[LRflex] Re: Next "R" Camera Survey - 20 Questions.

  • From: "Aram Langhans" <leica_r8@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: leicareflex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 14:39:52 -0700

>
>[1]   A fine grained 35mm film is equivalent to about 22 million
>pixels. However, given the current state of the art, the more pixels
>packed onto a chip, the smaller each one will be. Thus, more
>application is needed resulting in more "noise".  OTOH, each
>generation of chips improves things a bit.  Assuming that noise can
>be held to the same levels as currently enjoyed by the DMR, how many
>pixels would you like to see in the next "R" camera?     [A]
>10mp?    [B] 12mp?   [C] 14mp?   [D] 16mp?   [E] 18mp?   [F]
>20mp?   [G] Don't care.
>
>Your answer:  Lets go for D, though C would be acceptable.
>
>[2] Full frame sensors create their own problems with vignetting, due
>to the angle the light rays hit the outer pixels.  This problem is
>less pronounced in reflex cameras than in rangefinder ones, due to
>the need to keep the rear lens elements out of the way of the mirror.
>And, they allow wide angle lenses to work as they were
>intended.  APS-C sized sensors (as in the current DMR) are lower in
>cost, have virtually no vignetting problems and give an advantage to
>tele lens users.  Your preference for sensor size would be...  [A]
>Full Frame,  [B] APS-C or [C] somewhere in between?
>
>Your answer:  Letsa go for A, but B would be an improvement, to.
>
>[3] Sensor format:   Many small "Point & Pray" digi-cameras use the
>16:9 aspect ratio of the new wide screen TV's.  35mm (and the M8, DMR
>and nearly all other dSLR's) uses the classic 3:2 format.   Should
>the next "R" camera use [A] the classic 3:2 (35mm) format or [B] the
>new 16:9 "wide screen" format?
>
>Your answer:  A, final answer.....
>
>[4] Many have criticized the R8 and R9 for their size.... yet praised
>them for their ergonomics.  Would you prefer the mythical "R10" to be
>[A] similar in size to the R8 & R9, [B] similar to the R8 or R9 with
>DMR (or motor drive) attached, [C] smaller, like the R4 through 7
>models, [D] somewhere in between the R7 and R9 or [E} even larger
>than the R9 w/DMR?
>
>Your answer:  I would be extatic with A.  I would never expect D.
>
>[5] Newer, polycarbonate bodied cameras are considerably lighter than
>the current 'R' cameras from Leica.  How important is it to you that
>the next generation be lighter bodies?  [A] Very important, [B] not
>important or [C] doesn't matter.
>
>Your answer:  Maybe a B+.  Definately not heavier than an R8.
>
>[6] Current R cameras offer a variety of exposure modes... Aperture
>Priority,  Shutter Priority, Programme mode and Manual.  Please
>indicate which mode (A, S, P, M) you use the most and give a
>percentage of use.  (For instance, I use only Aperture Priority, so
>my answer would be A - 100%.   Someone else might be A - 60%, P -
>40%)  Please list all modes you use and the percentages you use each one.
>
>Your answer:  I use A most often (80%)  followed by M (20%). however I like 
>the idea of having all modes present.
>
>[7] Current R cameras offer Spot, Center-weighted and Matrix
>metering.  Please list the exposure modes (S,C,M) and the percentages
>of use for each, (as above).
>
>Your answer:  Matrix (90%) Spot (8%) CW  (2%)
>
>[8] Current Autofocus cameras utilize plastic (polycarbonate) lens
>barrels. Their lower mass means that they can be focused more quickly
>with smaller motors (read lightweight and longer battery
>life).   Would you want the next R to have autofocus if it meant
>going to such lenses?  [A] Yes. or [B] No.
>
>Your answer:  NO
>
>[9] If Leica were able to build autofocus lenses that maintained the
>traditional Leica build quality and materials (as well as decent
>battery life), would you want the next 'R" camera to have
>autofocus?  [A] Yes or [B] No.
>
>Your answer:  Probably no.
>
>[10] If you prefer not to have autofocus, or if you would use
>existing Leica MF lenses on the new 'R' camera, how important is
>focus confirmation?  [A] Very important, [B] Somewhat important or
>[C] Not important at all.
>
>Your answer:  B
>
>[11] If  Leica were (able) to design autofocus lenses for the 'R'
>series... such a change might necessitate a different lens
>mount.  How important is it that any newer lens mount be compatible
>with your existing R lenses?  [A] Absolutely must be compatible, [B]
>it would be nice, but not absolutely necessary or [C] not important at all.
>
>Your answer: A
>
>[12] If the lens mount were to be changed,  it might be possible to
>make an adapter which would allow the use of existing lenses in
>Aperture Priority mode only.  Would this route be [A] acceptable to
>you or [B] Not acceptable?
>
>Your answer: A
>
>[13] How important is it to you to have a large LCD screen for
>menus/'chimping"?   [A] Very important, [B] somewhat important, [C]
>not important.
>
>Your answer:  B
>
>[14]  Bearing in mind that having "live view" in an SLR means
>siphoning some light from the finder to a second sensor, how
>important "live view" ... ie: the LCD screen constantly shows what
>the camera is "seeing"?  [A] Very important, [B] somewhat important,
>[C] not important.
>
>Your answer:  C  - please leave the viewfinder alone.
>
>[15] The R8 & R9 finders are amongst the brightest and best anywhere,
>and probably second only to the finders in the Leica SL.  How
>important is finder brightness to you?  Should the next 'R' camera's
>finder be:  [A] as bright as the SL's finder, [B] as bright as the
>R8/9, [C] as bright as the R7 finder or [D] acceptable at a lower
>level of brightness.
>
>Your answer:  B
>
>[16] How important is battery life?  Remember the longer the life,
>the larger (and heavier) the battery.  So, within the constraints of
>reasonable weight and size (and the number of shot you take in an
>average day) , how many shots would you like to see on a single
>charge.  [A] 150 (the current DMR's level), [B] 190 (the current M8's
>level),  [C] 250, [D] 400 or more?
>
>Your answer:B
>
>[17] Speed is an issue.  Do you use a winder or motor with your
>current camera.  How fast should the next "R" be capable of
>shooting?  [A] 2 fps, [B] 4 fps, [C] 6 fps, or [C] more.
>
>Your answer:  A or B is fine with me.
>
>[18] The other speed issue is that of writing to the memory
>cards.  Faster writing means you can empty the buffer and shoot more
>rapidly, but faster processors consume more battery power.  To you,
>is [A] battery life more important than speed, or [B] speed of
>writing to cards more important than battery life?
>
>Your answer:  A
>
>[19] Mechanical noise is always a factor in any camera.  Recently I
>used a Nikon D-200 and was pleasantly surprised at it's lower noise
>level.  How important is it to you that the new "R" be mechanically
>quieter than the current models?  [A] very important,  [B] not too
>important or [C] not important at all.
>
>Your answer:  B
>
>[20] Price is always a factor.  Remembering that the new M8 is
>approximately US$5000 and the R9/DMR combo is around $7,500, what
>would you expect pay for a new Leica 'R' - assuming it has most of
>the features you want?   [A] $4000, [B] $5000, [C] $6000, [D] $7000,
>[E] $8000, [F] More than $8000.
>
>Your answer:  Damn.   B?
>
>
>----
>IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON NEW FEATURES YOU'D LIKE TO SEE, OR ANY
>OTHER ITEM I'VE MISSED, PLEASE ADD A COMMENT AFTER THIS.  THANKS.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Many thanks for taking the time to respond.  It will be interesting
>to Leica and to us all!
>
>Cheers!
>
>
>
>Please
>---
>
>David Young,
>Logan Lake, CANADA
>
>Wildlife Photographs: http://www.telyt.com/
>Personal Web-pages: http://www3.telus.net/~telyt
>
>
>
>
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