Can we just make our own digital RF ?

jippiejee said:
If you look at how much it took to launch the MM for example, which was basically an altered M9:



then it's easy to see that developing a digital rangefinder from scratch will not be possible 'on a budget'. It nearly tanked the Epson photo division before. Leica is just lucky that this niche product fits the scale of their operation, and that the price points are, although very high, considered fitting the reputation of their products.

The good news these days is that digital rangefinders are available on a budget: I'm seeing M8's locally for around €1000 now, and M9's for just under €3000, not all that different from new aps-c and full-frame dslr's.
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out of curiosity, the R&D budget.. does that include the employee's wages?
 
I think in today's market companies have to sell thousands of units to break even. So I think it would be to much of a niche item. So no. The closest your are going to see is the Fuji and it's hybrid finder with a split screen option.
 
burancap said:
Frankly, I find the MM quote in post 14 remarkable - bordering on face palm remarkable.
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Yes, it sounds like a lot for a simple tweak. But if you think of re-engineering the sensor specs for the chip production and testing processes (small batches too...), creating fully new firmware without the de-mosaicing algoritms and optimizing them for this new sort of data, including film emulations, setting up new production lines with different testing equipment, documenting all these specs, educating your repair engineers, marketing costs, etc etc, maybe that sort of serious cash is needed indeed to get something like the MM off the ground. It certainly involved more research & development than just scratching off the Bayer filter with a toothpick...
 
Thanks for the feedback. Before I posted my question, I gave it some thought and I pretty much come to the same conclusions. I will continue to save for a M9 and continue to use the gear I have now.
 
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