R5M Hope

[anselwannab]

Yea, yea the R4 isn't even out, but its been announced and I wanted to be the first to put a marker out for the next rangefinder.

Mr. K has gone the gamut on viewfinders now, and he seems reluctant to do digital in V-land. Digital is making inroads into quality, and with Canon probably forcing FF sensors down, I think 35mm film will be little match for a 16-24MP FF camera.

When in doubt, bring out the heavy stuff. I think the R5 should be a medium format minimum 6x9 (6x12 anyone) RF with a fixed wide angle lens at least equivilent to a 24mm lens in 35mm cameras.

To me even an 8mp camera in telephoto/ narrow field of view pictures is OK. The perspective and lack of DOF often make it so that there are few really fine intricate details. Wide angle pictures are often supposed to be infocus edge to edge. The perspective often means there are lots of small details in the pics like branches, grass and leaves, or even just faces. Here 8MP falls down with out being able to resolve finer details.

What's needed? A camera with some serious film realestate for getting all those details onto film. A folder would be interesting.

Fuji fixed lens 6x9 camera are getting long in the tooth, or are expensive.

Just a thought, I didn't say it was a good one.

Mark

PS If Mr. K has to go digital and still feel good about himself, how about a B&W only sensor?

 

[Abbazz]

If Mr. K has to go digital and still feel good about himself, how about a B&W only sensor?

Mark,

I love 6x9 cameras, but I am not sure that it would be a smart move for Mr. K. to resuscitate a 6x9 folder. Better leave that to Paul Droluk of Fotoman's fame or to the Chinese Gaoersi, Da Yi and the like.

But I the idea of a B&W digital Bessa is great. Since Kodak dropped the DCS 420m (1.5 Mpix) and the DCS 460m (6 MPix), there have been no digital B&W cameras. A 6 or 8 MPix true B&W (no Bayer filter) digital rangefinder Bessa priced around $1200 street price would be a M8 killer...

Cheers,

Abbazz

 

[Nachkebia]

I Can`t wait to buy both R4A and R4M 😀

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

I'd like the R4A with 'Piano Black' finish, and with either a 25mm or 21mm lens to match.

 

[Nachkebia]

Check what I found! This thing is amazing, check that 28mm frame line! fanstastic!
http://www.mainlinephoto.com.au/bessar4m.pdf

 

[rover]

I like that display of the framelines, thanks.

 

[Nachkebia]

Yap, 50mm is like 85 on ZI, 35mm is like 50mm on ZI, 28 is like 35 ZI and 21mm like 28 on ZI 😀

 

[Didier]

When in doubt, bring out the heavy stuff. I think the R5 should be a medium format minimum 6x9 (6x12 anyone) RF with a fixed wide angle lens at least equivilent to a 24mm lens in 35mm cameras.

Not likely. Medium format film is the niche of the niche - too small for making business today. And Mr. K. IS a businessman - not a philanthropist. He makes money with Voigtlander and Zeiss. 6x9 is dead, seen from the economical point of view. I shoot 95% digital, 4.9% small format film, and 0.1% 6x9 film only. And I'm still above the average, probably. That does not say I would not love to have a Bessa Texas Leica with a fixed 45mm Noktangulon! Would be great but as said don't expect it.

Same with digital. It is known Mr. K. has absolutely no interest in digital. He'll not jump on the train unless FF sensors are affordable and availble for the industry. This will not be the case in the next 2-3 years.

A Cosina co-produced Zeiss Ikon digital RF, if FF or not, is much more likely. Cosina will make the mechanical parts, but everything electronic will be done by others, as it was with the R-D1.

Didier