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Leica RDigital Back

I don't know if this is news or not, however I learned today from my local Leica dealer that the digital back has a arrival date of Dec 1st.
 
I just read on www.leica-camera.com that they were working hard to finalize a few final software problems and that the new delivery date will be communicated at the end of May.

There is however a review and test report that can be downloaded on the Leica Fotagraphie International website with pictures and some sort of comparison with the Nikon 2Dx and the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II - which looks at "Rauschabstand" across ISO ratings to show that the Leica digital back is comparable if not slightly better.

If anyone finds the same report in English I would be interested.

The link to the Leica Fotografie website is:

http://www.lfi-online.com/akt/aktuell/akt_topstory1.php

Mark
 
having just completed the two day course on the DMR at Leica UK, I can offer some opinions. Firstly it is HEAVY! Secondly, battery life is poor, the tech reckoned 1.5 hours switched on, about 2 hours on/off.
I managed 9 shots before the battery showed 2/3 empty. A colleague flattened it with a further 8 shots.
It is an extremely large brick to carry round your neck for any length of time- you know it after an hour.
Extremely simple to use, no complicated menus, well laid out. Why leica went back to a small monitor, I don't know, after the Digilux 2 monitor, anything else is less !
The software supplied is reasonable, and photoelements 3 is the one supplied with the raw conversion.
Initial files when printed seem to show a majenta cast, but after an hour, stabilise. If you put prints from a Digilux 2, and a Nikon D70 side by side with the DMR,
I have to say there ain't a lot of difference ! ( Only about £4500!) Concensus of opinion amongst 6 attendees was , very nice, too heavy, and we'll wait for the Digital M. Time will tell.
 
Interesting that you mention the poor battery life. Either I missed it on the huge discussion thread at FM forums, or they didn't mention it. Of course in that behemoth thread who knows
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That's a shame, because it seems like a really nice unit otherwise, on the par with the best of Nikon and Canon (I have a Canon 1DsII with Leica and Zeiss lenses).

I also have a Contax ND and battery consumption was my biggest problem. Let's hope they solve this, for the next model.
 
I had a look at the Leica DMR when I was in London recently. When I'm taking photographs I carry a camera over my shoulder all day, and as I'm no longer young I couldn't manage something this weight. A better option for me if I want to 'go digital' with my Leica outfit is to use my R6 (which I would also have to upgrade if I wanted to get the back) with film and have it scanned by my local Kodak dealer who charges $A 5.00 a roll. That way I also retain the original focal length.
 
if I wanted to get the back) with film and have it scanned by my local Kodak dealer who charges $A 5.00 a roll. That way I also retain the original focal length.>

A very reasonable solution, and at $6000 USD you could (if you wanted) scan 1200 rolls of film. For the average shooter that could be 10 years worth. Also, perhaps avoid shoulder and back problems.
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Best Regards:

Gilbert
 
> DJ , It is a problem, and a surprising one; although everything is > very simple to use, and putting the various bits on to the camera is > relatively easy, one thing that is not made clear, is that taking the > old screen out is relatively uncomplicated, but even the tech rep. had > a bit of a struggle to get the new screen back in and SEATED properly > ! And this is what a number of users have reported on. I note also, > that they don't recommend downloading files from the card using the > camera battery, for obvious reasons. It is recommended that the unit > be plugged into the AC/Dc power socket; So, we are back to the good > old card reader, plus a portable hard drive again- something which is > not mentioned in the blurb when you pick it up ! I have the Digilux 2, > and this is the same- it wasn't until after I had bought it, that the > dealer mentioned " don't try to down load using the camera ". Another > point is using flash- it is not fully flash compatible- you can use it > on the "A" mode, but no way is it TTL compatible. OK if you have these > items, but it should not be necessary on a camera costing big money. Regards jerry Harwood.
 
Jerry,

I managed 9 shots before the battery showed 2/3 empty. A colleague flattened it with a further 8 shots.

There must have been something wrong with that particular DMR. I shoot RAW only (18MB file size for each picture) and can shoot over 100 photographs before the battery shows low. I do have a spare battery but have needed it only once.

Here one out of 120 shots taken yesterday with the same battery:

96880.jpg


<center>R8+DMR - Vario Elmar 4/35-70 - f/8 1/180 ISO=100</center>

More of my DMR photographs to be seen on leicaphoto.net
 
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