New 29mp Kodak Full-Frame Sensor

[robklurfield]

From Leica Rumors:

http://leicarumors.com/2010/11/07/k...Rumors+(LeicaRumors.com)&utm_content=FaceBook

Will this make all those potentially soon-to-be obsolete M9's affordable to the likes of folks like me? Hurry up Leica & Kodak. I don't think I will be able to afford an M10, but if this wallops the price of used M9's, one of you out there might have a buyer for your used one.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

They should be able to break the $10,000 price point with this one! 😉

 

[ferider]

With possible live view (electronic shutter) and higher low-iso performance, that sensor has written M10 all over it.

 

[FrozenInTime]

If the global shutter is good enough - then the M10 would not need the mechanical shutter.
The M10 could then be cheaper than the M9 ... or maybe not 🙁

 

[Phil_F_NM]

If it has live view, then the SLR-M adapter market is going to take off and Leica will potentially lose sales on their current lenses. But one could use some fantastic very long lenses on an M body and get perfect focusing. An awesome benefit. I'd love to be able to hang a 400mm lens on the front of a digital M without the need for a Viso III.

This COULD be the R "solution" though. A dedicated update to the DMR in spite of Leica saying that it's not in the near future if at all. I'm actually hoping this happens more than the M10 as I'd like to see Leica enter the DSLR market with the current R lineup. Some amazing lenses in there.

Phil Forrest

 

[Turtle]

One can only assume it would be a while before it would find its way into a M10.

 

[Viktor Sebastian]

Here is some more information about the KODAK TRUESENSE technology

 

[robbeiflex]

If it has live view, then the SLR-M adapter market is going to take off and Leica will potentially lose sales on their current lenses.

I don't see it this way. Most people have AF SLR lenses, mostly modern ones with no external aperture control and manual focus is low priority in the design and far from optimized. With affordable CV and reasonable ZM lenses available, an M-SLR adapter with a huge sub-optimal lens on it is the least of Leica's worries. As long as they continue to design and manufacture products of the quality that justify their prices, they will be fine. But that's just my 2 cts worth.

Cheers,
Rob

 

[Keith]

I don't understand why a rangefinder would need a 29mp sensor ... I can't see Leica bothering considering their investment in the S2.

Leave that sort of excess to the DSLR crowd IMO!

 

[tlitody]

with all the hoo haa over the M9 sensor being designed for the short flange distance of a rangefinder and the angles involved, why would anyone expect that this sensor would be any use on a rangefinder. Do any of you know if it is designed for short flange distance? I thought not.

 

[sepiareverb]

Live View and an MF lens seems like one huge pita.

I hardly ever power up the screen on a digital camera if it has a VF.

 

[jaapv]

It is a bit of baloney. These are industrial sensors that are not really suitable for photographic applications.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

With 4 frame per second readout, it is not suitable for liveview.

The KAI series is generally not used for consumer oriented cameras.

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/business/ISS/Products/Interline/index.jhtml?pq-path=11937/11938/14424

The KAF series is used in the Leica M8 and M10, and the Kodak DCS series.

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/business/ISS/Products/Fullframe/index.jhtml?pq-path=11937/11938/14425

 

[Sonnar Brian]

http://www.kodak.com/global/plugins...summary/FullFrame/KAF-31600ProductSummary.pdf

The above is 4:3 ratio, but bigger than 35mm full-frame.

 

[Keith]

With 4 frame per second readout, it is not suitable for liveview.

The KAI series is generally not used for consumer oriented cameras.

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/business/ISS/Products/Interline/index.jhtml?pq-path=11937/11938/14424

The KAF series is used in the Leica M8 and M10, and the Kodak DCS series.

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/business/ISS/Products/Fullframe/index.jhtml?pq-path=11937/11938/14425

That's a relief ... I don't think the digital M is ready for 29 megapixels ... now or ever.

I still lke the idea of live view though and think Leica should offer it at some stage. I've used it a few times now on my D700 having been a little skeptical of the need for it initially ... it's brilliant for critical focus and takes the doubt out of lenses with potential back or front focus issues when a particular point in an image has to be sharp when shooting from a tripod.

 

[MCTuomey]

I don't know about Leica applications, but this seems to be yet another example of digi advances that'll cause more migration of medium and large format applications from film to digital capture. Already the few people I know who shoot architecture now carry small format digital gear and a bag of tilt-shift lenses for a great deal of their work. To paraphrase RFF's *Dante Stella* it makes one wonder about putting $thousands into film-based MF or LF gear for professional purposes.