixels.

 

Regardless of the exact numbers, a B&W M8 would be an exciting camera, and I'm sure it would noticeably improve upon the M8's already amazing B&W performance. A B&W digital M does interest me. But there is the issue of spending M8-class money on a camera that can only do B&W. Given the number of Leica users who love B&W, it might be viable, but I'm no market researcher.

 

I'm watching the whole M8 situation very carefully. Time will tell.

 

--Peter

[sdai]

If I'm understanding Henning's previous posts in another thread (the POLL thread) correctly, if properly engineered, a 15-17MP true B/W sensor may resolve as much as a 30-33MP medium format back could?

 

Actually, you gain quite a bit more. All current colour digital cameras except the Foveon are compromised by the bayer pattern and subsequent algorithms. A true B&W camera would not only have higher speed, it would also have fewer errant artifacts at the pixel level and greater dynamic range. A 15Mp Leica M8 should be able to perform as well as a top end medium format back (30+) Mp with suitable glass.

[Vivek Iyer]

That seems to be a fairly idle hope. The basic camera without electronics ( approx. M7) sells for far more than that. I would guess: 500$ more than the M8, as it will be a far smaller series with less units sold to recover R&D.

 

With the M mount patents being history, we can really hope for the lesser companies to come up with an affordable body.

[sdai]

With the M mount patents being history, we can really hope for the lesser companies to come up with an affordable body.

 

I know it's wishful thinking but I'd rather see Canon pickup the M stuff again ... they've done it in the past, and certainly could do it again.

[ken_tanaka]

Who claims that Leica's M mount patents have expired? (Remember, Leica is a German company.)