Leica SL (601) ..Oct 20th?

[MGrayson]

Doug,

I don't mean move the mount! I agree that that would be too imprecise and useless for floating elements. I mean just have one motor in the camera body to move the lens elements, but have that be a modern Ultrasonic motor in a ring around the mount, and not the tiny screw drive that is usually found in in-body AF motors.

The motor would couple to a ring on the lens and drive the lens elements as usual. This might allow for smaller lenses. It's probably a bad idea because the motor would have to be strong enough for the largest lens in the system, and so that weight would be added, in effect, to every smaller lens.

To be clear - this would not be for any adapted or manual lenses. It would be a new system of AF lenses where the weight savings would be in having only one AF motor in the entire kit.

--Matt

 

[ashwinrao1]

Fun fun, rumor time. I love to pontificate, speculate, and suspect....and this thread has piqued my curiosity.

The use of in-body AF seems to me to be as likely as using a "digital" film cannister in a film M body to record digital images...Could be fun, interesting, and there are patents, but will it ever happen? I doubt it....

Leica would really create a stir with such a camera, and maybe that would distinguish them in permitting the use of manual focus lenses with AF. However, Sony's already invented the AF equivalent, using AF lenses of any type on their A7 series cameras. While this might bring those from Canikon over to Sony, Leica plays in an entirely different sandbox.

I suspect that what we'll see is essentially a ILC Q with a new mount and adapters to play with R (and hopefully M) lenses....This would presumably use tech that they already have developed (from the Q) in a body that sets it apart from their M line.... The fact that the SL has already been registered yields the thought that this camera is coming, or that Leica's playing elaborate games with us. I doubt they care that much about our rumors, though....

That being said, I'd prefer a "slim M" built more in line with M7/MP dimensions. Or, gasp gahhhh, an AF version of the M rangefinder concept...now that would be tasty, but unlikely to work since the AF mechanism adapted onto M lenses will yield bulky or longer lenses....

 

[glenerrolrd]

Agree that in body AF seems a reach . Pretty much why I started the thread . Based on the rumors and just common sense ...Leica seems to be headed for a EVF reflex “style” body . Sean Reid is testing the “R” lenses and I doubt thats for the M body . Sharing the “Q” sensor would make sense ..24MP is still the sweet spot for Full Frame .

Very interesting ..I ve used every Leica SL since the first one (that had the exposure metering thru a small window ) . My favorite was the R4-6 body ...which is tiny by digital standards for an SLR . A body based on the technology in the Q (which I think is terrific) and the size and handling of a small SLR(but using an EVF with focus confirmation) ..accepting R lenses has been on my wish list since the demise of the DMR .

 

[atanabe]

Could it have been a typo? In body IS instead of AF? For a company unwilling to give users the ability to fine tune the body and lens focus points on the S, the idea of a moving sensor is a far reach.

 

[250swb]

I imagine AF is a typo and what is implied is an 'in body' IS system, which if you think about it would be pretty essential (in this day and age) if using legacy R lenses is the main aim and of course especially the long ones. It would also allow IS with any other lenses used on the body. And if Leica can overcome the smeared corners from wide M lenses that are such a distinctive turn off for the Sony camera's then the SL could become the universal camera to own.

Steve

 

[furtle]

I would pay megabucks for a digital XPan...that is the killer format just waiting to be rebirthed....( one can only dream)

Your dream is nearly reality. The (excellent) Sigma Quattro DP0 has a 14mm (21mm FOV) lens and an in camera 21:9 framing option. Sure, no view finder or rangefinder focusing. From memmory the crop drops the (tiff) files size from around 120mb to 80mb which is still useful enough for big prints.

I had an xpan for several years and this DP0 is as good as you'll get in a digital format.

 

[PeterA]

Okay, NOW we're really on point. That is a dream I share with you, Peter.

Just received an email from Thorsten Overgaard and he seems pretty sure we will see this camera before year's end.

But then, I'd lay even money Jono has the goods behind that bewitching smile of his .

John - you just made my heart beat faster!..
I seriously hope Thorsten is correct - would be a game changer for me and my photography I see everything more in Pano format...and I cant shoot what I see...too good to be true??

 

[Paratom]

just wondering...what would this camera make us spend the double price of a D810 or a A7(r)II?
lenses? user interface?

 

[aDam007]

just wondering...what would this camera make us spend the double price of a D810 or a A7(r)II?
lenses? user interface?

The following:

1) Lenses (M lvl lenses please, unique rendering is welcome)
2) User Interface (anything Leica has been doing is fine)
3) Adaptability (mostly with M wides, since that's problematic for other cameras)
4) EVF-Qualty (assuming it's Q or better)
5) AF speed (assuming it's Q or better)
6) Leica colors (love the S,M,Q colors)

7) Sexy looks (which sadly it seems this camera doesn't have)

 

[Paratom]

colors...I hope for subtile S colors.
I hope the lenses have a nice transition between focused plane and background.
I am quite interested in images produced with this camera. But for the price it really has to show special rendering (IMO)

 

[mjr]

I've not seen what it looks like or the price yet, where are you guys looking for this info? Wouldn't mind having a look!

 

[Paratom]

I've not seen what it looks like or the price yet, where are you guys looking for this info? Wouldn't mind having a look!

I dont remember where but they wrote in the 7-8k range for the body. I dont know if this is reliable info.

 

[doug]

just wondering...what would this camera make us spend the double price of a D810 or a A7(r)II?
lenses? user interface?

For myself, an adapter for R lenses that operates the auto-diaphragm would be a biggie. DMR colors, no lossy RAW files, a great EVF and the user interface will help. I'll look at the size & weight too.

 

[Lars]

Moving sensor for achieving AF is simply nonsense IMHO, because alignment would need to be so exact and control of movement for achieving AF even more crucial.

Just for argument's sake: Think about it - moving the lens or moving the sensor for focusing is technically the same thing. Focus is determined by lens distance from focal plane.
In some lenses there is internal focus whereby not all lenses move for focus.
So you need pretty much the same precision and speed whether you move the sensor or the glass.
For larger lenses there will be far more mass to move than in the sensor assembly.

Now, if someone could make an in-body tilt+shift+focus+IS sensor, wouldn't that be something?

 

[ashwinrao1]

just wondering...what would this camera make us spend the double price of a D810 or a A7(r)II?
lenses? user interface?

For me, I would want a sensor that could work with M lenses...basically, that takes 6 bit coding, applies the appropriate correction, and does okay with RF wides. THis may well be asking too much, but having the 6 bit option and another way to utilize my M lens kit would be cool.

If it does not take M lenses, then the proposition becomes a bit more difficult, as it would be investing in a new system. That new system, with the reported lenses, could still be very promising. The 3 lenses proposed would go a long way towards rounding out a nice kit, as long as the lenses are good.

 

[retow]

Ok, let this be real so that I can ditch my unloved (though excellent files producing) Sony a7rII along with the boring (though some of them technically really good) e-mount lenses and use all my sweet m-mount glass on a 21st century digital Leica body. :thumbs:

 

[aDam007]

I've not seen what it looks like or the price yet, where are you guys looking for this info? Wouldn't mind having a look!

There's a blurry photo of it floating around the rumour sites. It's in the background of a picture of S.E. Leica binoculars.

 

[aDam007]

Just for argument's sake: Think about it - moving the lens or moving the sensor for focusing is technically the same thing. Focus is determined by lens distance from focal plane.
In some lenses there is internal focus whereby not all lenses move for focus.
So you need pretty much the same precision and speed whether you move the sensor or the glass.
For larger lenses there will be far more mass to move than in the sensor assembly.

Now, if someone could make an in-body tilt+shift+focus+IS sensor, wouldn't that be something?

It won't work for all lens designs. FLE lenses in particular don't work that way.

The in-body shift wouldn't be a problem assuming the lenses were designed in such a way that they could handle a larger area then the sensor. As in. Say you had a S lens mounted on a 35mm camera and the sensor shifted, that'd work. But of course the 35mm camera would have to have the S-flange distance and mount/camera box size.

 

[Paratom]

For me, I would want a sensor that could work with M lenses...basically, that takes 6 bit coding, applies the appropriate correction, and does okay with RF wides. THis may well be asking too much, but having the 6 bit option and another way to utilize my M lens kit would be cool.

If it does not take M lenses, then the proposition becomes a bit more difficult, as it would be investing in a new system. That new system, with the reported lenses, could still be very promising. The 3 lenses proposed would go a long way towards rounding out a nice kit, as long as the lenses are good.

But if you want to use it with M lenses, I would probably rather use a M body.

 

[Stuart Richardson]

Ok, let this be real so that I can ditch my unloved (though excellent files producing) Sony a7rII along with the boring (though some of them technically really good) e-mount lenses and use all my sweet m-mount glass on a 21st century digital Leica body. :thumbs:

You and me both, sir. I mostly use the Sonys for video though, and I think it is probably a bit too much to hope that whatever Leica produces will be able to match them on that front. Nothing they have released so far seems to do video that can keep up with Sony, Panasonic or Canon, so it seems like Sony will still have a role in workflows that include video...Still holding out hope for the 007 on that regard, but getting any information at all from anyone about its video capabilities is basically like pulling teeth...I had some questions that even Leica customer service in Germany could not answer at the time.
In any case, I am curious to see what they come up with and optimistic that it will be good!