Does Leitz give up on Leica R9 Cameras ??

[kds315*]

Arsenalphoto today announced an up to 65% discount on the complete series of Leica R9 Cameras + Lenses. Sounds like a sell-out to me! OR is it just them dropping that complete line...??

http://shop.shphotoshop.de/epages/es104977.sf/en_US/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es104977_shphoto/Categories/LeicaR

[orly_andico]

Perhaps Leica is ditching the R-series permanently.

They recently announced their whopper $35K DSLR called the S2 with a 30mm x 45mm sensor.

[LucisPictor]

But they are also constantly telling about the development of a digital R10!
I can imagine that this will be an AF-cam (that can use the "old" MF R-lenses as well). So this would be a reaons to sell out the R-cams and not the R-lenses.

[kansalliskala]

Maybe they used all their r&d money to S2 and want to leave the pixel-wars to hobby-camera manufacturers.

[thePiRaTE!!]

Just out of curiosity - does anyone know if these new R mount lenses as easily converted via the Leitax system as older R lenses? I see something I like in there...

Regards,


Kelly.

[orly_andico]

Bigger sensor really is the way to go for even higher megapixels.

Canon 50D (15MP, APS-C) is already at 213 pixels/mm. That translates (Nyquist sampling) to a bit over 100lp/mm which already is in the range of the highest-end, sharpest lenses.

On full frame therefore, with 100lp/mm at the sensor would be around 25MP. The current FF DSLR's are already getting close to that.

[kansalliskala]

Is there some technical reason why FF is so rare? For example why there are no cheap 6x6 or 645 digital backs with something like 10+ megapixels?

[Orio]

[F16SUNSHINE]

My guess is that they are not giving up on the R-series.
As Carsten says. There is much hype regarding an "R" DSLR.
I just checked at B+H and the prices there are stable for the moment.
Maybe "Photo ArSE and All" has gotten themselves into a cashflow problem and is freeing up some dough by cost of profit.
Leica has a limited amount of product on the market it seems unwise for them to drop a product line.
I also would guess that the biggest profit maker for them at this point is probably licensing the name to Panasonic for p+s cameras (lumix etc..).
Surely that is not enough butter for the bread in the long run.

Never know though. Maybe the end is nigh for MF Leica Reflex

[estudleon]

[F16SUNSHINE]

Yes, the 10mp Kodak sensored Digital Module for the R8/9 was discontinued 2 years ago (almost exactly) Due to low sales ($6K for the module only).
But is it true that the base film body and system is also Passed on?

[kansalliskala]

[orly_andico]

Sensors don't follow Moore's Law.

The thing with Moore's Law is that transistor count doubles every 18 months, so you can retain technology and lower the price, or maintain the price and improve the CPU power.

But a sensor is of a fixed size, so its cost doesn't go down that much.

Also large sensors have low market share (sub 2%) so the economies of scale are less apparent.

Here's an example: for the cost (silicon area) of one 5D Mk II sensor, you can probably make 20 Intel Xeon chips each of which you can sell for $200. So there's more money in NOT building FF sensors.

[kansalliskala]

Here is total and final explanation to my suspicion

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/dx.htm

[A G Photography]