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Leica R at Photokina 2014


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I predict that Leica will introduce a brand new camera system at the next Photokina 2014.

 

The camera will be a full frame DSLR, in many respects an evolution of the R9 model. It will be called Leica R and, just like Leica M and Leica S, will constitute a major investment of the company.

 

It will combine the good merits of the discontinued R9 (durability, ergonomics, accurate exposure metering, etc.) with those of current Leica M and S models: CMOS (I expect over 30MP), live view, high ISO, video, and expandability; but it will be autofocus. It will accept all the manual focus R lenses, which will work at full aperture and have focus confirmation; no adapter will be required for that.

 

In parallel, Leica will start producing top-line autofocus lenses for the new Leica R camera. These lenses will in a sense duplicate the old R line, keeping up with the same high optics and assembly standards but be redesigned using modern software and manufacture technologies.

 

In addition, Leica will start offering those AF lenses for other brands like Nikon and Canon. Whether that will be achieved through adapters or with on-lens dedicated mounts will depend on the profitability of each solution. By offering its own AF lenses for other brands, Leica will successfully compete with Carl Zeiss's analogous lines of non-AF lenses.

 

With that, Leica will establish a solid product profile, consisting of Leica S, M, and R professional digital cameras combining bodies and dedicated lenses; the highly regarded Made-in-Germany compact camera X; and the very successful cooperation with Panasonic products, namely, D-Lux and V-Lux compact cameras.

 

Leica will retain the MP and M7 film cameras, if only for their few but dedicated serious film shooters, at least as long as film is still available.

 

Thus, Leica will keep its tradition-respecting philosophy, along with an understanding of the demands and trends of the new digital era.

 

Paul

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I predict that Leica will introduce a brand new camera system at the next Photokina 2014.

They may or they may not; it’s hard to say.

 

The camera will be a full frame DSLR, in many respects an evolution of the R9 model.

No, most definitely not. There won’t be another DSLR.

 

In addition, Leica will start offering those AF lenses for other brands like Nikon and Canon. Whether that will be achieved through adapters or with on-lens dedicated mounts will depend on the profitability of each solution. By offering its own AF lenses for other brands, Leica will successfully compete with Carl Zeiss's analogous lines of non-AF lenses.

Theoretically possible but doubtful. To compete with Carl Zeiss they would need to outsource the production of those lenses and I don’t think they would like to do that.

 

Leica will retain the MP and M7 film cameras, if only for their few but dedicated serious film shooters, at least as long as film is still available.

Quite likely; it’s more or less what they said they would do.

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Brave predictions! I don't think there will be anything with R - don't forget, R9 was not a success, so the market is not missing anything. With Nikon, Canon and Sony in the FF race I don't see what Leica could offer to differentiate.

 

To me the new R-solution seems to be quite satisfactory. Let's see how the picture quality compares to the competition and what nasty surprises will pop up in 2013. The first one might be a delayed launch - Leica did not mention a month, just named the year!

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At some point they should realise that it's actually possible to be a niche player in the "traditional" DSLR market, by downsizing their S line which supposedly sells enough units.

Releasing a mini-S with a hybrid viewfinder, which would also serve as a testbed for future M. That would be the R10.

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Wowzers, Brave prediction. Nice.

 

I can't imagine now they have the R adapter for M they will ever revisit the R. I think the is a stroke of genius and obviously timing is right with the EVF for them. They have been no doubt waiting for this moment since the demise of the R.

 

I think the ME and the M will grow further separate as time goes on. The ME remaining the purists M-essential and the M will turn into the all singing and dancing Medium Format Digital slaying flagship.

 

Either that or they will be committed to the S and will keep the M at a level under the S. The S has been a big gamble for Leica and it seems to be finally paying off as rental companies here in London have only just started taking them on. A very interesting and telling sign.

 

Personally I want to see the M as a 40-50 MP camera that replaces medium format.

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I really can't see them introducing a new 35mm format DSLR system. They have already decided that they can't compete in that market, so I wonder why things should be any different by 2014?

 

I would expect a development of the X camera (hopefully to something more like a fixed lens M camera than a grown up P&S), and in time, probably not before 2014, a evolution of the M system into an AF EVIL body/lenses, which would most likely be in addition to the manual focus M cameras.

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No clue how the OP got this idea but Stephan Daniel has said many times on the record that they will not continue development of the R platform. They already have 2 lens mounts to support with the M and the S. Leica's optics department already have their hands full designing and manufacturing lenses for the M and S mounts (as well as the cine lenses that people rarely talk abot). Moreover, Stephan Daniel has said numerous times that Leica cannot and will not compete with 35mm DSLRs market since the prices from Nikon and Canon are too low. Andreas Kaufmann has said that Leica will never make an affordable/cheap Leica and, like Porsche, an entry-level Leica will always be a used Leica. Along with this, any revived R camera will compete with the S and/or M lines not only on sales orders but also on development resources - remember, Leica is a small company compared to Sony, Canon, and Nikon (200-300 employees versus 24,000 employees for Nikon and 160,000+ employees for Sony and Canon).

 

All that being said, Leica already has a DSLR called the Leica S. It has a larger sensor compared to standard offerings from Canon/Nikon/Sony and is infact smaller in size compared to a Canon 1 series and Nikon D4. Leica will continue to develop and improve the Leica S. In the latest update, they knew that the AF module on the S2 was lacking and they have updated the current S with an improved AF sensor. The S will receive incremental updates as the technology becomes available to Leica and will be Leica's DSLR offering for the foreseeable future.

Edited by beewee
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At some point they should realise that it's actually possible to be a niche player in the "traditional" DSLR market.

 

IMO they perfectly realized that however, the R constitutes a potential threat to the success of S and it simply doesn't make sense to allow two very similar systems to compete for the same market niche and limited company resource.

 

Leica probably doesn't need to worry about Canon or Nikon because they have enough to chew already. But it's possible that Sony would up the game by offering a medium format sensor of some sort - you are gonna admit that they are really the innovation force now.

 

It would be interesting to watch Leica's next move if that happens.

Edited by sdai
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I predict that Leica will introduce a brand new camera system at the next Photokina 2014...

 

 

Yes, surely this is what engineers and management at Leica would fantasize about should they have full blown manic episodes.

 

Look at how long it took Nikon and Canon to develop comprehensive digital SLR systems and they had a lot more resources. In 2+ years time Sony has only managed a few lenses for the very popular Nex bodies.

 

That being said I do agree that Leica will make some kind of new AF interchangeable lens system camera (smaller than the S) at some point. But I don't know what or when. My bet would be on APS size to keep the price down and differentiate it significantly from the M line.

Edited by AlanG
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dream on! ;)

 

I can't see the R being resurrected....I think Leica are steering very clear of the DSLR market on purpose....that is their niche and as a small company I don't think they have the resources, capacity, or motivation to resurrect the R. the adapted M is their solution...and if I were an R user I'd be happy with that. the best of both worlds, really...

 

I do agree with earleygallery though that the X series will evolve into something greater....and that will be their 'pocket' solution....something it sort of is already, albeit without a Rangefinder...or lens focusing ring.

Edited by iedei
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I think if Leica introduced a DSLR below the S system they would be killing themselves for sure. There's no way Leica can compete with the hectic product introduction schedules on so many fronts, especially when even SLR giants like Olympus and Sony/Minolta (and Panasonic) had to pull out of "traditional" DSLRs and invent new spaces to play in.

 

The R system was very nice - I like mine very much, still. But it is what it is. Time to move on.

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IMO they perfectly realized that however, the R constitutes a potential threat to the success of S and it simply doesn't make sense to allow two very similar systems to compete for the same market niche and limited company resource.

 

By traditional I meant 35mm, the S playing in a different market.

 

Imagine an R10M, with the same monochrome sensor as the M9M. Sure, Leica wouldn't sell millions of them, but they would have a clear and deserved place on the 35mm market. As opposed to, say, Pentax and Olympus; whose reflex are hardly different from Canon and Nikon - which is why no one buys them.

Edited by Angora
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Imagine an R10M, with the same monochrome sensor as the M9M. Sure, Leica wouldn't sell millions of them, but they would have a clear and deserved place on the 35mm market. As opposed to, say, Pentax and Olympus; whose reflex are hardly different from Canon and Nikon - which is why no one buys them.

Neither Olympus nor Pentax have an 35 mm DSLR in their portfolio … And yet both Olympus and Pentax are selling more DSLRs than Leica could hope to sell of an R10.

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Neither Olympus nor Pentax have an 35 mm DSLR in their portfolio … And yet both Olympus and Pentax are selling more DSLRs than Leica could hope to sell of an R10.

 

Pentax has 4 DSLRs in their current range: K5-IIs, K5-II, K-r and 645AF Digital which is a medium format DSLR. Olympus tehnically still has the E5. Technically.:D

 

EDIT: but yes, neither of them are selling in volume. They hold less than 10% of the DSLR market. Imagine if Leica held 10% of that. Hmm.

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Imagine an R10M, with the same monochrome sensor as the M9M.

 

Leica's sales are barely more than an asterisk in the industry, R was barely more than an asterisk in Leica's sales, and the Monochrom is a niche within Leica. Triple asterisk, anyone?

 

I doubt there's anyone who wanted Leica to make the R10 more than I, but realistically there isn't the slightest chance it will happen.

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