New Phase Camera Body, Back and Programs in the Works...

[woodyspedden]

Just a thought:

if one assumes $50 mil for development of whole system, with lenses, perhaps....

- manuf costs for the camera and a lens at about $5k (min, assume development work solved all initial prototype issues, its just straight production now)
- soft costs per camera (distribution, adverts, admin) @ $5k per camera

You'd have to sell.... 5,000 units to break even.

This doesn't include anything for extra lens sales, but maybe those profits would go into continuing R&D.

Any thoughts?

I think you have to look at how long a life the S2 will have to utilize the R&D expenditures.

Items such as Auto Focus, body design, firmware etc will not have to be redone entirely over the lifetime of the product. Incremental engineering to continuously upgrade the product will not be close to 30 people.

The most serious question in my mind is what it will take to use a newer, higher Mpx sensor. I believe that at least one, if not two, sensor iterations will be required over the lifetime of the product. The competition is moving fast (now at 80 Mpx already!) and Leica will not be able to stand still IMHO. I suspect that new sensors will require new firmware at the least but, again, nothing close to 30 people to implement.

This is of course speculation on my part. So far i am very very happy with the file quality from the 37Mpx sensor currently in the product. I print a max size of 24x36 and do not usually have to do very large croppings. Those who are printing 40x60 or larger and who do serious cropping may need a much larger number of pixels.

Just my thoughts. I have no information so treat this as one man's speculation

woody

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Well Woody you hit the nail on the head with the Leaf back it is a 5.2 micron and it is a new sensor so in time and availability of course for Leica they could jump over to this or another Kodak if made 5.2. Time will tell of course but it looks like they could jump up the mpx . Obviously and we don't know yet will it be worth it, but the newer tech in 5.2 is here now. I can tell you today between Jacks 60 mpx and my 40 mpx it is not earth shattering difference , sure it is there no question but can you actually realize the difference .

I have a feeling that we will see some radical stuff coming as the economy starts to recover. I think the engineers been sitting in a back room brainstorming all kinds of stuff as this cloud passes. Fingers crossed

 

[6x7]

Lenses designed for that specific sensor format 45x30mm includes that upgrades will only be possible in therms of resolution by using smaller pixels. Upgrading sensor size is not possible any more.

Anyway I don't see Leica S2 competing with MF, wich by whatever definition (645,6x6,6x7) it is not. I see it as a propietary and very special system wich defines itself through other aspects like built quality, price and therfore exclusivity. Not for the masses.
A pro using a S2 can satisfy his clients with pro grade quality files, but Leica cannot satisfy pro shooters at its current stage in many aspects of pro photography. (WA, Tilt, Shift, higher ISO, sensor size etc.)

Oh Guy, thank you for that new hope. I will immediately google "radical stuff" to see what's going to happen
No really, I hope that there is something new in the pipeline and my feeling is that you allready know something…

Peter

 

[Guy Mancuso]

More pixels same area.