Such a design could have been a better choice for the FourThirds standard, since Olympus decided to start from scratch, and they already had the renowned E-series (E-10, E-20) cameras. In that case they could (sort of) avoid the hard (for them) quality comparison with APS-C DSLR's, to which they had little if anything to counter (not smaller size, not higher quality, despite their claims) because of intrinsic higher noise.
I'm with Godfrey here, thinking of Sony as the company currently closest to this trend, because of their R-1 and KM stuff, and also because of their heritage in going against the mainstream. I think of the KM take over as an accident for Sony. If only KM was able to go ahead on their own, I was expecting an interchangeable-lens R1 to be the logical step forward. Also the Olysonic cameras (aka Leicas) are going that way: less and less SLR and more and more EVF-type of stuff. Dario ----- Original Message ----- From: "K.Takeshita" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Pentax-Discuss Mail List" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 5:20 PM Subject: Re: mirrorless SLR fantasy (was: Re: Size comparo...) > 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 -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
