Reichman: Leica, dump rangefinding, use EVF

[RichA]

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/leica-open-letter.shtml Not really a bad suggestion and modernization.

 

[antiquark]

Discussion already underway...
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=84992

 

[Roger Hicks]

Great idea. Ditch your unique selling point and compete in the mass market for consumer electronics by building a upmarket me-too camera with a big chimping screen.

Cheers,

R.

 

[sleepyhead]

Great idea. Ditch your unique selling point and compete in the mass market for consumer electronics by building a upmarket me-too camera with a big chimping screen.

Cheers,

R.

AND, ditch the in-accurate framelines, auxiliary viewfinders, screw-in viewfinder magnifiers, front-focus issues, back-focus issues, focus-shift issues,

WHILE still allowing us to use our great Leica lenses on a camera body smaller than a full-frame dSLR.

Sounds good to me! I hope Leica or Panasonic or some company produces such a camera in the not-too-distant future.

AND IF THEY'RE CHANGING THINGS ALREADY, I WOULD ALSO WISH THAT THIS CAMERA HAD A 36X36MM SQUARE SENSOR.

(not kidding.)

 

[mgd711]

I long ago thought MR lost the plot.

I still like him and buy his video journals but I don't take him that seriously anymore.

 

[RayPA]

The guy is right about the GH1 having the best EVF. I've used a G1 for a year now, I've found that it's not hard to envision the potential of EVF's. They're great, and they are only going to get better. As much as I hate the thought, I think the optical VF and the mirror box are destined for extinction. I think we'll get to a point where any decent digital camera will have to have a super hi-res, high-sensitivity (see in the dark or IR), information-packed EVF to even be considered as a serious camera. My hope is that that EVF will be a look-through style (like the G1 and GH1) and not the back-panel chimping style. 🙂


/

 

[benlees]

I never gave much notice of EVF's until I gave them a look. I must say I don't own a camera with one but they performed better than I anticipated when I was killing time looking at the G1 at the airport shops, and later at the local Ep-2 proprietor. It would be fair to say they are the future and will get better.

 

[fergus]

...Ditch your unique selling point...

The entire article summed up in 5 words!

Live view would be nice eg with occasional use of wide-angle lenses without an external viewfinder. And weather sealing would be great. But otherwise?

 

[Chris101]

This isn't an indictment of electronic viewfinders, but Reichman strikes me as a Ken Rockwell minus the self effacing honesty and humor.

 

[fergus]

His site used to be quite interesting, with photo trips to Iceland, Antarctica, the Amazon, etc., and a never-ending array of new cameras and toys. I even bought some of the video-journal dvd's.

Since the 'gallery' opened it's changed, the economics don't add up (he even wrote an article about this) and it seems that without constant video shoots using the space it's not viable. The site has basically transformed into a sales tool for training videos.

Frankly it's boring compared to its past, and I barely read it anymore (used to be daily).

As for the LL forum, it's quite funny to read occasionally, with the Reichman Devotee's borderline-religious in their praise of every front-page photo, and coming down like brimstone upon any criticism of their prophet.

Perhaps Ken Rockwell should start a forum? 😀

 

[maggieo]

Someone buy MR a new S2.

 

[pvdhaar]

I think it's safe to say that we'd all benefit if the guys in Japan would put more Leica in their cameras, and if the guys in Solms would put more camera in their Leicas... 😱

 

[Arjay]

EVF would be nice, if it wouldn't come with a deadly downside: Shutter lag.

That's the big problem of these cameras - switching from video (live view) mode to single-shot, high-resolution capture. I am still waiting for a camera that can do this in substantially less than 100ms. Also, have you ever seen an EVF camera whose viewfinder doesn't black out during exposure? These things effectively are just as clumsy as a DSLR.

I think Leica would be well advised not to present an EVF camera before this problem is solved.

 

[Chris101]

EVF would be nice, if it wouldn't come with a deadly downside: Shutter lag.

That's the big problem of these cameras - switching from video (live view) mode to single-shot, high-resolution capture. I am still waiting for a camera that can do this in substantially less than 100ms. Also, have you ever seen an EVF camera whose viewfinder doesn't black out during exposure? These things effectively are just as clumsy as a DSLR.

I think Leica would be well advised not to present an EVF camera before this problem is solved.

That, I believe is the crux of the issue. EVF cameras have the appearance of a rangefinder, but not the actual advantages. Most people who buy cameras however are not aware of the reasons people choose a rangefinder camera. For the most part, cameras are sold on the basis of how they look, and how they make the person using them look.

It's form over function.

 

[acheyj]

My point exactly , I have been bellyaching about the EVF blackout but nobody seems interested. Maybe I'm just too old. Have any of you used an original slr BEFORE the instant return mirror ?. It was the one feature that Asahi introduced that started the slr revolution.
I started with RF's in the 50's and belted my head against a brick wall with the Pentacon/Contax/Pracktica etc for wild life photography, instant return was the revolution.
My first digital camera was a Nikon 5700 (dslr's were in the $10k+ bracket then). The current crop of EVF's (G1/GH1 etc) are certainly a refinement (and how !) .
The best EVF finders are certainly good for tripod landscape etc., but for RF style "slice of life" image creation ie., the RF viewfinder remains unique.
So if the EVF can reduce lag AND give the effect of instant return I shall remain encumbered with a heavy dslr.
I live in hope

ron