On 9/19/06 10:57 AM, "Godfrey DiGiorgi", <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> I have owned and used several EVF cameras, including the A2 and R1 > (the two best EVF cameras around ... and which i still own and use). > While I don't hold out much hope for an EVF of the quality required > to replace a single lens reflex camera's viewfinder, they are useful > cameras in their own right. > > They are not SLR cameras, if only by definition. There is no mirror > or beam splitter in the light path, the "reflex" part of single lens > reflex. > > If, however, you were to design a camera using a high quality EVF as > an SLR replacement, you'd be throwing most of the advantages away by > adopting any current SLR lens mount. You would be better off > designing a new lens mount that allowed the rear of the lens to get > as close to the sensor plane as possible and thereby allow more room > for light path correcting elements so that the lens would be best > optimized for a digital sensor, with as close to orthogonal light > path as possible. > > This implies a whole new line of lenses and a very different camera > from anything we've seen to date. It would be interesting to see > Pentax produce it as something separate from their SLR line, but I > suspect it will take a lot to build something like this that is > convincingly marketable. Sony is closest to it with the acquisition > of Konica Minolta and the R1 in their portfolio already. > > If such a camera were developed and of the appropriate quality spec > on all counts, like the current R1 but with an interchangeable lens > system and far better quality EVF/LCD, I would be interested in one. > But I still don't see the design paradigm as competing with the DSLR > design of today: it's more complement than compete with different > strengths and weaknesses. The major advantages of an all-electronic > imaging system are the possibility of highly corrected lenses for the > digital sensor, less vibration through the lack of a moving mirror, > and a very flexible viewfinder positioning system to handle all kinds > of situations where the fixed geometry of SLRs' optical viewfinder > system can get in the way. > > Godfrey > > > > On Sep 19, 2006, at 6:34 AM, Takeshita K wrote: > >>> Nice how the lack of a reflex mirrorbox thins out the M8. >> >> Not wishing to stir up any controversy, but above begs another >> question. >> I wonder what other folks think about EVF which will eliminate the >> mirror box, and give lens designers a tremendous freedom in designing >> SLR lenses, particularly wider angle ones. It will also eliminate >> the "ugly" gables from the top of traditional SLRs, giving all sorts >> of freedom in body design too. >> Yes, I understand all the arguments that the optical view finder is >> the essence of SLR and so forth (SLRs are often judged by their >> viewfinder performance). >> However, I once peeped through an EVF of one of the K/M models >> (DiMage A2 or A200 or some such) and was surprised to find how clear >> the image was (I know the poor EVF's of many P&S digicams which are >> only useful for the composition). >> But if the resolution is at least 1mp and the refresh rate is fast >> enough, I would be very interested in it. It can be a 100% view area, >> brighter (it could even be illuminated under certain conditions), and >> give all sorts of creative options such as instant magnification >> etc. Most of all, it is going to give a live view in SLRs. >> >> Maybe Pentax might be the first one to adopt a superior EVF for >> K1D ;-). Then again, they are still too conservative in adopting too >> radical a feature as a pioneer, unlike their past. I agree with your points and your comments are at least rational. Any DSLR with EVF will have a complete new design of body/lens, but that was my whole point. It would essentially be a digital rangefinder but with TTL finder capability and exchangeable lenses. More compact and I believe it is even more suitable for the digital lens design. But as you say, it might be a fantasy, but then, my prediction (!?) would be that EVF will become the fact of life down the road. Maybe not :-). Ken -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
