Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/01/04

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Digilux 2
From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2004 21:40:17 -0500

Whatever floats your boat, Don. But if your standard isos are 100 and
1600, it looks like this particular boat as run aground before leaving
the dock. 

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of Don Dory
Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2004 9:07 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: RE: [Leica] Digilux 2


B.D.,
The reference to click has more to do with the shutter firing when the
release is pressed as opposed to most digitals whose silent laugh of
rebellion and refusal to take the image is what I had in mind.

As to 5MP, I don't really get into latest and greatest races.  If it
creates great looking 11X14's then what will I do with more?  To the
best of my study, memory cards have an extremely long life so as long as
batteries will hold a charge, who cares what else is out there?  After
all, how long has an M been out there, basically unchanged.

The issue of effective 400 ISO might be a killer, my standard film is
either 100 or 1600 so that will have to be evaluated.

As to the number of games in town, that depends on how well built the
camera is and how responsive it is.  I really have shot and printed
images with most current digicams.  It is easier to list those I haven't
used: the 1Ds, D2, E1 played with but not printed images, any Contax,
the tiny Konica.  I really don't get along with any of the P&S with the
exception of the FZ10.  The control interfaces on the SlR's hasn't won
me over as well as the compromises to get wide angle coverage.

So, to repeat, if the Digilux 2 is responsive in the same fashion as an
M, produces images that look good at 11X14 with minimal PSing, and the
lens is good at 28-90 then yes, I probably will be interested.


Don
dorysrus@mindspring
- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of B. D.
Colen
Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2004 8:03 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: RE: [Leica] Digilux 2

This is a joke, right Don? "Goes click when you press the shutter
release?" "Do that over and over?" Well, I'd prefer a virtually silent
camera - which is what most digital P&Ss are. And you can push the
shutter over and over. And if a camera has manual focus - you can set
it. Why would anyone want a pretend M - which is precisely what this new
camera is. So now making beautiful 11x14s is the goal? Funny that it
wasn't before Leica introduced this camera. 

Yes, the initial price of a tool is trivial if, like an M, it is a tool
for a life-time. But NO digital camera will be a tool for a life-time.
Are you really saying that you will be satisfied with your 5 mgp Leica
Faux M when two years from now the standard is 8 or 10 mgp? And will you
be satisfied with your Faux M with its top iso of 400 with most digial
SLR's featuring top isos of 1600 or 3200? Even film M's are over priced
for what they offer, but they are well made - probably better made than
any current film camera; and they are the only game in town for someone
who wants a pro-quality rangefinder film camera.

The Faux M, however, is NOT the only game in town - but it is probably
the most overpriced game. ;-)

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of Don Dory
Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2004 7:44 PM
To: Leica-Users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: [Leica] Digilux 2


There is a sub cult of Leica bashing.  Right now, the bashing is on the
proposed price of the Digilux 2.  However, I assume most readers of this
list have paid similar high prices for their Leica gear.  Why?  Because,
for some situations, there is no better tool in the world, period.

So, to answer B.D. direct question, what if the Digilux 2 works like the
M?  What if the shutter goes click when you press the release?  What if
you can do that over and over just like an M?  How about controls that
you can figure out by feel in the dark?  How about real manual focus so
you can set your hyper focal and bang away with confidence?  What if the
lens/sensor/software lets you make beautiful 11X14's?

So, why don't we all wait about a month until we see what it really is?
I know that the Panasonic FZ10 makes beautiful 8X10's and the manual
focus feels like a Canon ring USM lens which is no bad thing.  

I also think that if it works much like an M and produces images that
scale well then I might just be a customer.  I have tried almost all the
digicams out there and frankly have a mostly hate relationship.  Perhaps
this iteration will work.

The initial price of a tool is trivial if it does what it was intended
to do: my dad has a set of furniture knives (think of router bits) that
his grandfather used to make furniture, with them I can match exactly an
edge molding originally made 150 years ago.  I have a twenty year old M6
that I have hammered for years and it keeps the film etched: I have a
forty year old M3 that has had one cleaning, it also keeps on ticking.
Who really cares if they were two or three times the price of a Nikon F?
I have worn out an F and a Canon F1; I haven't been able to wear out my
M's
:)
Don
dorysrus@mindspring.com


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