New Konost Digital M mount Rangefinder Project

[Pherdinand]

The thing is that as much as we here at RFF think this is a good idea I fail to see the demand amongst the general populace for such a tool. They generally want auto everything!

-Not true anymore i think. I'm not talking about papas n mamas, but general youth today is drifting towards less auto-everything cameras. Perfect technical quality gets less important, funky "artsy" effects and manual actions become more hype...

 

[Pherdinand]

I note that Konost has a facebook page and has had for at least four months that I can make out ... it has less than 500 'likes' which tells me a lot about who does and doesn't want a camera like this.

Good point, except we at rff even never heard of it (most of us) which means not that there is no interest, but only that they were not pushing it (no advertising/marketing whatsoever).
FB pages can get extremely popular within days and "likes" can go from the hundreds to the hundreds of thousands within a week or two...it depends on how they handle their marketing...

 

[Vobluda]

I think that Leica sold well over 60.000 digital rf cameras since M8 so yes, there is one hell of a market over there.

 

[jsrockit]

I applaud their efforts and wish them luck!

Me too... they just aren't getting any money from me until they have an actual camera that works well.

 

[Rick Waldroup]

I hope this happens. I can't afford Leica glass, but I can see me with one of these and a nice set of Voigtlander lenses....

 

[YYV_146]

I think that Leica sold well over 60.000 digital rf cameras since M8 so yes, there is one hell of a market over there.

60,000 thousand digital bodies over 5(6?) models isn't exactly a booming trade...Canon or Nikon probably sells that many cameras in a week or two.

 

[Monochrom]

It´s not a bad idea, they can profit from decades of great lenses alreay made for leica.

Hope it sees light soon.

Perhaps not such a handsome cmaera thou.

 

[nikku]

I like the form factor. Reminds me of the Ricoh GR line, which is an eminently usable form factor. I would pay $1500-$2000 for one, if the sensor performance was at least on par with the M9. Otherwise I'll just continue to wait for used digital M prices to drop.

 

[_goodtimez]

Apparently in development, a full-frame compact digital rangefinder camera. Will it materialize on the market?

http://konost.com/

Finally a new digital rangefinder !
It looks cool to me; reminds me an old russian Voskhod:

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Voskhod#

 

[Jack Sparrow]

Options are good... But I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[CameraQuest]

I wonder if Konost will be on Shark Tank.

Apparently Konost is a startup looking for funding.

Time will tell. Nevertheless, its nice to see a potential competitor knocking on the door of Leica's customer base.

Stephen

 

[ndnik]

In any scenario, people thinking about and actively developing a new digital rangefinder camera is a good thing.

The best of luck for Konost. I sincerely hope they find the funding they need.

- N.

 

[Pioneer]

Not in the market for a digital right now. Maybe in about 15 years when I have the MA broken in.

But it will certainly be fun to watch.

 

[Spanik]

Now if they added an iso knob and got rid of the screen on the back...

Buying in a sensor and programming an fpga is going to be the easiest part I suspect. Getting the colours right and a reliable shutter is harder.

 

[xayraa33]

This Konost digital RF camera is almost as exciting news as that sports car that runs on salt water.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrLyR5nmmb0

 

[CameraQuest]

I hope the Konost RF makes it to production.

But I think I will hold out for the black paint pre-brassed Lenny Kravitz version,
or the olive Safari,
or the David Douglas Duncan edition
or better yet the special HCB edition
which replaces the sensor with oil pallet in keeping with HCB's late life change from photography to painting.

Stephen

 

[micromontenegro]

Well, I do hope they make it.

 

[Daniel Teoli Jr.]

I hope they make a cheapo model out of plastic like a Fuji. OK, make a brass version, but also make one that is for actual use and can be destroyed.

 

[Daniel Teoli Jr.]

I hope the Konost RF makes it to production.

But I think I will hold out for the black paint pre-brassed Lenny Kravitz version,
or the olive Safari,
or the David Douglas Duncan edition
or better yet the special HCB edition
which replaces the sensor with oil pallet in keeping with HCB's late life change from photography to painting.

Stephen

Leica should have 2 divisions. One for the fondlers with high priced gems and one for the users with basic, cheapo, reliable rangefinders.

Leica should make a plastic model that is way lower in cost. While I appreciate the fit, finish and heft of my Leicas I don't need the weight , brass and exorbitant price.

I like Leica for size and rangefinder, but mainly for the shutter dial. If Leica had a program dial in place of a shutter speed dial I would not use it.

 

[Daniel Teoli Jr.]

Now if they added an iso knob and got rid of the screen on the back...

Buying in a sensor and programming an fpga is going to be the easiest part I suspect. Getting the colours right and a reliable shutter is harder.

They can do that and charge less. No screen is useless for me. Why penalize myself? I wont go screenless, that is just an ego boosting thing that will guarantee failure for what I shoot.