My Dream DRF is not the M8

[Sailor Ted]

Ok I've had several months to shoot with my M8, my R-D1s, and my Rioch GRD and I can tell you, my dream camera is none of the above, and all of the above.

What I really want from a digital RF camera, no need, would be roughly the size of my M6 (or slightly smaller but no thicker) with a fixed zoom lens with focal presets of 21mm, 28mm, 35mm, and 50mm EFOV after crop factor, with corresponding bright lines that auto set depending on the selected focal length. All analog controls like the R-D1 (analog ISO, f stop on the lens barrel, shutter speed in the traditional location, exposure compensation on the shutter dial, analog WB point, manual focus on the lens and in the finder, etc) with auto override for everything (focus, shutter priority, aperture priority, program, etc) with as quite a shutter as possible (auto advance motor drive of course, with a huge RAW buffer).

IQ should be on par with my M8 that I love.

Question could the fact this camera is not equipped with an M mount significantly lessen it's suggested retail? To let's say $3500? Would the lack of an M mount lens compatability lessen the IR problem? Would it need IR filters? Could this make the camers smaller yet have the same IQ as the M8? And lastly would the market support an auto/manual DRF with a fixed lens and analog controls for a retail of 3500 bucks?

It seems to me Nikon (or Leica) could build such a camera in Japan, out of metal not plastic, and if they did I’d jump on board and never look back.

 

[gavinlg]

sounds like you're wishing for something of a digital hexar AF

 

[mfunnell]

sounds like you're wishing for something of a digital hexar AF

Sounds like a zoom variant of the DMD idea. I'm sure the idea isn't original to Mike J - but he did articulate it and sort of name it. I guess the Sigma DP-1 is a similar idea which I hope works for them.

Trouble is, its not Ted's ideal camera, nor mine etc. I hope "ideal" doesn't become the enemy of "good enough" and kill the whole category before its even born.

(BTW, its the lack of optical viewfinder that loses the DP-1 for me. Framing with an external finder with no focus indicator doesn't seem a good-enough substitute.)

For me, though its not ideal, something very like an APS-C sensor version of the Contax T2 with a (retracting) 25/2.8 lens (38-ish mm equiv FOV) with the same viewfinder, form-factor, photographic controls etc. as the T2 plus LCD and buttons on the back - that would be "good enough". A fine 2nd camera to a dSLR or dRF (but not a replacement). It might even attract non-SLR, non-RF users. Make it price-competitive with low-end SLRs and it might work.

I'm not holding my breath...

...Mike

 

[MartinP]

Hmmm, a fixed wide-angle tri-Elmar sort of thing could possibly be re-formulated to sit further away from the plane of the sensor, and therefore ease the problems of vignetting OR possibly enable an M8 style solution to the sensor problem when using a full size chip. And also, if the lens is permanent, then the IR filtration could be built in to the lens, rather than screwed on the front ? Does this bear any relation to any products in the current Leica/Panasonic digital line ?

Additionally, give this machine a wind-on lever to cock the (electronic) shutter, with a switch to enable a few frames per second only when required.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that the auto-focus could be left off . . . although that might limit the market slightly. Two models available perhaps ? And make the thing almost waterproof too.

 

[Ben Z]

I figure some manufacturer will come out with a camera to my dream specs right around the time 21 yr old coeds start begging me for a date 🙄 In other words I've learned to enjoy what I've got while it's still working (applies to cameras too 😉 )

 

[jjovin]

Digital ZI

Digital ZI

Hopefully, the designers of Zeiss Ikon are reading this thread!🙂
I never liked zooms but a tri-elmarit/summicron/biogon sure
sounds very attractive!
Zoran

 

[tomasis]

dream DRF is M8 for me. Unability to decide focal lenght, laziness to metering and other things is to blame on current owners 🙂 I think Leica had done very great job with M8. Almost like as producing a nice Porsche 997 in the level for any camera. Less is more ( it is never too often to name it)

I think Sailor Ted'd be happy with Canon 5D and zoom lens. Maybe it is time to sell M8 to me? 😉

 

[eon]

A fixed quadruple lens will be to large for my liking. But why not M-bayonet and a Wide Tri-Elmar?

The external IR-cut filters is a nuisance for sure, but consider the alternative. A normal thick filter on the sensor that takes away all picture sharpness as on all DSLR's.

Autofocus is a no-no. There will always be manual control issues with autofocus and the likeliness of frequent problems with front- or back focus.

And i like Nikon, but they would unfortunately never come up with a thing like this because they are exceptionally insensitive to what the customers want.



BTW, how come that no camera manufacturer have produced a sole B&W digital camera? With a monochrome sensor there is no need for a Bayer filtration and subsequently perfect sharpness and resolution.

/Erik


Edited the remark on manual focus control

 

[jaapv]

Ok I've had several months to shoot with my M8, my R-D1s, and my Rioch GRD and I can tell you, my dream camera is none of the above, and all of the above.

What I really want from a digital RF camera, no need, would be roughly the size of my M6 (or slightly smaller but no thicker) with a fixed zoom lens with focal presets of 21mm, 28mm, 35mm, and 50mm EFOV after crop factor, with corresponding bright lines that auto set depending on the selected focal length. All analog controls like the R-D1 (analog ISO, f stop on the lens barrel, shutter speed in the traditional location, exposure compensation on the shutter dial, analog WB point, manual focus on the lens and in the finder, etc) with auto override for everything (focus, shutter priority, aperture priority, program, etc) with as quite a shutter as possible (auto advance motor drive of course, with a huge RAW buffer).

IQ should be on par with my M8 that I love.

Question could the fact this camera is not equipped with an M mount significantly lessen it's suggested retail? To let's say $3500? Would the lack of an M mount lens compatability lessen the IR problem? Would it need IR filters? Could this make the camers smaller yet have the same IQ as the M8? And lastly would the market support an auto/manual DRF with a fixed lens and analog controls for a retail of 3500 bucks?

It seems to me Nikon (or Leica) could build such a camera in Japan, out of metal not plastic, and if they did I’d jump on board and never look back.

Just sit and wait.. Maybe it will happen sometime - in the meantime - jut shoot whatever you have in hand and enjoy. What use phantasizing???😕 😕