Every time Leica releases a new model it becomes an instant classic.  This time it released a new model which was so unexpected that it created a class of its own.

The Leica S2 is a 37-megapixel camera in a body the size of a 35mm DSLR.  It has a 30×45mm CCD sensor, which is about 56% larger than a full-frame DSLR sensor.  It’s a weather-sealed body, with dual-shutter capability and saves to raw, JPEG and DNG.  It has a 3-inch LCD  at the back with a control display at the top of the camera.

And what’s more is that there are nine lenses designed specifically for the S2 which were also announced at the same time.  This indicates that Leica is intent to make this camera the start of a whole new series.

However, contrary to what this looks like, the S2 is not a regular DSLR, but what Leica calls a “middle-format” which is a new platform.  Leica noted that photographers who use medium format cameras also have a second camera, usually a Nikon or a Canon SLR for field work.  And the S2 was designed for that market of professional photographers (with the expected price tag to boot).  It has a sensor the size of medium-format film, in the body of an SLR.  A relatively medium-sized SLR.

Traditionally, large printing was done with transparencies shot with medium-format cameras.  The film size is larger than those for a 35mm SLR.  You can blow up both films, but the optimum blow up size for a 35mm film is considerably smaller than those for a medium-format camera. With the migration to digital format, the analogy is that of more megapixels for larger prints.  If you have a 3-megapixel picture, it’s optimum size would be that of half-A4 size.  When printing a 3MP picture to the size of an A4 page, the resulting print would be showing artifacts and blurs.  You would have been better off with a 5MP or an 8MP file for A4 size printing.

(Another way of looking at it is if you used an 800×600 jpeg file as a desktop background on your 1280×960 screen. Same thing happens, you’ll be getting blurs and artifacts.)

In terms of printing area, a 37MP would be more than enough for printing on a big poster, showing details even when you have your nose up close to it.

My take on it is that the S2’s only compromise is the use of CCD instead of CMOS.  Then again, it would have taken them a little bit more research and development, and a larger budget if they had used CMOS sensors.  On the other hand, the use of CCD means that the this is still slightly slower than DSLRs with CMOS sensors.  Come to think of it, at 37MP, it doesn’t make sense to have CMOS sensors because of the sheer size of the resulting file.  The bottle-neck would just move from the sensor translation to the file saving part of the software.

At a rumored price close to $30,000, the Leica S2 will be available Summer of 2009.

Official website:  Leica.com

In an understated bid at a crack at the top of the DSLR market, Sony has unveiled it’s top-of-the-line (alpha) DSLR-A900. Boasting a top of the heap 35mm full frame 24.6MP CMOS, the A900 is one step up from the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III with 21.1 MP full-frame CMOS sensor.

The reason I say it’s understated is because Sony advertises this as designed to “meet the demands of serious enthusiasts.” I wonder why Sony would have the most sensitive full-frame CMOS sensor in a camera and not go loud in the drum-beating. The only reasons I can see in that marketing strategy is if they are already working on the next big thing. Or if they know something’s coming up from Canon or Nikon.

Among other things that this camera lacks is a built-in flash. The specs on the Sony page clearly says so. Seems this is going to be more common in high-end DSLRs, as rumor has it that the next two cameras Canon is set to release also don’t have any built-in flash. I can understand that as it would be a balancing act with regards the power requirements on the battery: with more power needed for the capture, processing, and saving to file, the flash would be a relatively big drain on available resources.

And it also doesn’t have an in-camera sensor cleaning system. This is practically a standard feature in other cameras of its class. And no Live View nor a video mode.

Other standard features clearly signal this is more of a pro-user camera rather than for an advanced enthusiast. With the on-chip dual noise reduction, dual BIONZ image processing engines, 5 fps burst shooting speed, shutter speed of 1/8000 to 30 seconds plus bulb mode, 3-inch LCD, and HD output (through HDMI).

The camera will be in stores in November at a hefty $3,000 (approx.) price tag, clearly this is a pro-user trying hard to pass itself off as a hobbyist-camera.

It would be interesting to see what Sony would do for an encore.