Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2017/02/02

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Subject: [Leica] URL: M10 interview with Stefan Daniel
From: mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)
Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2017 13:08:53 -0500
References: <e00ad7aed9624f96a191beb66fbf95b0@WhizzEXM01.whizz.org> <64886A01-48D2-4E7B-81B5-62DCBC7DAECE@fastmail.com> <672d89f3aef54cd485df8db394920288@WhizzEXM01.whizz.org> <007b01d27b91$54a3a1d0$fdeae570$@verizon.net> <608C7F7B-A689-4B41-A3C4-A539D6BA4630@btinternet.com>

The original 4/3?s format spec was with all the rays of the back of lens 
hitting the film plane directly on a 90-degree angle as there was plenty of 
distance between the film plane and the back of the lens... A long throw. At 
the obvious cost of a smaller format camera with no smaller body... I?m not 
even sure those cameras are even made any more people would just must rather 
have a smaller camera when shooting a smaller format. The micro 4/3?s spec.  
Its less embarrassing. And let the micro lenses on the sensor do all the 
work.
I?ve done a lot of shooting like most people here with older lenses designed 
for film but in the past few years have been slowly and persistently 
accumulating the most current glass from Nikon. Those have all been 1.8?s. 
They are just out and cutting edge for Nikon, sharp as heck, fast but not 
too fast. They cost half a grand USD not a grand and a half like a 1.4. Some 
think of them as ?prosumer? but the specs surpass most of the 1.4?s.  The 
bulk and weight sure does.  Nikon is no longer set at making glass which 
squeeze into the 52mm filter parameter at the front.  (Canon?s were 55mm and 
Olympus were 49mm?s) The current lens designs have way bigger front elements 
and feel to be puffed up with a bicycle pump. They are nowhere as compact as 
before but they often are lighter in weight. Like mini dirigibles. It?s like 
they are filled with helium
I?ve put most of my manual focus and early auto focus glass in a bottom draw 
and never use or think about them. They are unloved.  Everything I see and 
play with is new new new. G lenes they are called. 
I use a slightly Leica like kit of 50mm, 35mm, and 80mm all new 1.8?s. And 
all designed with digital in mind.  And I noticed my output may be 
 better for it. 


 
 

-- 

Mark William Rabiner
Photographer

On 2/1/17, 3:53 AM, "LUG on behalf of Frank Dernie" 
<lug-bounces+mark=rabinergroup.com at leica-users.org on behalf of 
Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com> wrote:

    All sensors have micro lenses over them, if I understand correctly, to 
compensate for the non-light -sensitive portions of the chip and concentrate 
all the light onto the sensitive bit. The difference is between the 
micro-lens positions relative to the pixel. On most sensors there is a 
symmetrical micro-lens array over  the whole sensor for the M sensor the 
microlenses are directly over the pixels in the centre of the sensor but are 
increasingly offset towards the centre as the distance of the pixel from the 
centre of the sensor increases thereby partly compensating for the fact that 
the typical rangefinder lens has an exit pupil much closer to the sensor 
than lenses originally designed for reflex cameras.
    Those of us old enough, and interested enough, to have followed the 
development of digital photography will remember the early Sony and, 
particularly, Olympus publicity pointing out that lenses designed for film 
were not necessarily suitable for use on a digital sensor.
    I am sure that has not changed but two things have, firstly lenses 
designed in the last decades will have been designed with this in mind, and 
sensors will have microlens arrays to compensate to a degree.
    Clearly if there are offset microlenses then these can only be 
absolutely spot-on for one exit pupil distance, and fine for a range either 
side, depending on the actual geometry.
    I wonder if all sensors have offset microlenses nowadays, just not as 
much as the M sensor, since few, if any, lenses have their exit pupils at 
infinity which would be the optimum for a symmetrical position?
    
    Frank D.
    
    > On 31 Jan 2017, at 07:12, Frank Filippone <red735i at verizon.net> 
wrote:
    > 
    > To add to John's response......  and what I write is my firm belief, 
but I have no facts to support it.... ( why should that matter, this IS the 
Internet isn't it?)
    > 
    > Leica seems to interpret a "Sensor" as the assembly of silicon chip, 
case, glass cover,  micro lenses, and PCB to hold it all as a "Sensor" and 
possibly the image processing chip.  In a recent interview with Stephan 
Daniels, he is asked about the sensor and responds in this way.
    > I am an Integrated Circuit guy..... which means I interpret the ward 
"sensor" to mean the silicon chip....  No more, no less.
    > 
    > When Leica says the M10 sensor is different from the SL sensor, and 
using Daniels' interpretation, adding the micro lenses to the SL chip would 
make it a "new" sensor.....  ditto new PCB or image processor or....  
changing to eh Maestro II processor would be a "new" sensor......... you get 
the idea....
    > 
    > My guess is that after spending a small fortune on the M240 sensor ( 
remember Leica had it designed by CMOSIS and fabbed by STM Microelectronics 
and or Fujitsu, unclear which is the current foundry), that the IC chip 
inside is the same from all 3 cameras... what IS different among the 3, is 
the micro lenses, cover glass plate, and for sure the accompanying PCB that 
supports it all, and image processing chip with its attendant FW.....
    > 
    > M240 = Maestro processor, micro lenses
    > SL Processor = remove the micro lenses
    > M10 processor = Maestro II processor, micro lenses
    > 
    > So if Frank is right, how does he explain the differences in the 
optical outputs, which are very different between the 3 cameras?
    > 
    > The output of the sensor goes to the image processing chip...... now 
the Maestro 2 processor.  The firmware written for this chip has been 
changed and  improved... thus different outputs....  
    > Do I have ANY data to prove this?  Nope, it just makes most sense 
financially and in an engineering sense..... and why the M10 has only a 24MP 
sensor, rather than the larger MP output that was expected....
    > 
    > How would this be proved?  Using a microscope and looking at the 
sensor chip.. With experience it is easy to tell if the chips are the same 
or different........
    > 
    > It is always more sexy to say you have a NEW and IMPROVED sensor than 
to say you have a tweaked sensor.....
    > 
    > References to Tide products is fully intentional.....
    > 
    > Frank Filippone
    > 
    > Red735i at verizon.net
    > 
    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: LUG [mailto:lug-bounces+red735i=verizon.net at leica-users.org] 
On Behalf Of John McMaster
    > Sent: Monday, January 30, 2017 11:05 AM
    > To: Leica Users Group
    > Subject: Re: [Leica] URL: M10 interview with Stefan Daniel
    > 
    > Because there is a short distance between the rear element and the 
sensor there are micro lenses to aid as you get further from the sensor. 
Also a thinner glass cover.
    > 
    > http://www.the.me/the-leica-m-max-sensor-explained/
    > 
    > These are the reasons that M non-retrofocus lenses do not play well 
with standard Sony, and I have read neither with the SL, compared to SLR 
style lenses.
    > 
    > john
    > 
    > -----Original Message-----
    > 
    > What does this mean:
    > 
    > "Jesko: It?s true that it is a really brand new sensor. Of course the 
experience from SL and Q take action also in developing the sensor for the M 
system. It is not the same, even though it is same spec 24 MP and the 
performance is also quite similar. but it is a unique sensor, and M lenses 
need a special certain design especially the micro lens shift, special glass 
package.?
    > 
    > I?m wondering about the last sentence about micro lens shift and 
special glass package? Is that about the sensor or the lens that needs the 
special design?
    > 
    > Thanks
    > 
    > Adam
    > 
    >> On 2017 Jan 30, at 5:33 AM, John McMaster <john at mcmaster.fr> wrote:
    >> 
    >> 
http://leicarumors.com/2017/01/29/leica-m10-interview-why-no-video-where-is-the-typ-label-compressed-dng-files-and-more.aspx/#more-44744
    >> 
    >> john
    >> 
    > 
    > 
    > _______________________________________________
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    > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
    > 
    > 
    > _______________________________________________
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In reply to: Message from john at mcmaster.fr (John McMaster) ([Leica] URL: M10 interview with Stefan Daniel)
Message from abridge683 at fastmail.com (Adam Bridge) ([Leica] URL: M10 interview with Stefan Daniel)
Message from john at mcmaster.fr (John McMaster) ([Leica] URL: M10 interview with Stefan Daniel)
Message from red735i at verizon.net (Frank Filippone) ([Leica] URL: M10 interview with Stefan Daniel)
Message from Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com (Frank Dernie) ([Leica] URL: M10 interview with Stefan Daniel)