photokina - Your Questions To Leica

[mooky]

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Maybe rephrasing Bill's preferences there (with the same intent)

 

Will future M cameras preserve the existing viewfinder/rangefinder and retain the minimal feature set design as well as the existing form factor?

 

Yes they will. They'll also have another type of 'M' that won't.

[peterv]

Yes they will. They'll also have another type of 'M' that won't.

 

IMHO that would be a good solution. A 'regular' M10 somewhere in the future and a versatile FF ILC/EVIL that takes R and (most) M lenses through an adapter.

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[Nicoleica]

IMHO that would be a good solution. A 'regular' M10 somewhere in the future and a versatile FF ILC/EVIL that takes R and (most) M lenses through an adapter.

 

Wouldn't that second camera become known as the 'EVIL twin' though?

[barcoder]

Have you found a new manufacturer for the M8/M9 battery that can reproduce the custom electronics of the previous manufacturer? When will battery production be up and running?

[ShorelightPhoto]

Will there be any further R&D into the known Leica M8 IR issue? Such as a new solution/alternative to using the UV/IR filters?

 

Are there any plans to upgrade the M8's menu system to allow user selectable lens correction data without the use od 6-bit coding on the lenses?

 

Will Leica address the issue of the digital Leica M cameras not having a PC sync flash port in future models. Regardless of the availability of wireless flash triggering it is still nice to have an alternative/backup of sorts?

 

Thank You,

Russ MacDougall

[jjjjuin]

1) why not changing 'the world most useless' logistics company - schmidt marketing? This company is entirely wasting money and ruining the market of asian.

[oofred]

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Hi all,

 

I just acquired the X1. I think adding a Hyperfocal mode to the 3 existing AF mode would allow better street photography without wondering too much about AF focusing speed.

 

Would Leica consider such option in a future firmware upgrade ?

 

 

Regards,

 

F. Lepage

[drunk_evil_666]

Good morning.

I have questions about the D-Lux 4:

1 Is this a device that has no more update?

2 If yes Leica Will it reduce defects such as noise with high ISO, will it increase the overall speed of the device (up-to-point, write files, a reference correlation of focal "analog" or indications of depth of field as well as indication of "hyper-focal" etc..)

4 Generally Leica Will he continue to keep alive this unit for some time or will he abandon the arrival of a potential successor?

5 is a device that has a firmware that has changed little since, which I think can improve further before reaching its final form, it is unfortunate that leaves a Leica camera not perfect.

 

Thank you.

 

 

My English level is low enough, thank you Google for the translation

Edited August 22, 2010 by drunk_evil_666

[menos I M6]

1) why not changing 'the world most useless' logistics company - schmidt marketing? This company is entirely wasting money and ruining the market of asian.

 

Although I understand, that SM adds another margin into the chain of handling items as well as potentially extending turnaround times opposed to a direct shipment of goods from customer to Solms, I was very satisfied, dealing with SM.

 

I brought a 50 Lux ASPH personally to SM Hong Kong for coding and focus adjustment.

I was given a 6 weeks turn around inquiry, handling, service, packaging, payment was handled very professionally.

 

Unfortunately I have found out now, that although the lens feels like new (no more "50 Lux - sticky", but silky smooth focussing), it does not focus on par all my other lenses, which are consistent from 28 − 135mm.

What astounded me, was, that a second hand bought 50 Noctilux was dead on close to infinity to new bought 35 Lux and 135 Telyt, while the adjusted 50 Lux ASPH shows a misfit.

 

This issue is not to be accounted to Schmidt Marketing, but to Leica Solms. I now have to organize another shipping for readjustment within warranty - arrgh - another 6 weeks.

[NZDavid]

Can we have an assurance that Leica will continue to ignore demands for bloatware and feature-creep that would change the DNA of the M series such as autofocus, video mode, clip-on electronic viewfinders or a built-in handgrip.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

 

Seconded! Could Leica reaffirm the same approach for other cameras, too? Concentration on the essentials -- using technology to produce the best possible image quality and reliability, not to add more "me-too" gimmicky features and USPs (unique selling points), and retaining or reintroducing simple, reliable control systems, for example the top-plate dials of the X1.

 

Will Leica continue with or further develop this approach? Could Leica articulate a clear company vision and a design philosophy for the future?

 

It is my view that a clear company philosophy that emphasized simplicity, quality and a Bauhaus approach to design and technology would set the company apart. Of course, Leica already does this with the M, and to an extent with the X1 -- so far. But the temptation is always there to merely imitate other cameras and pack in more (often unnecessary) features. Would taking the best features of other cameras and adapting them to suit a clearly defined Leica design philosophy be a strategy worth developing?

[LeicaR10]

My questions to Leica include:

 

1. Will Leica soon produce a 50mm lens for the S2 system?

 

The current 35mm is superb, but the field of view is too great for many professional applications; i.e. landscapes, wedding, conventions, reportage photography. etc.

 

2. Will Leica also produce an updated S2 known as the 2.2? If so, when will it be available?

 

3. Will Leica produce a focus comfirmation light/sensor for the M9 camera?

 

A focus comfirmation light will be great for low light and people who wear glasses. Many 50 year olds and older have vision problems and have a difficult time with the precision focus of Leica's lenses. Many seniors would really like to own a Leica M9s for travel photography.

 

4. Will Leica produce a 35-50-80mm lens for the M9? This would be a perfect travel lens for many people.

 

Thanks LeicaR10

[hoppyman]

Wouldn't that second camera become known as the 'EVIL twin' though?

 

Evil step daughter more like it, possibly an illegitimate child of mixed racial heritage a reverse Cinderella.

 

Her DNA could not be Messsucher even if she were permitted to wear the pretty earrings of Frau Messsucherkamera .

Edited August 22, 2010 by hoppyman

[ewelch]

Serious question. When is Leica going to give us a camera that can compete with Nikon in the noise area? This is a crucial reason why my personal camera of choice has become Nikon. I shoot real available light. (Underground mines, dark situations, available light in very low light situations. Leica can't even come close to Nikon in this area, or even Canon for that matter. - I use a 1Ds Mark II and 5D Mark II for work most of the time, but my own Nikons as well.

 

Where is the Leica which recaptures the low-light crown? I would buy it in a New York minute!

[aymoon]

I agree with many things said above, especially w/regards to keeping simplicity in the M system. No more bells and whistles, can we please just have an improved chip (greater latitude, less noise etc.) with a faster processor and a larger memory buffer.

 

There are three other things I'd like to see, specifically for the M9/10:

 

1 - A dedicated ISO dial

2 - A quick-wind lever as a true discreet option to re-cock the shutter mechanism, also providing better handling of the camera

3 - Industrial grade weather sealing

Edited August 23, 2010 by aymoon

[thrid]

- wildlightphoto: What's the digital solution for R lenses?

 

- When will be see a professional version of the M9 that is weathersealed? Call if the M9-P

 

- Will we ever see a lower cost digital CL?

o APS-C or APS-H (10MP - 16MP)

o Lower build quality than the M9. A mix of metal and plastic.

o Simplified optical RF unit, similar to the CL. No EVF, but live view.

o Does not necessarily have to be built in Germany.

o Half the cost of an M9.

 

The X1 is not a digital CL.

[Rick]

Andreas, you could probably just as easily collect this redundant information using the forum search feature. I'm with Thorsten, I'll take an espresso, please.

[disambiguated]

These requests all relate to the digital M-series cameras:

 

1. Add an ISO selection control to the top deck, either atop the shutter-speed control knob (a la Canon G11) or on the blank left-side deck.

 

2. Bring back the frames left/battery indicator from the M8/8.2. This was quite useful, would improve M9.x/M10.

 

3. Black chrome, please - some of us don't like the 'weathered' look.

 

4. New Lens Carrier-M reconfigured for the center-threaded digital Ms.

 

5. Improved Leica lens caps - I've lost several lens caps due to their poor seating/locking characteristics, and have switched over to HoodHats.

 

6. Higher fps in continuous mode.

 

7. Configurable audio warning cue for unrecognized lenses.

 

8. Configurable/selectable ISO, aperture, and shutter-speed cues in the rangefinder HUD (can be small, outside the widest framelines).

 

9. Electronic connection between new lenses and the body so that aperture EXIF and HUD cue (see above) isn't estimated, but is based upon actual settings. Ability to retrofit older lenses for a fee.

 

10. User-configurable integral GPS for geotagging.

 

11. Wireless remote-release capability.

 

12. Improved high-ISO characteristics (i.e., less noise).

 

13. Quicker repair turnaround.

 

14. Encouragement/development of more regional repair centers with greater on-site capabilities (i.e., reduce roundtrips to Solms).

 

15. Weatherproofing for body and new lenses; if at all possible, retrofit older lenses for a fee.

 

16. Bring back sapphire LCD protective cover (can be fee-based option for a la carte).

 

17. A la carte digital Ms, please!

 

18. Deprecate weird, useless leather lens bags in favor of compact, conformal, padded ABS plastic lens cases which add very little to the bulk of the stored lenses.

 

19. Reduce shutter/advance noise to pre-digital levels (fabric shutter, manual re-cocking possible w/digitals?).

 

20. License Thumbs Up! from Match Technical and incorporate into the body as an a la carte option, thus freeing up the hotshoe.

Edited August 23, 2010 by disambiguated
Clarified that requests are specific to digital Ms.

[zlatkob]

I doubt that Leica will reveal much information about their future product plans. Manufacturers have good reasons for keeping future plans under wraps until they are ready to announce them. At the same time, I suppose it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

The questions here, as in many threads, reveal that Leica owners themselves divergent product philosophies, some emphasizing simplicity and continuity, others emphasizing utility and performance. I don't think there is any way to make both sides very happy with one product. Hopefully, Leica will see this as an opportunity to make two 35mm digital lines: one a traditional M, and one (called some letter other than "M") that incorporates "radical" changes such as an improved viewfinder, focus confirmation, no removable baseplate, an ISO dial, weather sealing, live view, etc.

[Elk]

I´m putti´n a quite different Q to Leica.

 

I´m not the only one that is convinced that we are leaving the industrial society and are into the information/knowledge society. One proof - we have web 2.0 and this site.

 

I´m also convinced that (due to many researchers, articles and reports) "The wisdom of crowds" (very good read from author James Surowiecki) is something to regard as a powerful tool.

 

Now for my Q; Are Leica considering to be a "modern" company like Eli Lilly or Apple/Google? That is - are Leica considering to let all Leica users cooperate to develop existing and coming products?

 

Why not apply some kind of "App" approach to camera software? Why not let interested "nerds" deliver their lens corrections and include them in Leica software? Why not let Leica users submit their corrections for Zeiss and Voigtländer lenses and include them in the camera software after testing and approving at Leica?

 

That way of working would put Leica far ahead of competition in my pow!

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[Oneshot]

What is the future of the Leica M concept ?

Will Leica make it evolve ?

 

M9 is a "traditional/classic" Leica M, same box, same rangefinder, etc...

But digital is not like film, you have more parameters.

 

I wish to see following improvements/changes

- viewfinder changes with the lens => from x0.5 for wide lens to x2 for 90mm or 135 for example. It's only an optical issue. it would be easier to focus. electronic frames instead of optical to have a more precise framing. perhap's could we imagine a M-Zoom lens...

- better ergonomics : 2 wheels to control speed and iso like pro dslr, better grip

- light exposure : have several light exposure (spot, central, matrix)

 

IMHO, M10 or whatever, must be a true digital rangefinder BUT not a traditional M.

 

otherwise, will Leica launch a EVIL camera ? an improved X2 with good viewfinder ?