Check out the the Foveon X3 technology! It is possible to get as much as three more times the information from a digital sensor. Imagine the upgraded quality of a Nikon D1X by a factor of three! This will increase dramatically the quality of future digital cameras. I hope Leica makes a digital body with this technology soon, while keeping the simplicity of the M line. But for sure much more weight will be added. ( too bad that only Sigma is using it )

-- Marco (marco_hidalgo@hotmail.com), March 22, 2002

Answers

Foveon sure has a great marketing department, this the um-teenth time i have heard this request here or at photo.net... i haven't seen people blindly accept somebody's technology purely based on marketing in a while... it's nice to know people are as gullible as ever. The Foveon may well be great, but until it can be tested independently and they can actually produce large quantities of the item it remains marketing sci-fi.

-- Matthew Geddert (geddert@yahoo.com), March 22, 2002.

While I tend to agree with Matthew regarding all of the marketing of this chip going on before production models using the chip hit the streets, there is a far larger issue. From my perspective, at least, the traits of digital photography, and the need to manipulate those traits through in-camera circuitry and software controls, is inherently incompatible with the "simplicity" of M photography.

Leica could (theoretically, at least) design a digital camera that would provide only aperture and shutter speed control, but that would mean all of the other aspects of pro-level digital photography that must be controlled would have to be done via default settings within the digital Leica's circuitry and software. I doubt that approach would be appreciated by anyone willing to pay the price of a Leica digital. If a manufacturer is going to do a pro-level digital, they have to do it right. That means providing the pro user with all of the appropriate controls that fit well with a professional's digital-image work flow design.

-- Ralph Barker (rbarker@pacbell.net), March 22, 2002.

The beauty of the Foveon X-3 chip as I understand it is the camera doesn't have to do a lot of hocus-pocus to process the image. As for the M going digital I don't think it will add anything to the weight of the camera, although it might change the basic shape of the camera to something more square, which in my opinion would be a benefit for handling and maybe allow for a vertical grip. Maybe someone out there will design a first-class rangefinder with a digital chip. I really don't care who does it as long as it is first class. DAYTON

-- Dayton P. Strickland (daytonst@bellsouth.net), March 22, 2002.

Dayton: the extra weight should come from the battery pack, as digital requires a lot more power than the small battery of the M. and Yes, I don't mid so much the maker, if it is Konica or Voigtlander it's O.K. for me, as long as it has an M mount.

-- Marco (marco_hidalgo@hotmail.com), March 22, 2002.

"leica" and "new technology" are contradictory terms. If the faveon chip proves successful, we might see it on a leica in a few decades.

-- jay goldman (goldman@math.umn.edu), March 22, 2002.

A friend of mine was a quality controll engineer at National Semiconducter who is making the chips("was" because like most of them, he's been let go). He told me he had his doubts about them being able to manufacture the chips in a cost effective manor, mentioning a very poor rate of useable chips per manufacturing run. Makes me wonder now that they have gotten rid of most of their experienced engineers how great the chips will end up being.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), March 22, 2002.

What concerns me the most is the fragility of the chips. Recently, one of my M6 TTL's took a little "gilt" on the pavement (a 2 foot drop) and I find out from Gerry that it needs a new power regulator board. Gilted mechanicals can be easily repaired. Turn a screw here and there and presto... in the hands of an experienced tech it can always be brought back to spec. Electronics are another story. Its going to cost me $200 for the power regulator board and unless manufacturers "point-to-point" wire their electronics (highly unlikely from a cost perspective) we as users will have to fork over the costs of their cost-cutting. This is what irks me the most about the M7. With an electronic governor how much of it is salvageable (fixable) and how much has to be outright replaced if the governor were to go awry? Don't kid yourself... all it could take is the right little jolt.

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), March 23, 2002.

I don't think I buy this "electronics are fragile" schtick.

The only camera I ever destroyed by dropping it was an old school all metal all mechanical Olympus OM-1. The drop ruined the mirror box. it was from 3 feet to the pavement.

The only camera I've ever dropped multiple times to concrete is my Olympu Stylus Epic point and shoot. It still works fine after 3 or 4 falls.

Most of the cameras that covered the WTC were digital. They seemed to do OK.

If the foveon chip can be made in large quantities, then it has the potential to solve a few of the problems that currently exist with sensors that use mosaic filters. It's not quite the revolution that the company claims it is, and it's not at all clear to me that it can take over a crowded market. But it's a cool device.

I don't see Leica making a digital body on its own soon. After all, they couldn't get a motor drive released quickly.

-- Pete Su (psu_13@yahoo.com), March 23, 2002.