Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/09/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I won't get into an argue with you about this Adam, but as to your last point...Why not? Because the market would be MUCH too limited. Most people who own Leica Ms are hobbyists who want to take color snaps of their vacations, grandchildren, etc. - and they will NOT buy a bw only camera. I would buy one in a nanosecond if I could afford it, and so would what I suspect are a small number of people on this list and elsewhere. But the market would be a niche of niche. B. D. -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Adam Bridge Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2004 3:46 PM To: Leica Users Group Subject: RE: [Leica] More RD-1 news On Saturday, March 27, 2004 B. D. Colen thoughtfully wrote: >First off, one of the glories of digital is that every single shot is >both color and monochrome. ;-) Second off, it should be possible to >have the monochrome option in the firmware. If they develop the write >algorithms, having the b&w, bw-green, bw-red, bw-yellow built into the >camera could be wonderful. Carry around a pile of filters? Why? Aaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhhh! NO, B. D., it's NOT the same. Because IF you're not shooting onto a color sensor you can either have MORE sensors for a higher pixel density OR you can larger sensors for a better signal:noise ratio. Otherwise you're letting the firmware of the camera play Hobb by attempting to make a monochrome image from various parts of red and green and blue. It's not the same thing at all. Why shoot with black and white film at all then? Why not just shoot color? But we DO shoot black and white. But even this isn't as great a difference as between a digital color and a digital monochrome sensor. When the color sensors are of sufficient density and the SNR is up to par then I'll relax this. But it's damn clear that Leica ain't likely to have access to anything that's remotely close. So why shouldn't I ask for something that makes a lot of sense? Using an M to me means shooting in available light without flash. And all those fabulously expensive pieces of glass that Leica makes are there to make it even more possible. So why shouldn't Leica make a camera that exploits these features like no other camera can - that uses all the system's capabilities so that, by golly, you can shoot at ASA 3200 or even higher and have a SNR like that of the best current cameras at, say 1600 (thinking of 1Ds and its CMOS sensor). Leica is a niche market. If they can figure out how to deal with the process in order to make it happen then there will be a reason to consider investing in Leica. We're seeing an increase in interest in black and white portraiture. Why not a camera that does it superbly? Adam Bridge _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information