Where is the Bessa Digital?

[NIKON KIU]

It was 1999 when Cosina bought the rights to Voigtlander, since then, we have had a steady stream of cameras and lenses made by the Japanese company, some have been very interesting, some of the lenses have become normal gear in lots of Leica camera bags.
From screw mount lenses to M mount, Nikon S mount, Contax mount, SLR mount lenses... we have been blessed!
Although some lines have been discontinued, no Nikon RF lenses since the first batch, the others have continued strongly with newer optics and faster lenses. There is now even lenses made for digital cameras such as Sony...
Didn't Cosina make the Epson digital camera?

Now here is the question:

Where is the Bessa Digital?

I mean, really folks, we are up to Bessa R4 something, aren't we?
It's also well known Cosina still makes the Nikon FM10

So, is there going to be a Bessa D1?

Will Bessa die with film?

I think it's time the head bartender had a talk with Mr. K

What do you think?

Kiu

 

[daveleo]

I can't imagine anyone getting into the digital camera design / manufacturing at this point, unless they bought out a company that already had a product well developed.

 

[DFigueira]

But they have
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epson_R-D1

But yes.. I would like to see something like this. Somehow, Bessa designs are nice for me..

 

[ian_watts]

So, is there going to be a Bessa D1?

Will Bessa die with film?

I think the Bessa is already "dead". Haven't Cosina already announced the discontinuation of all their RF cameras?

 

[willie_901]

Years (cicra 2008?) ago Cosina clearly stated they were not going to enter the digital camera market. Cosina specifically preferred to avoid the rapid rate of change and volatility of digital imaging technologies.

However Cosina was involved in the RD-1. And, in 2010 Cosina joined the m4/3 Standards Group. It seems this was only to produce the Nokton m4/3 lens line.

Whenever I think about how sensor technologies have stabilized and now brands are not significantly differentiated by data-stream signal-to-nose ratios, I wonder why Cosina didn't give a minimalistic digital Bessa a shot before killing the line.

Given how well the Leica M-D is accepted, it turns out they wouldn't even need a rear LCD screen.

I suspect Cosina reckons they can prosper without becoming involved in computerized cameras.

 

[ChrisLivsey]

http://www.dslrbodies.com/_Media/bythom_cipa_2016_ilc_med.jpeg

Sales of interchangeable lens cameras are down and still falling year on year as are mirrorless, although they have taken market share from DSLR.
Overall sales from 2012 are nearly halved.
Why would you want to enter a shrinking market against established players fighting for survival?

 

[Roger Hicks]

http://www.dslrbodies.com/_Media/bythom_cipa_2016_ilc_med.jpeg

Sales of interchangeable lens cameras are down and still falling year on year as are mirrorless, although they have taken market share from DSLR.
Overall sales from 2012 are nearly halved.
Why would you want to enter a shrinking market against established players fighting for survival?

Dear Chris,

Exactly. But there are always fantasists....

Cheers,

R.

 

[Ronald M]

It is a difficult design only the most well financed are willing to commit .

We see how Leica has struggled.

 

[Out to Lunch]

The Epson R-D1, when it was released in 2004, was not exactly a ''cheap'' camera either.

 

[CameraQuest]

It was 1999 when Cosina bought the rights to Voigtlander, since then, we have had a steady stream of cameras and lenses made by the Japanese company, some have been very interesting, some of the lenses have become normal gear in lots of Leica camera bags.
From screw mount lenses to M mount, Nikon S mount, Contax mount, SLR mount lenses... we have been blessed!
Although some lines have been discontinued, no Nikon RF lenses since the first batch, the others have continued strongly with newer optics and faster lenses. There is now even lenses made for digital cameras such as Sony...
Didn't Cosina make the Epson digital camera?

Now here is the question:

Where is the Bessa Digital?

I mean, really folks, we are up to Bessa R4 something, aren't we?
It's also well known Cosina still makes the Nikon FM10

So, is there going to be a Bessa D1?

Will Bessa die with film?

I think it's time the head bartender had a talk with Mr. K

What do you think?

Kiu

Mr. K has never liked digital cameras, so its unlikely there will ever be a digital Bessa. Considering the collapsing of the digital camera market the last few years, maybe the market is proving Mr. K right. Still, never say never.

Cosina does not own the Voigtlander trademark. It is owned by Ringfoto in Germany. Together Cosina and Ringfoto produce Voigtlander products.

Cosina constructed the camera body for the RD1. Epson was the main RD1 designer and finished assembling the camera after the body was manufactured by Cosina.

Stephen

 

[xayraa33]

"Mr. K has never liked digital cameras,"

I can sympathise with that, I really can.

 

[dreilly]

I understand it too, but the company has developed lenses specifically for digital applications (like the m4/3 lenses) so it seems that he's also a smart businessman keen to opportunities in spite of his personal preferences. Of course, that points back to Stephen's point about the collapsing camera market...

 

[jsrockit]

Why would you want to enter a shrinking market against established players fighting for survival?

Yet it happens in all other digital products as well... meaning new players join in shrinking markets. Let's face it, people act like digital cameras are going to stop being made. I don't think that is going to be the case. I do think the digital camera will adapt and change though. The film camera market completely collapsed but we still see it as an important part of photography in general in 2017 and new players pop up here and there.

 

[Dez]

I believe the market that is shrinking is in low to midrange digital cameras which are supplanted by smartphone cameras. There is a very different niche for superb but wildly expensive digital Leicas, and that's well addressed. High end DSLRs are taken care of by Canikon.
It all comes down to whether or not there is a stable market for a "poor man's digital Leica".
Unfortunately I doubt it. RFFers form a very small market segment.

Cheers,
Dez

 

[c.poulton]

http://www.dslrbodies.com/_Media/bythom_cipa_2016_ilc_med.jpeg

Sales of interchangeable lens cameras are down and still falling year on year as are mirrorless, although they have taken market share from DSLR.
Overall sales from 2012 are nearly halved.
Why would you want to enter a shrinking market against established players fighting for survival?

Didn't Cosina enter the even smaller and shrinking film RF market with the Bessa L, T and R range at the turn of the century and only stopped production recently?

 

[Scrambler]

Didn't Cosina enter the even smaller and shrinking film RF market with the Bessa L, T and R range at the turn of the century and only stopped production recently?

Yes - but the engineering was not too tricky given they already had a film camera (variously adapted to different mounts) to use. A mirror-equivalent advanced shutter and (eventually) a framing and focussing viewfinder...

 

[willie_901]

Let's assume Epson was responsible for all of the RD-1 digital electronics... including the in-camera software.

Let's also ignore the resources required to complete a project to procure a sensor photo-diode chip, color-filter array, micro-lenses array, assembling and then testing them as a finished unit.

I am not familiar with how the thickness of the RD-1 and Bessa bodies compare. But I don't remember people complaining about this, so we'll also assume the engineering costs associated with producing the thinnest possible body aren't an issue.

Without Epson, Cosina would have to develop the in-camera software to make everything work together. The former is not practical for a company with no IT R&D infrastructure whatsoever. The latter has to be evaluated and managed by people who understand IT R&D projects.

Does Cosina have people with the IT expertise to oversee the outsourcing of a major IT project?

I believe Cosina would need a partner to bring a digital Bessa to market. I'm thinking that partner would have to be a Japanese company. Who could they partner with?

 

[defconfunk]

I believe Cosina would need a partner to bring a digital Bessa to market. I'm thinking that partner would have to be a Japanese company. Who could they partner with?

Who could, and who would I like to see are very different things. Since this is the internet and I can dream: I would like to see them partner with Sigma and release a m43 Foveon. CV and sigma produce excellent m43 mount lenses (I believe both are already members of the m43 group), I want a m43 Foveon, and I like Bessas.

I could see a digital Bessa T-esque thing. Main controls via dials, rear touch screen for AF select, image preview (with peaking), and all secondary controls. As much as I like EVFs, don't use one in this, instead suggest people use optical view finders (Can reuse existing 35,50,85mm CV ones for the CV lenses).

Personally I love the idea of the thumb winder to cock the shutter - in theory saving battery life, but really, I'm dreaming about a Sigma, so the battery life will be crap anyways.

Let's face it, this is a dumb idea, but a dumb idea I love anyways

 

[Stephen G]

Would be cool to see them partner with Ricoh, since they also like to make esoteric kit.. Remember the GXR?

 

[Ronald M]

Bessa digital. In line in the design dept and will like remain there a long time.