So the Pentax 645D uses a Kodak chip 44mm x 33mm and is reasonably priced. The Leica S2 uses a Kodak chip 45mm by 30mm and rather less reasonably priced.
Anyone care to explain.....
Some random thoughts:
- Leica had also to develop a new line of lenses, Pentax has several on the shelf and has more time to renew designs were needed.
- Pentax expects to sell well and got a good volume discount from the sensor supplier (or fabs the sensor in license at lower cost and to own specs)
- Leica had to do more asic design as pentax had more stuff on the shelf from the SLR camera's they make
- Pentax may be happy with a smaller margin/profit per body then leica.
- I think I read that Leica has farmed out part of fabrication, maybe Pentax does much more in-house and at lower costs
- Pentax may have designed the camera for good tolerances and limited need for manual calibration, Leica maybe choose to hit higher standards but that involves more calibration
- and so forth and so forth.