Re: [Leica] Few: [Large Format] Beth Keiser Shoots B&W 4x5 For Campaign Coverage

[Mark Rabiner <mark@rabinergroup.com>]

On 1/28/04 3:03 PM, "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net> wrote:

> Hey, Sam, the great thing about the LUG is that anyone can vent their
> frustration over anything...;-)....But I believe that part of what
> you're reading is really frustration being vented over Leica's not
> having its digital act together...there is absolutely not excuse for the
> pioneering 35 mm camera company's not already having a top digital SLR
> out there...I'm willing to bet it's going to be at least another year
> before the digital R8/9 back appears - if it ever appears - and when it
> does it's going to be so damn outdated that it will only sell to the
> real red dot fanatics. Good Lord, Nikon's just come out with an 8 mgp
> high end point and shoot....
> 

A week and a half ago on the Leica site there was and is a big update on the
R dig back which looked very looming and promising. I forgot to address it
on the lug, I'd been a bit pessimistic on it before, but I also forgot to
notice that no one else did either.

And they've got a digital hosted forum going
http://www.leica-camera.com/markt/forum/chat/log/index_e.html

Here it is obvious who chat host numbers one two and three are,
http://www.leica-camera.com/produkte/rsystem/digitalmodul/makingof/index_e.h
tml
1 is Herr Cohn, 2 is Stephan Daniels, and so on.

"Core technical data plans call for a resolution of 10 million pixels (10
megapixels), image storage on SD cards, the use of a Firewire interface and
a low focal length extension factor of 1.37x. "
http://www.leica-camera.com/unternehmen/presse/data/03376/index_e.html

10 megapixels is nothing to sneeze at and should remain a viable non
laughable file size for at least the next five minutes. And I donıt think
file size will need to get much if at all past that. Much smaller file sizes
have been and are more and more now more than viable it's the quality of the
pixel that counts just as much as the number of them.
The file sizes of the point and shoots have always been eerily been darn
close to what they're giving you in DSLR's. A good chance you could shoot a
wedding with your DSLR and half the people in there are grabbing bigger file
sizes with their purse cameras. That doesn't mean the quality of your image
wont be a full step above theirs.

"Because of the functions that can be controlled directly during a
picture-taking session by means of the setting dial, the content of the menu
is minimal and it provides a clear overview."

"The LEICA DIGILUX 1 of Leica Camera AG, Solms, has won the DIMA INNOVATIVE
DIGITAL PRODUCT AWARD 2002. The American Digital Imaging Association
conferred the award to new products that stood out for their innovative
technology, application and design. The winning products were chosen from
many hundreds exhibited at the American PMA trade show in Orlando.
Altogether, the trade journalists distinguished fifteen new digital products
for their high quality and avant-garde performance. "

You've decided not to go Leica in your digital choices BD. And so have
others. And I do some digital nikon. But the digital options Leica has are
viable and it would seem to make sense that there would be some on the lug
who have been picking those options as this is the Leica users group and
people come here to talk about the Leica products theyıve chosen to make
pictures with.

I think the digital module back will come out on schedule and soon and in
effect; tomorrow... As that's how time works with me at least. When that
day comes ... Blink... I'll decide if I'm going to trade in my more modern
nikon glass 
and digital bodies for getting into Leica R and Leica R digital or not.
AF is fun after a ten year hiatus but I can kick it just as fast as I
started back again on it. All it takes I will power and no at glass and it's
a distant memory.

The 60 macro on an R8 or 9 with a digital back? I could make some fine
captures with that! (snip instead of snap?) The new 50mm Summilux? I'd grab
a few with that one too! F 1.4 and be there on the old groundglass.

The PC-SUPER-ANGULON-R f/2.8/28 mm? Ouch!
The SUPER-ELMARIT-R f/2.8/15 mm (also in effect a Schneider)?!
The LEICA APO-SUMMICRON-R 90 mm f/2 ASPH!? Having and using in effect the
same lens it both its R and M versions might turn out to be a real
unexpectedly interesting and useful experience!
The LEICA APO-ELMARIT-R 180 mm f/2.8? All the reach I'm ever going to ask
for with Leica glass especially when you factor the digital multiplication
which is 1.37 X 180 = 246mm!

The LEICA APO-MACRO-ELMARIT-R 100 mm f/2.8?! A hard choice this or the 90 as
this gets right in there close and what else would you need an SLR for?
Other than reach?
A 180 macro might make a nifty stocking stuffer but thatıs a way off and
they have to produce the lens first. I seem to be getting everything else I
want from Leica.





Mark Rabiner
Photography
Portland, Oregon
http://rabinergroup.com/Catagorypages/PersonalWork.html









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