I just posted the first part of my review of the Leica S2 on my blog - Everything Photo. This first part is on the impressive ergonomics of the camera. I'll post more as I get more familiar with the camera.
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That sounds like a bit of a logical leap. What is the evidence of that?Kodak removed the specs of the sensor when the S2 was released so customers could not get the information,
Do a search for the specs for the KAF-37500, you will not find them. However, the KAF-40000 data sheet seems easily available.That sounds like a bit of a logical leap. What is the evidence of that?
Even then, sharing a sensor technology does not mean that the cameras are "twins". Phase One, Hasselblad, Leaf and Sinar have all been using pretty much the same sensors as a group, either from Kodak or Dalsa almost since day one. The sensor will determine certain characteristics, but the heavy lifting in terms of image quality is more from the company's proprietary signal processing algorithms, their lenses and how they decide they want their "house look" to be. It's really no different than the film days...you can put a roll of Kodachrome in your Canon and your Nikon and take a picture and they will not be the same. It is more of a difference now than then, but it is still pretty much the same issue.
From the KAF-40000 data sheet:Both the KAI-50100 and the KAF-37500 Image Sensors are based on the new KODAK TRUESENSE 6.0 micron Full Frame CCD Platform, the company's fourth generation of technology for professional photography.
The KAF-31600 sensor does not mention "KODAK TRUESENSE" and has 6.8um pixels:The KODAK KAF-40000 Image Sensor is a high performance, 40-megapixel CCD. Based on the KODAK TRUESENSE 6.0 micron Full Frame CCD Platform, the sensor features ultra-high resolution, broad dynamic range, and a four-output architecture.
I wonder what you mean by the results of the KAF-40000 and KAF-31600 being similar. I doubt I could identify a sensor simply by a file.The KAF-31600 is a dual output, high performance color array CCD (charge coupled device) image sensor with 6496(H) x 4872(V) 6.8μm square pixels, designed for digital still camera applications.
Steve, that seems to correspond to Leica's initial indication that the sensor in the S2 coupled with the ground-up lens designs and proprietary Maestro processor would be competing with a 50 meg sensor. Before I committed to the Leica, I did test the S2 extensively against my H4D/40, and the S2 decidedly had the edge ... but it was probably splitting hairs. I just like the S lenses, so the body had be come with themI could be wrong, and I am making some assumptions - and I do not have un-fettered access to every CCD schematic made by Kodak/Dalsa, I have to search it out (and frankly do not expend a lot of energy in doing so, as my clients are more often interested in the results than the specifications). So no proof, but my supposition is based on my experience with the KAF-37500, KAF-40000, and KAF-50100 sensors and my feeling that the results from the 37MP Sensor from the Leica are closer in character to the 50MP KAF50100 than the KAF-40000. Results from the KAF-40000 are more similar to the KAF-31600 (found in P30+/H3D-31/eSprit 65).
Further, the below Kodak PR states the 37500 and 50100 originate from the same CCD platform, but does not mention the 40000. Also, the data sheet from the KAF-50100 stipulates there are no microlenses, which are certainly present on the KAF-40000. I could not locate a data sheet for the KA-37500.
Kodak PR on KAF-40000 & KAF-50100
KAF-31600 Datasheet
KAF-40000
KAF-50100 Datasheet
Steve Hendrix
Thanks for the links Steve. From Kodak about the 37500 and 50100:
From the KAF-40000 data sheet:
The KAF-31600 sensor does not mention "KODAK TRUESENSE" and has 6.8um pixels:
I wonder what you mean by the results of the KAF-40000 and KAF-31600 being similar. I doubt I could identify a sensor simply by a file.
Could it be that when Leica said the sensor was developed specifically for them by Kodak, it was?And I am I the only person to think it odd that I can get a data sheet for the 31600, 40000, and 50100, but not the 37500?
But the KAF-31600 and KAF-40000 sensors are not related. The 40000 is related to the 37500/50100.Sometimes the differences are rather extreme, based on the hardware. If you captured images at 800 ISO and full resolution from the 31MP, 40MP, 50MP, 60MP, 80MP sensors (Dalsa and Kodak), regardless of what digital back they came from, I'm pretty sure I could at least tell you which did not come from a digital back that contained the KAF-31600/KAF-40000 sensor as opposed to the others.
Steve Hendrix
I could be wrong, and I am making some assumptions - and I do not have un-fettered access to every CCD schematic made by Kodak/Dalsa, I have to search it out (and frankly do not expend a lot of energy in doing so, as my clients are more often interested in the results than the specifications). So no proof, but my supposition is based on my experience with the KAF-37500, KAF-40000, and KAF-50100 sensors and my feeling that the results from the 37MP Sensor from the Leica are closer in character to the 50MP KAF50100 than the KAF-40000. Results from the KAF-40000 are more similar to the KAF-31600 (found in P30+/H3D-31/eSprit 65).
Further, the below Kodak PR states the 37500 and 50100 originate from the same CCD platform, but does not mention the 40000. Also, the data sheet from the KAF-50100 stipulates there are no microlenses, which are certainly present on the KAF-40000. I could not locate a data sheet for the KA-37500.
Kodak PR on KAF-37500 & KAF-50100
KAF-31600 Datasheet
KAF-40000
KAF-50100 Datasheet
Steve Hendrix
So when Kodak states that the 37500 and 50100 is based on the KODAK TRUESENSE 6.0 micron Full Frame CCD Platform, that means the 40000, which kodak states is based on the KODAK TRUESENSE 6.0 micron Full Frame CCD Platform, is different? And when you compare the spec sheets for the 50100 and the 40000, the spec are very similar, but the 40000 is actually related to the 31600 which has very different specs and is not based on the KODAK TRUESENSE 6.0 micron Full Frame CCD Platform. Interesting.I spotted an error on the PR link (corrected), I meant to say KAF-37500 and KAF-50100 in the title of the link. The PR refers to both sensors as part of the same platform. That doesn't mean they're the exact same architecture, but it is likely that the core architecture is very similar. And that is quite different from the KAF-40000.
Steve Hendrix
So when Kodak states that the 37500 and 50100 is based on the KODAK TRUESENSE 6.0 micron Full Frame CCD Platform, that means the 40000, which kodak states is based on the KODAK TRUESENSE 6.0 micron Full Frame CCD Platform, is different? And when you compare the spec sheets for the 50100 and the 40000, the spec are very similar, but the 40000 is actually related to the 31600 which has very different specs and is not based on the KODAK TRUESENSE 6.0 micron Full Frame CCD Platform. Interesting.