Last Hurrah for Leica?

dpreview.com reports that Leica is prepping its 10 megapixel digital camera back for the R8 and R9 film cameras. The back is scheduled to be released on June 15. The back has a focal length extension factor of 1.37, however buffering and frames per second data was not reported on Leica’s website as of this writing.

This is a hybrid solution: a digital back that works on a film-based camera. Over the years a few other companies have tried to release similar digital backs for Nikon and Canon cameras, but most have failed miserably. The biggest problem with most of the failed hybrid solutions so far has been: 1) high price for poor performance in terms of picture quality as well as speed; 2) poor integration with camera. I will be following Leica’s product closely to see whether it bucks the trend. For this digital back to succeed, Leica must price it attractive enough for R8/R9 owners; my guess is if it costs more than $3000, many Leica owners will defect by purchasing a 6 or 8 megapixel Canon/Nikon/Pentax DSLR with one or two very nice lenses and still get change back. It will be crucial for Leica to retain those loyal customers by pricing it no more than $2000. (But if Leica’s history of pricing is any guide, I really doubt the digital back would be under $2500.)

So my general feeling for the future of this digital back is not good. It will probably be too expensive, and that given that the number of R8/R9 users don’t seem to generate the same economies of scale as Nikon/Canon SLR users, one must wonder what percentage of that already small number of users will want to purchase this digital back. Time will tell.

Writings With A Camera

* The first frame of a freshly installed film is always the hardest. I’d be walking around for hours, camera in hand, but never get off a shot. It’s usually not because the scenery is undeserving of becoming a photograph; rather, I find it difficult to squeeze the shutter during the first frame in the same way I find it difficult to take the first step of a long journey. Alas, once I am onto my second shot, I see rainbows in the viewfinder but to overcome the terror of the first frame oh how much courage is needed! [2003/01/03]