- Full frame 24x36mm
- 24MP or more (based on the size of the sensor compared to the 30x45 mm 37.5 MP sensor in the S2)
- Kodak sensor
- ISO 1600 and above (with 1600 ISO in acceptable quality; better than existing Hasselblad it has been stated)
- Same or better image quality than DMR (which is already better than Canon 1ds Mark III and Nikon D3)
- Autofocus (with a new range of AF R-lenses implied, or internal AF as described further down the page!)
- Backwards compatible with existing non-AF R-lenses
- Based on the S2 developments and technology
- Big bright viewfinder, great for focusing, information and prople wearing glasses
- Fast AF, fast buffer, fast everything
- Smaller size than Leica R9, Leica S2 and Canon 1ds Mark III
- FireWire
- Focus on simplicity, manual control, image quality, Leica philosophy about the image in focus
- Dual memory card support for Flash and SD-cards (as the S2)?
Related posts:
12 Comments
No way.
1: Better image quality than the Nikon D3? That’s a laugh. DMR at ISO 800 can’t touch the D3 at ISO 6400! Please, let’s not get hysterical here. Leica has a long way to go to compete in high ISO image quality. And Kodak isn’t up to the job of beating NIkon’s new sensors at this point.
2: No way it’s in-body AF. Leica officials already said it won’t focus the old R mount lenses.
I would love to see an R10, and I’d love to see Leica thrive. But I’m afraid they’re going to price themselves out of the market with the digital transition.
but then again Leica has also said that there will not be an FF-Leica, or that there won’t be autofocus, or a million other things.
Autofocus with old R-lenses is certainly doable, everyone surely remembers that Contax did the same thing some time ago with the Contaax AX, but with film. And I suppose that’s harder than with a sensor. They can already move the sensor sideways (stabilizers), why not back and forth also.
I wouldn’t bet the image quality farm solely on the D3 just yet. In my freelance years, I never needed anything faster than 1000 ISO. In other words fewer care about high ISO than they care about high image quality.
I also think that Leica is very aware of the market and has no intentions of pricing themselves out of it. It is quite obvious that Leica is a different company than it was a couple of years ago. Though the M8 certainly has it’s share of problems and the DMR was not full-frame, it was a high quality imaging tool. The next M will be better, and the R10 will make itself established in the high end of 35 FF digital. The new owner has a very keen appreciation and deep pockets to see that Leica continues and advances it’s imaging tool line-up.
Eric, Leica actually did say that they will provide an adapter for old R lenses:
http://leicarumors.com/2008/10/11/interview-with-maike-harberts-of-leica-camera-ag-about-the-new-leica-s2-and-the-upcoming-leica-r10.aspx/
With the previous comments noted, I’d add that the choice of Firewire as the port of choice is questionable given that even Apple – the developer of FW – is moving away from the port in their recent introductions.
As I was the one who stated that DMR is better image quality than Canon and Nikon D3, let me clarify that I certainly distinct between IQ (image quality) and ISO (in the same manner as one would distinguish between frames per second, megapixels, etc)
I get from Canon 1ds Mark III and Nikon D3 users that the DMR files look great and still beat those cameas, even it’s an “old” digital back. Reason is not the megapixels, handling of high ISO or any other – but simply the way the DMR treat sharpness, colors, light, etc.
It’s implied in this, that it’s a matter of individual taste. And as I wrote it, I took the liberty to tell what I see. Others might be convinced that if you measure the noise, blow up a certain detail, that other 35mm cameras beat the DMR. Their choice. I look at the picture as a picture and how it represents what was in front of the camera, as well as aesthetics.
I’ve heard about the R-to-S2 adapter which will allow R-users to use their existing R lenses on the S2 camera, but this is the first I’ve heard of a mount adapter being required for R lenses on the R10. If Leica does change the R-mount, that’ll likely mean wonderful features such as fully manual aperture control with the existing lenses. If that’s the case, and I’ll admit it wouldn’t surprise me, the R10 be stillborn.
Thorsten’s source page for this article claims that the DMR was the “2006 no-less-than-brilliant digital back developed by Leica/Kodak/Imacon”. Let’s place that brilliance into perspective. It took Leica more than two years to ship the DMR after announcing it in 2003. It was buggy from the outset and it wouldn’t work at all with some R8 cameras. It was then abruptly discontinued less than two years after shipments began. Most of the problems with the firmware were addressed some time after that. They may have sold 4 or 5 thousand examples at stratospheric prices. If that’s brilliance, goodness knows what Leica will come up with for an encore.
If nothing else, the claim that the DMR was brilliant may provide some context for the assertion that the DMR’s image quality “is already better than Canon 1ds Mark III and Nikon D3″, and the equally plausible prediction that the R10 will offer “Fast AF, fast buffer, fast everything”. No doubt it will be as fast or faster than its peer group (which will, by the time Leica finally gets around to releasing the R10) consist of the Nikon D5 and D900, and the Canon 1Ds Mark V and 5D Mark IV.
For what it’s worth, I’ve got a D700, and although I’ve only toyed with the idea of getting a DMR for my R8 and R-lenses, I’m reasonably familiar with the DMR’s output. Nothing that I’ve seen persuades me that the Kodak sensor in the DMR offers better performance (whether you characterize this as “image quality” or using some other nomenclature) than the Nikon sensor in the D3/D700. I’m sure that there are many photographers (including Thorsten, judging by his work) who could take a better photograph with a DMR than I can with a D700, but that’s attributable to the abilities of the photographer, not the DMR or its sensor.
LEICA R10 will accept all the RMFocus Lenses so shall the newly introduced S2 with dedicated S to R Adapter. LEICA already made Adapter M to 4/3. Novoflex made Adapter M to R. This reminded me on Contax and their Adapter Medium Format to 35mm.
By the way: The Sensor is not requirement to take better Pictures. The DMR Kodak Sensor was tuned up specifically for the LEICA Lenses, not to mention the absence of the IR Filter, and supreme quality of the Lenses for what LEICA has been known for.
A lots of photographers use Canon Bodies and LEICA R Lenses because of the economical reasons (besides the benefits of the FF Sensors in them),
All of the three LEICA Systems: M, R and S are based and built on great European centries old traditions, including Paintings, optical and optomechanical engeneuring. So as a good wine or fruit on the the tree takes time to ripe, seems to me that the Japanese industriial mentality is completely based on different platform, but brilliant in their own terms.
The Images from DMR or M8 are closest to the FUJI Velvia Slide Film images than any other Camera System that I know of.
Cheers, Tomislav Stanich.
Do I understand this correctly the S2 will allow R lenses to be adapted. For example I coul use a Apo-Telyt-R 400/2.8 with 1.4 Apo-Extender on the S2 to take wildlife shots?
Yepp,… but bear in mind the Apo-Telyt focal Focal Lenght coupling with S2?!
It will be 800mm, 2. 8, right?
I am not sure it should be made by LEICA, or by some other indenpendent manufacturer, like Zork or Novoflex.
As we can remember when LEICA made adapter for R to Olympys 4/3. They are gonna do it for their own native System.
Cheerz, Tomislav.
Same or better quality than the DMR??
I hope it’s a LOT better than the DMR and I would be happy if it had half as good a sensor as Nikon or Canon.
I am sorry to say this, but the DMR was a heap of crap that never worked right.
Lots of technical problems, awful colours, useless in higher ISO and hard to handle.
Its quality is beaten easily by a Canon EOS 5D (Mk I!) with R-Lenses.
Let’s see what the R10 will be like.
Leica has no chance to compete with Canon or Nikon on the AF-SLR market in my eyes.
But what about a solid, high-quality FF manual focus SLR?
With an excellent viewfinder Nikon and Canon do not have?