This is interesting. Konost is a company that’s currently seeking funding for their Konost FF project: a full frame digital rangefinder camera, much like the Leica M.

The prototype shown on their website is drop-dead gorgeous, with an all-metal body that looks very similar to the recently introduced Leica T. They claim the Konost FF is “the world’s first true digital rangefinder”. But what does that mean, exactly?:

There are only a handful of digital rangefinder cameras on the market today, a domination held by Leica Cameras. The Konost camera is unique in that instead of using rotating mirrors and prisms in the rangefinder mechanism, it uses a secondary image sensor and image processing algorithms to display the rangefinder patch in the viewfinder. This allows the camera to be all-digital, decreasing manufacturing costs, and does not require high maintenance or re-callibration.

At first sight, it looks like the Konost FF and I could get along pretty well: all manual operation, simple and elegant lines, and it uses the classic M-mount for full compatibility with Leica glass. No mention of price, though. Color me intrigued.

Via The Phoblographer.