Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/03/10

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Subject: Sensor tech / cost, was Re: [Leica] Leica CEO: Restructuring 80 percent don
From: richard-lists at imagecraft.com (Richard Man)
Date: Mon Mar 10 13:32:21 2008
References: <C3FAC50F.93D55%mark@rabinergroup.com> <7E7545E8-E069-419C-83E6-3316188A573C@mac.com> <01d001c882e8$545e0310$fd1a0930$@net> <9D96F02B-2419-4B4E-881E-0AA5E32D067B@mac.com>

George, I think the sensor choice has more to do with what technology 
is available with what price point at that time more than anything 
else. Obviously there are technical advantages either way but once 
you select a sensor supplier (or in Canon's case, invest in a 
particular sensor technology), you stick with it and design the best 
camera you can (or so we hope) given the other constraints.

For the MF back, the production numbers are low and it is probably 
not cost effective for an existing back manufacturer to switch sensor 
tech. It's also possible that one cannot scale up a CMOS sensor, but 
that's just speculation. I recall reading an article on the 
originally Cannon 1Ds that the sensor was actually two half sized 
sensor banked together.

As an aside, this means that they can make 40 Megapixel 24x36mmm 
sensor right now, just put 4x 19 Megapixels 4/3 sensors together. The 
price would still be cheaper than the Canon 1Ds MKIII. They will need 
a processing engine 4x faster, but that's just computers :-)

At 12:15 PM 3/10/2008, Lottermoser George wrote:
>...
>Can't help but wonder: with the relative cost savings of the CMOS why
>we don't see it being used in the medium format world - it would seem
>that those folks could have a true 6x6 CMOS back for the cost of some
>of the non-FF backs????
>

// richard (This email is for mailing lists. To reach me directly, 
please use richard at imagecraft.com) 


Replies: Reply from datamaster at northcoastphotos.com (Gary Todoroff) ([Leica] San Diego Air Races)
In reply to: Message from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] Leica CEO: Restructuring 80 percent don)
Message from imagist3 at mac.com (Lottermoser George) ([Leica] Leica CEO: Restructuring 80 percent don)
Message from red735i at earthlink.net (Frank Filippone) ([Leica] Leica CEO: Restructuring 80 percent don)
Message from imagist3 at mac.com (Lottermoser George) ([Leica] Leica CEO: Restructuring 80 percent don)