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Why doesn't Leica make a DSLR?
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There's a pentax panasonic dslr coming out with a leica mount and leica have said they've plans to release something although it'll just be a rebranded version of the other. Check out dpreview.com for more information - there's a quick preview of the slr there.
edit: link http://www.dpreview.com/news/0602/06022801panasonicdmcl1handson.asp
edit: link http://www.dpreview.com/news/0602/06022801panasonicdmcl1handson.asp
just as a correction, it's Olympus and Panasonic, not Pentax, and it uses the Olympus 4/3 (Four Thirds) mount not a Leica mount
Cheers. Just remember reading something about the camera and that leica were going to make lenses. Went back to remove the pentax thing but evidently didn't remove the whole remark. Afraid that I can't provide links to leica saying they'll make a camera but i'm sure that you'll be able to find such things on the site - all leica releases over the last few years have just been expensive, rebranded panasonics with leica esque bodies.
----Bowie---- said:
Not so odd when you consider the cost of developing an AF system. And a standalone DSLR would be hard for a company with limited market appeal, and hence limited R&D budgets.
The R8 & R9 digital back was a stroke of genius for a company of their size. It allowed satisfied R8/R9 users an opportunity to gain access to digital without the company needing the pockets of Nikon or Canon to do it.
Some may not like it, but the future of Leica in the DSLR market may be with Panasonic and Olympus. The new Panasonic L1 shows promise of being a great DSLR. And with Leica helping Panasonic with the lens designs, they are providing a footprint for the future of Leica.
As I have mentioned here in other posts, the dawn of new "formats" has always had the wailing and gnashing of teeth. From the time of LF (11x14, 8x10 and heaven forbid a way too "small" 4x5) giving way to that roll film upstart (120) to Leica leading the way to 35mm - each step had those that were saying "hell no!" to the smaller sibling that was making its entrance to the mass market. Each smaller format won its place because new films made it possible to do more with less.
As with film, as the sensors for digital will get better; we will also see that smaller formats will gain ground. IMO the APS-C formats of Nikon, Canon, Pentax, and others will become the new MF. It is possible that the 4/3's format will become the new 35mm format. And MF DSLR's will become the new LF for digital users. And the FF sensors like the Canon 5D will be a new middle ground.