A reflection on the X1's Leica heritage

[johnastovall]

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I was reading my Laney's collecter's guide this afternoon and was struck by how the design of the X1 draws on the Leica Standard E for it's look. It shows to me Leica is sticking to it's long heritage and design tradition.

 

I'm happy to see this. For me the X1 is becoming an camera of interest. I could care less if it's made in Tatooine by nerf herders.

Edited September 29, 2009 by johnastovall

[JackTheRipper]

I agree, I'm glad Leica threw us middle class guys a bone... or should I say, post undergrad guys with 50k of student loans :-0!!!!

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[daveleo]

i also agree ..... with the X1 design, L is reaching for a traditional L-quality product that will sell to a very changed and competitive marketplace, and they have the moxie to go with a design that is classically simple in a world where people want max FEATURES / price.

 

i was tempted a few postings ago to make up a matrix of all the X1 features people were wishing for and how much extra money they would cost..... i got to $5000 and thought .....$%^&^%, buy an M9 if you need the camera to do all that stuff !!

 

(and ..... it is not made by Tatooine nerf herders ..... it says clearly on the bottom plate ..... "made by jawas".)

[FastFashnReloaded]

i also agree ..... with the X1 design, L is reaching for a traditional L-quality product that will sell to a very changed and competitive marketplace, and they have the moxie to go with a design that is classically simple in a world where people want max FEATURES / price.

 

i was tempted a few postings ago to make up a matrix of all the X1 features people were wishing for and how much extra money they would cost..... i got to $5000 and thought .....$%^&^%, buy an M9 if you need the camera to do all that stuff !!

 

(and ..... it is not made by Tatooine nerf herders ..... it says clearly on the bottom plate ..... "made by jawas".)

 

I don't think the Germans has Wookies in mind when they designed the X1, Chewie.

[Tenor1]

Dave, I wish you would develop that matrix. It would be interesting to see how much the X1 would cost with the improvements everybody is suggesting. You have a good point that I've never considered.

[ceflynn]

If one keeps adding more and more refinements, the obvious destination is the M9. The relevant Grimm's Fairy Tale:

 

Grimm 019: The Fisherman and His Wife

 

As an American now striving to live within his means, and a former happy user of the Olympus XA (f=2.8, 35 mm), I might be the target market for the Leica X1. I care about how well it works, and as long as it was made on earth by human beings with components from the United Federation of Planets, I expect to be pleased, even if the LCD panel is not as detailed at that of the D-Lux 4.

Edited September 30, 2009 by ceflynn

[daveleo]

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putting together a cost matrix that would stand up in court .... i couldn't do that.... however, since we are not in court, here was my thinking.....

 

What you want and what it will probably cost ....

 

APS-C sensor size + can use interchangeable <b>M-lenses</b> + integral optical rangefinder / viefinder = Leica M8.0 = $US4000 (body)

 

add an interchangeable M-class Leica zoom lens [28mm-90mm / f2.8] + $US3000 (at least) = $US7000 (body+lens)

 

make that an *integral* zoom lens [28mm-90mm / f2.8] = $1000 (i'm being kind) = $US5000 (body+lens)

 

APS-C sensor size + integral 35mm (equiv) /f2.8= Leica X1 = $US2000 (body+lens)

 

*FF sensor size* with all the above = Leica M9 = $US7000 (body only)

 

 

in my previous post, i should have said "if you want an X1 with all those features, buy an M8" (not an M9).

 

 

i am sure to get beat up on these numbers, but what the heck....

[cookedart]

putting together a cost matrix that would stand up in court .... i couldn't do that.... however, since we are not in court, here was my thinking.....

 

What you want and what it will probably cost ....

 

APS-C sensor size + can use interchangeable <b>M-lenses</b> + integral optical rangefinder / viefinder = Leica M8.0 = $US4000 (body)

 

add an interchangeable M-class Leica zoom lens [28mm-90mm / f2.8] + $US3000 (at least) = $US7000 (body+lens)

 

make that an *integral* zoom lens [28mm-90mm / f2.8] = $1000 (i'm being kind) = $US5000 (body+lens)

 

APS-C sensor size + integral 35mm (equiv) /f2.8= Leica X1 = $US2000 (body+lens)

 

*FF sensor size* with all the above = Leica M9 = $US7000 (body only)

 

 

in my previous post, i should have said "if you want an X1 with all those features, buy an M8" (not an M9).

 

 

i am sure to get beat up on these numbers, but what the heck....

 

That seems about right to me.. my only comments are that a used M8 goes for a lot cheaper than that (but with a 35 f/2.8 is still more expensive than an X1)... However, the price difference is probably small enough that it's worth it, but that's a whole other argument...

 

And also, the M8 does NOT have an APS-C sized sensor, it is APS-H. APS-C is a 1.5/1.6x crop, akin to the lower-middle range DSLRs. There are very few models with a 1.3x crop APS-H sensor out like the M8/8.2 has.. The only other off the top of my head is a Canon EOS 1D Mark III.