14 DAY TRIAL // Although it has introduced several new cameras and lenses and it has also updated an older model before the actual start of Photokina, it would seem that German company Leica still had one heck of a "rabbit" in its magic hat. And that's because the high-end digital camera manufacturer has just shed light on its new S2 professional DSLR camera, whose main point of attraction is the custom 37.5-megapixel, 30 x 45 mm sensor that is 56% larger than full frame.
Despite the fact that it incorporates such a huge CCD sensor, the new camera combines the performance parameters of a medium-format digital camera with the ergonomics, form factor, and handling ease of a 35mm SLR. As far as the overall size is concerned, its waterproof body can be roughly placed somewhere between Canon’s EOS 5D and EOS 1Ds Mark III.
According to Leica's statement, its new "masterpiece" will also feature an advanced new dual shutter system with in-body focal-plane shutter for fast lenses, and in-lens leaf shutters for high flash sync speeds, an ultra-high-precision autofocusing system, a new series of lenses designed for the highest possible performance with the new sensor, and a Maestro image processing system that provides twice the speed of comparable medium-format backs, reduces power consumption, and provides in-camera JPEG capability.
It's also interesting to mention that the device, following the Leica tradition, uses the classic 3:2 aspect ratio that corresponds to the human field of vision, a format that's actually known as the "Leica Format." Besides the S2 itself, Leica has also announced a couple of new lenses, including macro, ultra-wideangle, and tilt-and-shift designs.
No pricing details have been revealed for the time being, but given Leica's history of launching some of the most insanely expensive cameras around, this thing could go well over 40,000 Euros when it finally becomes available.