yes, I should clarify that I am NOT saying that my proposed convertible
lens Med Fmt camera would require the highest performance levels possible
requiring equaling leitz or contaflex or mamiya 7II optics. ;-)

Rather, I would like a decent MF camera where you have low cost (as three
lenses for little more than cost of one leaf shutter with swappable front
elements) and light weight (three lenses weighing little more than one), a
RF for low weight and ruggedness with lower costs than a mirror and prism
SLR, perhaps even a folding RF (cf. old folders, fuji..) design for
compactness for travel.

There have been convertible lenses in LF for ages, and there have been
examples of this design approach (as with the cited Contaflex, Kodak
Retina..) which worked quite well. Given that most of the lens cost is in
the shutter, iris, and mounting mechanics, a design which eliminates these
costs by substituting interchangeable lens fronts for different focal
lengths seems pretty direct design for a low cost low weight camera
option. I understand exotic lenses would be problematic, but I am just
looking for the relatively modest standard lens trio (50/80/150mm) in MF.

If some of the MF fuji zoom lenses had a longer zoom range, this might not
be such an issue. But it looks like fuji is getting out of that business
;-(

regards bobm
--
************************************************** *********************
* Robert Monaghan POB 752182 Southern Methodist Univ. Dallas Tx 75275 *
********************Standard Disclaimers Apply*************************