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Epson introduces digital M

Tsun hypothesized that “the advance lever is to [cock] the shutter - save battery life.†This to me sounds logical, as all the battery power is then only for image formation and preview, the camera operation functions are essentially manual.

In response to Jeff Roberts question over pricing, I assume from the fact that dial controls have been preferred over buttons and LCD display, that this would likely be a reasonably expensive camera rather than a less expensive one. I would not be surprised if it is on the pricy side.

And yes it may all just be cruel joke on us all. Interestingly I mentioned the Epson “digi-M†to some very learned colleagues of mine (these guys really know their technical stuff) and their first response was “but it won’t workâ€. We shall see.

It’s all good fodder for a forum such as this, however.

Craig
 
I've not seen it mentioned, but isn't the Epson M body based on the basic 'bessa r2' design that's manufactured by Cosina? There are others made from this design also such as the Rollei RF. I find the look of this (if it's real) camera quite attractive. Especially when compared to the look of other non-slr digital cameras instead of comparing to other film cameras. On another note, if this is not all a hoax, we Leica users who have been watching the value of our equipment going down for the 1st time in history should see this rapidly change it's direction. A lot of people have been selling their equipment to go digital that are doing it with a broken heart. I sure hope this is all on the level.
 
I have become quite excited about this project. It is a dream come true - love the Leica system, but am unable to afford an R8/9 and the digital back. Perhaps this will be a relatively cheap way into it. Would pay about £1000 for this body, if the reviews are good. Just one thing - why are Epson doing it? There can't be a very large market.
 
It's likely that Mr. Kobayashi of Cosina approached a number of electronics companies already in the digital arena in one way or another. Seiko Epson are a quality company with deep pockets, and the market could be a lot bigger than you think if you follow Mark Wahlster's reasoning above.

I've read elsewhere that the sensor might be the 6.1MP Sony that Nikon uses in their DSLRs. That would mean 1.5x on the lens focal length. Don't forget that Cosina/Voigtlander make some reasonably priced and optically excellent wide and super-wide lenses...
 
The hugely successful Voigtlander 12mm would be a big draw for this body as a digital. it would be the only sub 20mm (35mm format effective) lens I know of for a digital camera.

Plus as I said lenses like the Canon 14mm f2.8L nFD and 7.5mm f5.6 nFD Fisheye or on the cheap side how about the 16mm russian lens I see being put into every mount you can think of.

If they were to come out with anytype of thru the lesn view with the magnified focusing patch simular to the Canon G series has then. ANY manual focus mount (save a few old wides with proturding rear elements) would fit on this body. Heck my 500mm f4.5L would justify the cost of the body all by it self.

Think of the odd optics that could be adapted to a body with a LTM or M mount and a 28mm back focus. How about the lenses for my Paxettes Coated tessar designs. LOTS of stuff for collectors instead of Mom and the kids.

When the market is filling up find a new market Cosina would do just that with a body like this. They would have the largest market of camera users to sell to. Those people who already have a SLR system be it one or 50 lenses.

Just thinking,

Mark W.
 
Well, I must be missing something re this wide-angle discussion. I have a 14mm,15mm,18mm,18-35, 17-40 and a 12-24 on the way. These all fit the Kodak 14n or Canon 1Ds. Aren't these all 'sub 20mm'?
 
Robbe, the point is that both the Kodak and 1Ds have 35mm format (24x36mm) sized sensors. In theory (due to no FL factor) this gives digital capture true wide-angle capability with normal film lenses. In practice, the results produced with this system exhibit a fall off in quality toward the edges of the image. ie you start to get artifacts and colour fringing which Canon users in particular erroneously call Chromatic Aberration. The product of a sensor-lens mismatch, not lens quality as is popularly believed.

By using an APS sized sensor (as in the Epson), only the central portion of the lens is used. ie only those light rays which hit the sensor “straight on†form the image. The result no artifacts such as colour fringing and better image quality with wider angle lenses. Because of the FL factor in APS systems you need really short focal lengths such as 12mm for wide-angle photography.

The bottom line is that digital capture with DSLRs using lenses optimized for film work is a compromise which ever route is taken by a particular manufacturer. Marketers know that photographers are wedded to their lens system. So they get us hooked on DSLRs that can be used with our existing lenses and then they can start introducing optical systems that are optimized for digital down the track. As with Nikon's approach with the DX range of digital optics.

Craig Hoehne, in the fowl sub tropical humidity and heat. I’m off to the darkroom it has air con.
 
Craig,
Thanks for presenting one of several views on the full-frame wide angle issue. I can tell you from experience that the Nikon 12-24DX on a D1X was no better a performer around the edges that the 18-35 on a 14n or the 17-40 on a 1Ds.
Even so, I'd rather deal with a slight softness on the edges of a large file than a much smaller file that may be marginally sharper on the edges.

But, to each his own.
I am looking forward to using my 'M' lenses with some kind of digital body. I don't really want to give up the wide end, though.

Take care.

Robbe
 
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