New digital rangefinder

[Hultstrom]

Sorry guys and girls, it is not a real camera or any kind of heads up. It is what I did this morning because it is Saturday, it is raining and I should get to work.

It is the new and improved digital rangefinder camera as I would like it. Obviously it is full frame, I don't know how they solved it, but they did. It works as good as film for those wide angles.

It has got a manual shutter lever, but has a live view function where you could reasonably take lots of pictures in a row, quickly, and completely noiselessly (it is a word, possibly mine though).

I have attached a novel artwork so you can share my vision (it is novel because that is what the copyright law says about re-using elements from others copyrighted works).

And yes, I put a summilux on there. It is among the things I would like to have on my rangefinder of the future.

So that's what I would like to see. What would you like to see on the new and improved rangefinder of the future?

Yours,

Michael

 

[Mattikk]

Looks good, but the battery/frame lcd is behind the shutter finger, so that should be replaced on the left side imo.

 

[Keith]

Hopefully you have just scooped the M9! 😛

 

[Axel]

A nice game Michael. Ok - lets play on this rainy day.
I would prefer a modular design of a digital rangefinder where the screen (or some kind of electronic viewfinder) is only an option.
So my basic digital rangefinder should be like my Leica M6. Perhaps some kind of signals for last five pictures and battery low.
No buttons, displays and other "enhancements".

Regards, Axel

 

[sweathog]

To some degree I agree with Axel.
That screen is far too big. What do you need it for? Setting up your 'film' parameters? Then we don't need it so large. Reviewing shots? That's what the PC is for. Any other reason? No.

 

[jaapv]

I would HATE manual cocking. It would actually be a no-no for me. It would make shooting with the Visoflex, especially with long lenses unnecessarily complicated. I always used my film cameras with a winder with long lenses. And I agree, the big LCD is unneccesary. Better one that reverses to disappear. And I see no need for "live View" Who would hold an M camera at arms length?

 

[sojournerphoto]

An Ikon with a full frame sensor - ideally the sony 25mp or the canon 1Ds3 sensor (some hope!!) would be good. Obviously the issues with wides solved. No motor drive. An lcd would be useful to view an rgb histogram based on the (non-white balanced) raw data. Raw only will be fine for me. If the shutter can be made to go to 1/8000th without being noisier that would be a nice to have, but not required.

 

[sojournerphoto]

Looks like the theme is full frame with a 1Ds3 sensor - Canon are you listening?

 

[Keith]

I would HATE manual cocking. It would actually be a no-no for me. It would make shooting with the Visoflex, especially with long lenses unnecessarily complicated. I always used my filmcameras with a winder with long lenses. And I agree, the big LCD is unneccesary. Better one that reverses to disappear.

I totally agree with that ... manual cocking would be a big step backwards IMO.

Auto focus .... nahh not yet. My eyes are reasonable still at this stage but if they could make the finder as big and bright as my Ikon ... that would be nice! 🙂

As for full frame ... if they could give the camera high ISO performance to match the new Nikon SLR's I could live with the crop factor!

 

[sojournerphoto]

I totally agree with that ... manual cocking would be a big step backwards IMO.

Auto focus .... nahh not yet. My eyes are reasonable still at this stage but if they could make the finder as big and bright as my Ikon ... that would be nice! 🙂

As for full frame ... if they could give the camera high ISO performance to match the new Nikon SLR's I could live with the crop factor!

I don't know how high iso you want to go, but the current Canon's are actually better than the internet chatter would have you believe. Have a look at the B&W conversion tools thread - there is an iso3200 image in there from a 1Ds3. 21Mp is to me preferable to 12 and slightly lower per pixel noise.

 

[Hultstrom]

Hello,

I enjoy seeing so many answers. I did make some controversial additions.

I did consider that the frames/battery dial is behind the trigger finger, but put it where it usually is on the classic models. It is not something I look at often, while the exposure/WB is something I work with more closely and want as clean as possible. Observe that it is not an LCD, it is a physical dial, or rather two.

I knew the large screen would get its ears flogged, let's say it is an option. Personally I like it because I review quite a lot, especially with flash. I wouldn't want it flippable, while it may look good it is obviously a weak point, and I am always a bit scared for the screen on my R-D1.

Live view, is ofcourse another controversial idea. As I see it, it is something easily implemented on the software level, and to make the camera without would just be silly. I do not want it for shooting at arms length as if it was a point and shoot. I want it for macro and for ultra wide, in essence creating a miniature view camera. I find I often shoot nature/landscape shots that way, but now I have to review afterwards. A bonus is that with live view you just disable the shutter and you can thereby shoot with very high frame rates when that is called for. It should be possible to turn the screen off and just have continous capture. This would also make the camera very usable tethered in a studio or remote setup.

Now, finally, manual cocking. I knew you would hate it, some of you at least. After getting the R-D1 though, I think it is brilliant, it is more quiet, and it is quite fast enough. In addition you get the very restful thumb hook. If you for some reason need higher frame rates just turn on the continous capture =).

/M

 

[Axel]

... Now, finally, manual cocking.... I think it is brilliant, it is more quiet...

Yes - there are a lot of things that work better with manual cocking. In portraitsessions, for example, you sometimes get a rythm that helps to relax the model while taking the camera a bit down, cock and prepare the next shot.
Obviously manual cocking should be just an option to choose.

Live view and display or electronic viewfinder as option in a digital rangefinder can be useful in some situations where you are using exotic lenses (the short base allows to adapt nearly every lens in the world!) for framing an focusing and/or tripod-work.

Regards, Axel

 

[dazedgonebye]

I like the manual cocking.
The screen is too big, if for no other reason than the fact that it extends so far to the right that I'm afraid my hand will be all over it as I hold the camera.
I like the RD=1 screen idea. People who don't want to be tempted to chimp or who want to shoot as they did with film can turn it around and pretend it's not even there. It also remains protected that way.

 

[tmfabian]

Full frame 21mp sensor in an M8 body with autofocus. Keep the bright finder, keep the selectable frame lines, just drop the RF and make it autofocus.

Oh for the love of GOD NO. If it was autofocus there would be 0 chance of me buying that thing. I use these cameras BECAUSE they are manual focus, I HATE autofocus....not because of all the jib jab of nonsense that you're letting a computer decide focus....but because I work faster with the RF focusing than with AF.

 

[tmfabian]

I knew the large screen would get its ears flogged, let's say it is an option. Personally I like it because I review quite a lot, especially with flash. I wouldn't want it flippable, while it may look good it is obviously a weak point, and I am always a bit scared for the screen on my R-D1.


/M

I always thought just build in a little slide down protector, solves problem of it being visible as well as retaining durability.

 

[35mmdelux]

your hired!

 

[tmfabian]

hehe...i'm just having fun with this one BUT
no ttl flash I see...haha.

 

[Hultstrom]

tmfabian: Indeed, you are the first to notice, that's why I need to chimp. Congratulations, you have won the option to go and buy a green toaster.

/M

 

[tmfabian]

tmfabian: Indeed, you are the first to notice, that's why I need to chimp. Congratulations, you have won the option to go and buy a green toaster.

/M

hahaha...sweet


on a serious note though...anyone think that taking the ttl out would save space on the innards for something else? I mean the m6ttl and m7 are both that itty bitty bit bigger than the others. Perhaps you are on to something with that no ttl.

 

[mariusnilsen]

now thats beautiful!

i heard the retail price would be around 5000$, including a black paint noctilux!!

sign me up please.