30 years ago, this monster futuristic Leica camera shot digital photos at a resolution that was over 20 times better than its rivals – but there was a catch

Line drawing of Leica S1 camera.

Imagine it’s 1996. In the camera business, the runaway success story is the stylish-looking Canon Elph – an APS film camera that quickly becomes one of the best-selling compact cameras of any type, at least in the USA.

Although the new APS film system receives enormous publicity, 35mm cameras still account for the vast majority of camera sales.