New Digital Format, Of Interest to RFF?

now the metering problem but it is no that exciting with old lenses. because you have to use 12mm lens to have 24mm fov. No practical unless it is own designed AF lens. zoom lenses for 4/3 is way too big for me when I expected half size less than usual size of 35mm DSLR lenses. That why small sensor kill my interest to use old lenses.
 
Wow, an interchangeable lens digital rangefinder with perfect framing on a big screen. It sounds very practical for the folks with bad eyesight. This system has all the potential to uproot the current DSLR market. Unfortunately it also means that there is just one less reason now to get the next digital M (unless of course it's going to be based on this micro four thirds platform).
I can't help but think that the Leica brand is going the way of the great auto companies of the past (eg. Rover).
 
one less reason now to get the next digital M (unless of course it's going to be based on this micro four thirds platform)
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Firstly, I do look forward to seeing what Olympus/Panasonic/Leica come up with. There looks to be room for some interesting variations on the theme.
Secondly, much to my surprise, using my GRD II, I have come to really like composing on the screen. While some of the comments have talked about difficulties in dimly lit situations, I have actually had more problems in bright sun situations (where I do use the optical viewfinder.)
But I still am looking forward to someone taking Nikon's sensor from the D300 series and applying it to a DRF, because I have become addicted to no-light (well, really low light photography). Thus far, the 4/3 sensors have lagged seriously behind in this area. I'm not specifically waiting for an M9, I am interested in seeing some kind of post-M8RD1 development.
 
Chris101 said:
Oh yes! The shorter flange distance suggests that our RF lenses will be adaptable. And a m4/3 rangefinder may even be on the horizon. My 35mm Ultron may actually 'become' the portrait length tele it deserves to be!
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I know "Digital CL" keeps coming up, but this could end up leading to something CL like at some point. Now whether M lenses will fil, I can't tell, but this does look interesting. With Live View, what do we really need the mirror box for anyway?
 
sevres_babylone said:
Firstly, I do look forward to seeing what Olympus/Panasonic/Leica come up with. There looks to be room for some interesting variations on the theme.
Secondly, much to my surprise, using my GRD II, I have come to really like composing on the screen. While some of the comments have talked about difficulties in dimly lit situations, I have actually had more problems in bright sun situations (where I do use the optical viewfinder.)
But I still am looking forward to someone taking Nikon's sensor from the D300 series and applying it to a DRF, because I have become addicted to no-light (well, really low light photography). Thus far, the 4/3 sensors have lagged seriously behind in this area. I'm not specifically waiting for an M9, I am interested in seeing some kind of post-M8RD1 development.
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Trust me, it is not the D300 sensor you want but the D700/D3 sensor for low light high ISO shooting or the Canon equivalent.

Bob
 
I don't know if we'll see a Leica announcement based on the micro 4/3 platform. Two reasons:


  • *Leica was not listed as a partner in the announcement. This is telling, IMO. Note the following from the press release:
    Under the terms of an agreement between the two companies, they will work jointly toward commercial production of significantly lighter and more compact interchangeable lens type digital camera systems.
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    *I believe the companies will target amateurs first, with slowish lenses (not primes). Again, note the following from the press release:
    The global market for interchangeable lens type digital SLR cameras is growing steadily, but still only accounts for a 7 percent share of the total digital camera market. Considering the much larger share held by interchangeable lens type SLR camera systems when film was the dominant imaging medium, it seems that there is still ample room for sales growth in the category. But compact digital cameras continue to offer an expanding range of features and performance, and market surveys indicate that customers choose compact models because they find digital SLR cameras to be "big, heavy, and difficult to operate."
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    . In other words, they're targeting people who didn't buy DSLRs - not those who did and want high-quality compacts.

That said, I'm really hoping to see some great products targeting high-end amateurs or prosumers come out of this. . .
 
O Yeah! that's Olympus alright. Dare to be different and stay different ;)

Digital Pen-F, anyone? :D :D :D

Anyone selling a 15mm Heliar? ;)
 
sevres_babylone said:
Firstly, I do look forward to seeing what Olympus/Panasonic/Leica come up with. There looks to be room for some interesting variations on the theme.
Secondly, much to my surprise, using my GRD II, I have come to really like composing on the screen. While some of the comments have talked about difficulties in dimly lit situations, I have actually had more problems in bright sun situations (where I do use the optical viewfinder.)
But I still am looking forward to someone taking Nikon's sensor from the D300 series and applying it to a DRF, because I have become addicted to no-light (well, really low light photography). Thus far, the 4/3 sensors have lagged seriously behind in this area. I'm not specifically waiting for an M9, I am interested in seeing some kind of post-M8RD1 development.
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You'd be suprised how good the 4/3rds sensors have gotten. My E-3 is very close to the d300 in terms of noise at high ISOs, yet it keeps much more accurate color.
 
If I can get 17.5mm and 25mm lenses its small light fast enough and has good image quality I would probably be up for it. Now if they could perfectly mimic Kodachrome it would seriously rock
 
The real problem I see is with wides. I have a hard time imagining a real decent 14mm lens, given the 20mm sensor-to-mount distance. Since there is no mirror, I'm sure one could be designed to sit entirely inside the body, but then you get back to the issue of vignetting with digital sensors. And at some point, wouldn't there be an issue with simply not having enough room to physically fit the glass components? Existing fast wides for current SLR's are quite large and expensive, even compared to faster SLR 50mm's, which leads me to believe the "micro four/thirds" design won't really accomplish cheap, compact, fast lenses that at first seem possible. Cheap, compact, and slow, perhaps, but that's not exactly a reveletory technology.

But I am very far from an expert here.

It's a nice idea, anyway. A co-worker today showed me this announcement, and after discussing it for a while, it seems destined to go the way of 110 and APS film. Both those also had full SLR systems, but since they required a redesigned system from the body to the lenses and merely offered a smaller frame, neither had any real staying power. Apparently the public really doesn't need a smaller format as much as camera companies like to believe.

I currently use an APS Canon Elph as a travel camera for it's nice lens and compact body, but it's a pocket camera only. It isn't my "good gear," merely quite good for what it is. It boggles the mind that anyone who is going to go to the trouble to carry an SLR system would arbitrarily choose the smallest format available. I'm just waiting for the posts ten years from now from folks feeling burned by "the great Micro Four/Thirds scam." :D
 
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I think this system has an incredible amount of potential, and if it's handled correctly, could replace any need/want for a digital rangefinder system. Most importantly, it could very well supplant digital slrs for the majority of consumers. If the evf and focusing are done right I think most consumers would be happy to trade in optical viewfinders for the smaller dimensions this camera system would likely have. I don't see any real issues with wide angle lenses, and over the long term I suspect the quality of 4/3 sensors will approach that of aps-c and even full-frame sensors... tech keeps marching on. I don't get why everyone is talking about which legacy lenses will be supported through adapters, etc. What's hopefully about this system is precisely that it will leave legacy systems behind, creating a system that is digital and 4/3 from the ground up rather than trying to monkey patch existing systems/specs.
 
When I came across this news and saw the diagrams I thought, "Hello, digital rangefinder". Then I also remembered Panasonic has a partnership with Leica to co-produce their digital cameras (save the M8). Leica wouldn't give up the M mount but Panasonic could create one using the 4/3 mount using Leica's lenses. This I would love to have. I recognise the need for wide lenses but consider the 25mm pancake lens from Olympus presently. It could be possible for Panasonic/Leica to produce a suitable wide angle lens. I accept this is speculation and dreaming on my part but it would be nice.
 
"Sooner or later lenses will become a moot point, everyone will just crop."

I'm sure someone said the same thing in 1850.
 
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