Read all about this surprising development:

Leica S2 article

Amazing development (if true).... there are also rumors about Nikon coming up with a medium format camera as well. I feel like the technological progress is going almost too fast these days... not only cameras become obsolete much faster, but some cameras now become obsolete even before they hit the market (i.e., right after the announcement). Hmm.

I see just the opposite - my Panasonic LX3 cost much more than the Casio EXZ1000, has the same no. of pixels and about the same image quality, and is twice as large and heavy, and all of this 3-1/2 years(!) later. A bad skin rash should fall upon whoever recommended this turkey.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0809/08092301_leica_s2.asp

9 new lenses? From Leica? I smell panasonic.

What? No video mode?

I'll reserve judgement for later... but with Leica's history... I don't know what to expect, but their travels in the digital world have been less then stellar to date.

I'd like to see Leica make a come back... but honestly, to me at least, they're more a fashion label then a serious competitor (in any market). I'll be interested to see how this camera works for them.

Leica's official site now has all the information so it's the real deal. No available date however!! Rumored price is 20K Euro for the body alone!!! Saw the pics at the intro but it was in a glass case. I would like to see what it looks like in someones hand. I suppose with all this interest in MF (Nikon is also supposed to introduce something) they are moving the dynamic in digital photography to the next level. With those suggested prices I'll be shooting MF film for a long, long time.

$20,000 would be cheap for a body like that. I bet the lenses would cost through the nose.

dr gary

I would expect a minimum of $5000 for any non-standard lens!

Leica is almost always fascinating.

But the price point: how far will it be from a Leaf, Sinar, Hasselblad.

We can only imagine the price of a lens for this camera.

(I wonder if it will truly be for professional photographers, or will it be a show-off gadget for the rich?).

It will also be interesting to know how the body will handle, or if the traditional medium format body handles better.

deleted.

Hi,

I think that this is good news.

Leica has excellent reputation for lenses. Their lenses for the 4/3 system are both affordable and excellent. Bigger format lenses would of course be much more expensive. I guess I cannot afford, ever.

For the professional photographer willing to spend real money on very good stuff I think this is very good news.

There is a downside, however, an MF back is incredibly flexible, you can put it on anything. The Leica is maybe a better DSLR, but still a DSLR.

Best regards
Erik

It's interesting, to me anyway, how Leica doesn't bother to compete directly with the Japanese cameras. Rather, they create a niche like digital range finders, and now this, something in between a MF and 35mm. I think it is smart on their part.

But how much better are they compared to Olympus equivalents?
I bet they are not THAT good [Olympus lenses are one of the finest as far as optical results]

To be succesful Leica needs to put that camera into the hands of users. The only way to do that is to price it right. The right price should be around $8,000 . The lenses should be into the $2000-$2500 range for primes. if it turns out a lot more than that then sales volume will most likely be too low.

If they can reach such a price point, or let's say 10.000 US$, then this camera will indeed probably be a hit... my guess is that it will be at least twice as expensive though.

Besides, it all really boils down to what Nikon and Canon have up their sleeves. If Nikon indeed decided to go the MX route, then the Leica is IMHO going to have a really really hard time with the S2. I would think that starting from a white sheet of paper with less price constraint than they have ever had before, Nikon lenses are going to be pretty amazing too...

Cheers,
Bernard

Primes only. I haven't read of any zooms for this camera.

Which is certainly limiting.

There's a Vario-Elmar-S 30-90mm f/3.5 ASPH

Source: http://dfarkas.blogspot.com/2008/09/leica-...ent-for-s2.html

This makes it interesting. Does it have AF? What's 30-90 in full frame?

The prototypes have single-point AF, and the 30-90 gives a field of view like a 24-72 on a 24mm x 36mm camera.

Leica's owner has suggested "between 10,000 and 20,000 euros" [how do you make the Euro symbol on a Mac keyboard?] and discussions on the Leica board seem to group around the idea of 15,000 euros -- but some people think that's a bit wishful. Given the cost of FF Leica lenses -- the new 50mm Nocti is $6,000 -- an S2 outfit with one lens will cost something north of $20,000, I suspect.

I agree that the Nikon project, if it comes to fruition, could be the end of the S2...but Nikon is being coy about this thing, like with its "BIG" ad in a wedding magazine, which makes me think it's possible that the MX might be some kind of very specialized and somewhat limited camera...Could it be a MF sensor with bigger pixels but fewer of them, for less resolution that other MF cameras, but better ISO response and maybe better DR, which is what you need in a wedding camera? How about 31 MP but the ISO response of a D3? We'll see, I guess.

Bernard -- you should be in good shape by the time the thing comes out, at 50 yen to the dollar/euro. 8-)

JC

As far as I know Leica is selling the new nocti for 8000EUR which is more towards 11.000US ;-)