pop Posted February 8, 2011 Share #21 Posted February 8, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Who cares if it's functional (nor even if it's handsome). It is a design exercise I do. I fail to see the use of a design if it's not addressing either the function or the look of an artifact. Reminds me of the guy whose only design idea consisted of pressing lumps of putty into some kind of shape which could be manufactured. I nearly dropped the bottles he had "designed" whenever I wanted to put it into the fridge because you could hold it at one angle only, and this didn't happen to be an angle at which you possibly could put it into the fridge. We stopped buying that brand of mineral water. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 8, 2011 Posted February 8, 2011 Hi pop, Take a look here Leica E ? . I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Riley Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share #22 Posted February 9, 2011 I do. I fail to see the use of a design if it's not addressing either the function or the look of an artifact. Reminds me of the guy whose only design idea consisted of pressing lumps of putty into some kind of shape which could be manufactured. I nearly dropped the bottles he had "designed" whenever I wanted to put it into the fridge because you could hold it at one angle only, and this didn't happen to be an angle at which you possibly could put it into the fridge. We stopped buying that brand of mineral water. they should put rubber grips on bottles so they dont slip out of your hand in the shower. just sayin... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmldds Posted February 9, 2011 Share #23 Posted February 9, 2011 There's a few of you being a bit tough on this. Personally, I think it's great and I congratulate Elizabeth for not allowing convention to cloud her imagination. Who cares if it's functional (nor even if it's handsome). It is a design exercise and as such, she's probably put heart and soul into it. So good luck to her and I look forward to her first offering when she's made chief designer at Solms (but please, Elizabeth, can you just tone it down a bit ... after all, this is a Leica and it has to be a little bit conservative and, er um, traditional ... know what I mean). +1. I was an art student once... It is always tough to balance the respect for tradition and the freedom of the mind. Tri:) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted February 10, 2011 Share #24 Posted February 10, 2011 If the student in question is serious about a career in design, then is it really of benefit to say "well done, nice idea, great that you've made something that looks different" etc., or is it better to give your honest opinion so that she can learn from potential users of such a product? What does the Leica E do that other camera's don't? What benefit is there in the design of the body, the flash, the wood? Is it functional? Will it cost more/less to produce and buy? I could go on. Let's be frank, it's ugly and looks large and cumbersome. The wood will be very expensive to produce and depending if it's structural or decorative, could lead to other problems with a production camera. Would you buy it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
!Nomad64 Posted February 10, 2011 Share #25 Posted February 10, 2011 I'd forgive her just on the basis of her enthusiasm paired with her inexperience. But in my youth I learned that form must follow the function and this doesn't automatically imply that form has to be ugly to be effective. As of these times, the works of Jonathan Ive are a striking example of the opposite. This Leica E design is clumsy with debatable ergonomics and just reminds me of some architecture project of weird houses that looked beautiful on the blueprint, were outdated the day the first stone was laid and were uncomfortable to inhabit at best. Cheers, Bruno P.S. what I'll never forgive is the Pentax lens on the "Leica" body. Why not to add a pair of mustaches to Leonardo's "Gioconda" then? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted February 10, 2011 Share #26 Posted February 10, 2011 No. And once again, this is a prime example how it is so easy to encourage dross by "silent approval". - If you like something, say so and say why. - If you dislike something, say so and say why. - If you give false or fawning praise you are complicit in perpetuating dross. - If you say nothing you are complicit in perpetuating dross, whether that is your intent or not. This looks aesthetically and functionally awkward, and somehow anachronistic. I would not give it house room. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelb Posted February 10, 2011 Share #27 Posted February 10, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) - If you like something, say so and say why. - If you dislike something, say so and say why. I agree. Better to do that than simply take the p*ss and have a laugh at her expense. But she didn't post here - she doesn't need our comments. All she needs is for her examining board to appreciate it and grade it accordingly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted February 10, 2011 Share #28 Posted February 10, 2011 Actually, if you visit her Tumblr site the last update was 10 of your Earth months ago. This "news" is so old it has grown whiskers in the meantime Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mallo Posted February 11, 2011 Share #29 Posted February 11, 2011 This is HORRIBLE. If there is a brand that doesn't need a change in his design, this is Leica. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhluxton Posted February 11, 2011 Share #30 Posted February 11, 2011 Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! In a design class we were assigned the task of designing a camera. I chose to brand mine under the Leica name because of their simple, efficient, and beautifully crafted cameras. I also found that the SLRs on the market all have similar forms. Leica however, stands out from this crowd. They have taken simple shapes and quality materials to construct beautifully crafted cameras. There is also an air of staying true to the older style cameras, which is the direction I pursued with my rendition of the SLR. QUOTE] Oh my - what a weird camera! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
griffster Posted February 13, 2011 Share #31 Posted February 13, 2011 If it was a Pentax I'd have believed it. This is not a Leica. Fail. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Geschlecht Posted February 19, 2011 Share #32 Posted February 19, 2011 Hello Elizabeth, Welcome to the Forum. Your design is very nice. It is an interpertation showing a lot of thought that interestingly has a historical basis but not necessarily the one you may think. The reflex Leica was developed in the post WWII time period when fashion sometimes followed the futuristic design parameters you have chosen. There were watches, appliances, automobiles & such which included motifs similar to your camera. The Leitz Leica reflex called the Leicaflex was developed utilizing aspects of this style combined w/ designs from the past as has often been the case with this somewhat conservative & traditionally oriented firm. The original Leitz 35mm cameras are basically a pre WWI very industrial style of design which were minimally added to in the early 1930's & then again in the 1950's. These are the screw mount also sometimes called Barnack Leicas named after their inventor/designer. Next came the M's. Today pretty much the same design as in 1954 w/ mostly minor revisions. The M's were a 1930's design delayed in introduction by WWII. They are heavily influenced by the Bauhaus School & often used @ least photographically to epitomize that theory of form following function. Ergonometrically they are prettty much @ the top of their field. They look & function very simply. They are good @ what they do. All & all sort of the Bauhaus ideal. An M from the 1950's is pretty much as good as it gets for film cameras today. The current M film cameras while looking & fuctioning pretty much the same do somewhat more. There are some limitations. It was those limitations which brought about the Leicaflex which arrived in the 1960's but had been on the drawing board for quite a while. The reflex camera was developed to do those aspects not done optimally by the M's in a more elegant & ergonometric manner. The Leicaflex came from the Bauhaus tradition married to modern design. How to meld the past sucess w/ a different technology in an up to date design that was reflective of it's day while maintaining its prior heritage of functionality, ergonometics, simplicity & robustness. Sparseness is one common element of both M & Leicaflex design. Sparseness conceptually as well as physically. The design which you have developed does reflect the tenor of the times in which the Leicaflex was released & as such is chronologically appropriate. Where It appears to differ conceptually is where the style appears to exist beyond the point of its functionality as a working tool. You see whatever else they are Leicas are always first & foremost designed & built to be used & used hard. Hence the necessity for a high level of ergonometrics, robustness & so on. Style exists to facilitate function while @ the same time looking very simple & clean. The Bauhas movement was sort of the Art Nouveau of industry. The 1920's had seen development in industry of manufactured items where stylists sometimes designed w/o regard to functionality.The Bauhaus movement said a stylist could better design knowing the function & purpose of a whatever as well as how something would be used. It is clear you have the ability. You have designed a nice looking camera which has the flavor of the time period of an early Leitz reflex camera. As a user of cameras I don't understand the ergonometric/utilitarian/etc advantages in this design. Could you explain please? I think you will find this Forum to be a good place to discuss things like this. It is made up of many very talented people from varied backgrounds from all over the World who have quite a bit of knowledge in many fields & who have many different perspectives. Some have strong opinions. I think you will find this group to be well worth listening to even if some may on occasion disagree. Best Regards, Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunz Posted February 19, 2011 Share #33 Posted February 19, 2011 i reckon she deserves a medal and a pat of the back for her efforts. Aren't students supposed to break the mould and then refine as they gain experience? -- Just my humblest of opinions Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
masjah Posted February 19, 2011 Share #34 Posted February 19, 2011 i reckon she deserves a medal and a pat of the back for her efforts. Aren't students supposed to break the mould and then refine as they gain experience? -- Just my humblest of opinions +1. And what if it's not succesful? It's a student project, and part of the student learning experience is to learn from mistakes. Good luck to her. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted February 19, 2011 Share #35 Posted February 19, 2011 Net/net - not any worse than the M9 Titanium (in this designer's humble opinion). And careful designated as a new "E" system, so no threat to classic "M" design. You folks should do a little research into Leica's OWN prototypes over the years. (Like the original AE "M6" experiment based on a hacked-up R4). It's 50's retro "kitsch" - like: http://www.binbin.net/photos/generic/bus/bush-retro-radio-fm.jpg Just remember that the primary purpose of PRODUCT design is to - sell product. Some customers like "functional," some customers like "handsome" - and some customers like "attention-getting." Believe it or not, some people buy red and pink cameras. If they didn't, Canon (and Hasselblad and Pentax) wouldn't go to the expense of making them. http://a.img-dpreview.com/news/1102/pentax/WG1_Purple_Front_CarabinerOutStraight_TranspBckgrnd_sm.jpg Canon PowerShot A800 digital camera specifications: Digital Photography Review Canon ELPH 100 HS digital camera specifications: Digital Photography Review red pentax - Google Search http://www.imaging-resource.com/NPICS1/H4D_FERRARI_2_L.JPG Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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