That would be one sweet dream camera, but come on!!! You think there were a lot of people complaining about 1Ds3 being too costly. Who in their right mind could afford a camera in the $20-30k, not to mention the $8-14K lenses. Besides, is the quality that much higher to demand that price? It's not technically possible. Take the top of the line Nikon or Canon along with their best lens and put it up against the Leica S2 and it's top lens.

I don't know too much about Nikon, but let's start with the Canon 1Ds3 ($6500) with the 200mm f/2L IS ($5000) against the Leica S2 ($20k) and lens ($15k). Shoot the same subject by the same photographer. A $11.5k system versus a $35k+ system? You can't tell me that the $35k+ system will put Canon to shame...at least not to the extent to warrant an extra $24k. I could practically buy every Canon lens out their for the cost of the Leica S2 and lens.

Leica's great (from what I have read), but unless you have endless amount of money to spend, it doesn't really matter what Leica comes out with. Of course, it makes for an interesting read.

This is a new, larger format than 35mm and competes with and is in the same price ballpark as Hasselblad, PhaseOne, Leaf, Sinar, etc. The prices are relatively comparable. A 35mm DSLR is not the competition anymore than it is for the existing MF systems.

Mere mortals could not afford this thing, just as many of us can't afford the top of the line MF systems. Leica must build their brand on "the best IQ available anywhere at any price." If they can do that, there will be a demand for this. This is where they had fallen behind with the advent of cheap DSLR's.

eonflux wrote:
That would be one sweet dream camera, but come on!!! You think there were a lot of people complaining about 1Ds3 being too costly. Who in their right mind could afford a camera in the $20-30k, not to mention the $8-14K lenses. Besides, is the quality that much higher to demand that price? It's not technically possible. Take the top of the line Nikon or Canon along with their best lens and put it up against the Leica S2 and it's top lens.

I don't know too much about Nikon, but let's start with the Canon 1Ds3 ($6500) with the 200mm f/2L IS ($5000) against the Leica S2 ($20k) and lens ($15k). Shoot the same subject by the same photographer. A $11.5k system versus a $35k+ system? You can't tell me that the $35k+ system will put Canon to shame...at least not to the extent to warrant an extra $24k. I could practically buy every Canon lens out their for the cost of the Leica S2 and lens.

Leica's great (from what I have read), but unless you have endless amount of money to spend, it doesn't really matter what Leica comes out with. Of course, it makes for an interesting read.

foto-z wrote:
edwardkaraa wrote:
Medium format in an oversized 35mm body. In my opinion, this makes it very useful for fashion, and some landscape work. But it lacks the sophistication of the traditional MF bodies which makes it less of a studio camera.

We don't know that yet. It already looks much more interesting than a Mamiya 645, by virtue of the leaf lenses and the tilt shift, and just the Leica glass is enough for me to take it very seriously.

Mamiya 645 has a T/S (PhaseOne/Hartblei 45/3.5 announced a few weeks ago and the old M645 50mm f4 Shift) and Leaf Shutter lenses should be here shortly as PhaseOne has promised at least one by the end of 2008.

If you are looking at new systems larger than the 35mmDSLR's, and desire AF, you have as follows:
*FujiBlads
*Mamiya (Z & 645 systems, and the re-badged PhaseOne counterpart)
*Rollie (and its re-badged counterparts- Leaf & Sinar)
*Sinar m.

Lots of rancour over the Fujiblad's. Slow AF, lenses sort of okay, closed platform regarding the digital back, etc, etc.
Regarding Rollie, in the US, it is difficult to find and get quick support for the lenses making it a risky choice for a working pro.
Sinar m is an ergonomic nightmare, priced into oblivion, the Hum-Vee of cameras.

That leaves just the Mamiya systems. Leica most likely that as an opening for a larger than 35mmDSLR platform with excellent German optics.

jjlphoto wrote:
If you are looking at new systems larger than the 35mmDSLR's, and desire AF, you have as follows:
*FujiBlads
*Mamiya (Z & 645 systems, and the re-badged PhaseOne counterpart)
*Rollie (and its re-badged counterparts- Leaf & PhaseOne)
*Sinar m. .

The Rolleiflex Hy6 is rebadged as the Sinar Hy6 and the Leaf AFi. Phase One does not offer anything for this platform.

was there an s mount in the past?

Its lenses

foto-z wrote:
The Rolleiflex Hy6 is rebadged as the Sinar Hy6 and the Leaf AFi. Phase One does not offer anything for this platform.


Whoops...I'll correct that.

louis fusco wrote:
was there an s mount in the past?

There was a S1 back in 1997.

Lens link is busted

works here

ok, I' ll try that

http://www.1854.eu/2008/09/leica_s2_13_photos_of_the_new.html

Try this http://www.1854.eu/2008/09/leica_s2_13_photos_of_the_new.html I have the page up now.

mawz wrote:
louis fusco wrote:
was there an s mount in the past?

There was a S1 back in 1997.


was it an slr?

The thing I like about the Leica S2 is that it doesn't have the built in grip of the Canon xDs.

As far as price goes, some working photographers rent the right camera for each the job. And some working photographers own Medium Format Digitals.

The 3x2 format is the same as 35mm and the new Leaf 48x56 chip. Lots of people like this format.

Must be a linux thing, im getting errors on the pics. No worries, I'll get to see em tonight.

Sean Mills wrote:
Must be a linux thing, im getting errors on the pics. No worries, I'll get to see em tonight.

His Flickr links are broken. This works:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Leica+s2

Those lenses look special.

louis fusco wrote:
mawz wrote:
louis fusco wrote:
was there an s mount in the past?

There was a S1 back in 1997.


was it an slr?

No, some sort of wierd studio camera. May be the same mount though as it appears that the S1 could use SLR-oriented lenses.

Over at L-camera-forum they are also talking about
a new R10 and a M9.... seems Leica is really busy these days

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/digital-forum/10376-leica-r10-any-ideas-19.html
and BJP
http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=816266

can leica afford to develop 3 different mounts and lenses on there own?

Vaporware? The pics look like extremely early mockups. Has anyone heard anything about a release date or more details such as the viewing system, SLR or not, etc? I bet this camera is 2 years away from actual production and then, only if Leica is, of course, still around. Not that I could ever buy one anyway, but I would love to be wrong about that.

http://www.s.leica-camera.com/

More Info. It is an SLR afterall. How did they do it?

Tariq Gibran wrote:
http://www.s.leica-camera.com/

More Info. It is an SLR afterall. How did they do it?

Not sure what you mean. This isn't vapourware.

Hey, the R10 is good enough for me.

When will it be available? Has Leica said? If its soon, why have no specifications been released? It just seems odd. It almost seems like they are announcing the development of the system. Do you have any more info about the above 's

foto-z wrote:
Tariq Gibran wrote:
http://www.s.leica-camera.com/

More Info. It is an SLR afterall. How did they do it?

Not sure what you mean. This isn't vapourware.