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Dow Jones Business News
Development Of Leica's Digital 'M' To Take About 2 Years
Tuesday February 10, 4:15 pm ET
FRANKFURT (Dow Jones)--Leica Camera AG confirmed in a press release Tuesday that it will develop a digital version of its key "M" rangefinder camera, aiming for a minimum resolution of 10 megapixels.
It should take around two years and cost several million euros, which would put completion of the project at around the time of the 2006 Photokina exhibition in Cologne, Leica Chief Operating Officer Ralf Coenen told Dow Jones Newswires.
"We've been considering the topic (of a digital M) for two to three years," Coenen said. "There's the feeling that now the roadblock is gone."
Leica has said in the past that "M" lenses weren't suited for digital sensors, as the lenses - originally designed for film - cause image distortions on the border of a digital sensor.
However, feasibility studies indicate that new digital sensors with improved microlenses will solve this problem, Coenen said in the press release.
Leica expects its experience developing the "R" digital back will speed the development of the digital "M" camera, but said it was too early to go into specifics.
Leica's digital back, due for release in the fourth quarter, is being developed with partners Eastman Kodak and the Danish digital imaging company Imacon. Leica's consumer line of digital cameras are developed together with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. .
-By Oliver Biggadike, Dow Jones Newswires; +49 69 2972 5500;
oliver.biggadike@dowjones.com