19:47
Chaeden
Mirrorless Camera for 2012
Leica is working on its own mirrorless compact camera range, and it will be launched at Photokina in 2012. The news comes from Leica CEO Alfred Schopf, who spoke to UK magazine Amateur Photographer during an interview yesterday.
Schopf was circumspect, but told AP that the cameras would have sensors at APS-C sized or bigger, and most likely feature a built-in electronic viewfinder. He also made the point that its the lens, not the camera which is important. “Our philosophy is that the best lenses will lead to better images,” he said. Leica chairman Andreas Kaufmann, also present, added that “Sensors are becoming a commodity, like film was. It’s happening now. APS you can buy rather cheaply.”
Of course, you can get a small, mirrorless body with Leica lenses now if you buy a Micro Four Thirds camera. What I’d love to see, but probably never will, is a cut-down version of the M9. The same lens-mount, the same rangefinder focussing and the same (presumably commodity) sensor, only in a less-solid body that doesn’t cost $7,000. Because if Leica just makes a Lumix GF1 with a red dot and a $2,000 price-tag, I’ll stick with the one I’ve already got.
Schopf was circumspect, but told AP that the cameras would have sensors at APS-C sized or bigger, and most likely feature a built-in electronic viewfinder. He also made the point that its the lens, not the camera which is important. “Our philosophy is that the best lenses will lead to better images,” he said. Leica chairman Andreas Kaufmann, also present, added that “Sensors are becoming a commodity, like film was. It’s happening now. APS you can buy rather cheaply.”
Of course, you can get a small, mirrorless body with Leica lenses now if you buy a Micro Four Thirds camera. What I’d love to see, but probably never will, is a cut-down version of the M9. The same lens-mount, the same rangefinder focussing and the same (presumably commodity) sensor, only in a less-solid body that doesn’t cost $7,000. Because if Leica just makes a Lumix GF1 with a red dot and a $2,000 price-tag, I’ll stick with the one I’ve already got.
Leica 25mm ƒ1.4 Lens for Micro Four Thirds
Oh hello! In accumulation to the less-than-inspiring GF3 announced today, Panasonic has redeemed itself with the new Leica DG Summilux 25mm ƒ1.4 ASPH lens. This fixed lens, which works as a 50mm equivalent “standard” on the Micro Four Thirds bodies, is likely to be one sweet chunk of glass.
First, the statistics. The lens has a seven-blade orifice for the nice, circular out-of-focus highlights (bokeh) characteristic of Leica lenses. It also comes with aspherical elements, a “nano coating” (for less reflection from the lens’ surfaces) and one “ultra-high refractive index” elements to bend the light equally to all parts of the image.
And because it opens to ƒ1.4, you’ll not only be able to take photos of anything you like in the dark, you’ll also be able to focus on somebody’s pupil and have the corner of their eye be blurred. Finally, a metal escalate should mean it outlasts several cameras.
The lens, available in August, has yet to be priced. Being a Leica, it won’t be cheap. In fact, Amazon’s pre-order page — according to Photography Bay — was briefly listing it for $1,100.
Leica M3 and Fujifilm X100 Side-By-Side
We called the hot-and-almost-here Fujifilm X100 Leica-like, but if you didn’t believe use, take a look at these photos from Flickr user Nokton. They show the classic Leica M3 and the new Fujifilm hybrid rangefinder together, and they could have been separated at birth.
Well, not quite at birth: the M3 was born back in 1954, while the X100 isn’t even close to its first birthday. But it’s clear that, as Nokton says, the new camera has some Leica DNA. In fact, I had to double check the first time I saw the side-by-side shot to see which was which.
Under his real name of Pieter Franken, Nokton has also reviewed the X100, and he pronounces it as good, with high ISO performance at the level of the Nikon D700, a good, fast lens and a great viewfinder (this is arguably the main point of the camera, with its instant switch between optical and electronic modes).
It also has, somewhat amusingly, a much quieter shutter than the current Leica M9. Up until the Leica started putting metal shutters into its M-series cameras, they were known as the quietest cameras around.
Under his real name of Pieter Franken, Nokton has also reviewed the X100, and he pronounces it as good, with high ISO performance at the level of the Nikon D700, a good, fast lens and a great viewfinder (this is arguably the main point of the camera, with its instant switch between optical and electronic modes).
It also has, somewhat amusingly, a much quieter shutter than the current Leica M9. Up until the Leica started putting metal shutters into its M-series cameras, they were known as the quietest cameras around.
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