eleskin Posted February 10, 2011 Share #1 Â Posted February 10, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) To Leica: Â We, as loyal customers, who have made investments in cameras and lenses over the years need a modern professional quality solution not only for the R lenses, but one for the M lenses as well. Some years ago, Contax produced a camera called the AX which offered autofocus by moving the film plane instead of autofocus built into the lens. You could mount a full frame chip that would move to achieve focus like the AX did with film. With todays technology, this approach would offer a superior solution for those who own R lenses . For the M lens user, we would have an autofocus option for any M lens ever made. Professionals everywhere need autofocus as a tool for fast changing situations, and this should not be something only Canon or Nikon users benefit from. Leica lenses are more expensive than Nikon or Canon, as they should be given their superior build quality and unique optical formulas. Â The camera would be somewhat larger than the M9, and should incorperate some of the modern materials used in Nikons D3. There would be no need to construct this like the M, thereby reducing costs, but it can use very strong modern materials. Â Leica needs to do this to offer its customers the ability to use Leica lenses in similar situations Nikon and Canon pro DSLR users encounter. This way, the full value and potential of Leica M and R lenses can be realized, and an added benefit would be sparing the Leica M and R customer the extra expense of buying another system with lenses from Nikon, Canon, etc,,,. Â There are professionals who have M and R lenses, and who still use them in the field, but sadly this is becoming less common. The tragedy here is that many would probably use Leica lenses if a camera were offered that would give them the advantages of the pro models Nikon and Canon make for the pro market. Â Of any lens brand, Leica offers the best value in terms of performance and resale value on the used market. Leica needs to take all the above into account and produce a professional 21st century camera for any lens it has ever made in its entire history. Leica is one of the few camera and lens makers that produces products that every other manufacturer measures up against as the standard. The 50mm Summicron is one example as is the new Noctilux is today. Â Offering the professional system described above will also increase the value of all Leica products, new and used, offering the loyal customer a sense of confidence that Leica is thinking of their interests, both professional and non professional photographer alike! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted February 10, 2011 Share #2 Â Posted February 10, 2011 No. Â Not a good idea. The AX couldn't be made to work reliably with all of Kyocera's expertise distilled into the ceramic rods that sat at the heart of the focal plane shift system. It was brilliant but flawed. How do you think the necessary tolerances required by digital could be achieved by Leica where Kyocera failed with film? Â The R system is dead. Let it rest in peace. The M system is not dependent upon offering autofocus for its continued success. Remember the G1? The G2? I do. I had both and they again, died a death for a reason. Â No. Â Regards, Â Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aesop Posted February 10, 2011 Share #3 Â Posted February 10, 2011 ...for what it is worth, eleskin, I do not need nor want autofocus. And no, I am not a "professional". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPerson Posted February 10, 2011 Share #4 Â Posted February 10, 2011 No thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eleskin Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share #5 Â Posted February 10, 2011 Bill, Â I use my M lenses professionaly, and one of my favorites is the f1.0 Noctilux. Many of my customers want photos of their children taken with the unique look of my Noctilux. I am quite good at getting in focus shots in general, but with subjects like children moving around, using the Noctilux can be very difficult without an autofocus option. So here, and in other situations, I would argue the rangefinder system does not offer the best solution. You will probably say why not just buy a Canon or Nikon? I have 20 years of M lens collecting and shooting plus bills and a family to care for. I am in no mood to just go out and having to buy multiple camera outfits that in many cases duplicate each other. Just because Contax had problems then does not mean there could be a solution today that would work. I remember Kennedy's moon speech where he said we will get to the moon and how some of the materials needed (metals, etc,,) have not been invented yet. There was a can do spirit and a will to do so.. Anything is possible.. Â The traditional SLR mirror box concept is being replaced by EVIL technology. Ricoh is now offering an M module for its new brilliant concept. Â At some point, a camera maker will produce a full frame body that will have a short lens mount to sensor distance, hence offering the user with adapters the ability to use any lens ever made with one body!!! Â This opens the creative possibilities for the artist many fold. Â It would be too bad if Leica did not realize this trend. Â Maybe Leica's future may be as a lens maker more so than a camera maker. Leica lenses attract me more than the boxes they mount on. As a professional, the lens to me is way more important than any camera body. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eleskin Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share #6 Â Posted February 10, 2011 Come on people, you know autofocus with a Noctilux would be incredible in many situations! Â I just had to say that! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xmas Posted February 10, 2011 Share #7 Â Posted February 10, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) If you want auto focus what is wrong with Nikon or Canon DSLR, already available, cheap, better sensors and lenses just as good. Â Leica could not make a comparable camera body lens kit for 10x the Euro. Â I'd be pleased if Leica tried though they would be bankrupt that much earlier and there would be a glut of nice 2nd hand lenses sooner. Â So I second your request. Â Noel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
timd. Posted February 10, 2011 Share #8 Â Posted February 10, 2011 considering the movement of the lens tube while focussing, an autofocus-m would be as thick as it is high, even using modern nikon materials. thanks, no. Â the fact that professionals still use their m-cameras, some even took their step onto the system with the release of the m9 shows me, that leica still offer a professional solution. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted February 10, 2011 Share #9 Â Posted February 10, 2011 Noctilux and M9? Just shoot with a Summarit at f5.6 and add the swirly fuzzy backround stuff in photoshop. Your clients won't know the difference! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aesop Posted February 10, 2011 Share #10  Posted February 10, 2011 Come on people, you know autofocus with a Noctilux would be incredible in many situations! I just had to say that!   ...a Noctilux *is* incredible in many situations, eleskin. Sounds like we should be discussing technique here. What say you? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Holy Moly Posted February 10, 2011 Share #11  Posted February 10, 2011 Come on people, you know autofocus with a Noctilux would be incredible in many situations! I just had to say that!  since 2009 Leica is not in the position, to release an autofocus-speedupdate for a cam with a f2.8 lens of 36mm. How on earth would they be able to design and manufacture such a solution for a f1.0 lens... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpattison Posted February 10, 2011 Share #12 Â Posted February 10, 2011 I have never understood why anyone needs autofocus, even for sport. Â learn your trade, enjoy the equipment for what it does, and get satisfaction from the results. Â John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
!Nomad64 Posted February 10, 2011 Share #13 Â Posted February 10, 2011 Eleskin, Â nice try, but not on my account. Really. Please. Â Bruno Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmark Posted February 10, 2011 Share #14 Â Posted February 10, 2011 No. AF is not necessary. Not for M. But live view with focus assist/indicator (using contrast detection method) in M10... Why not? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted February 10, 2011 Share #15 Â Posted February 10, 2011 It's a dreadful idea anyway for the M system but wouldn't you lose the benefit of the floating elements in some of the newer lenses by simply moving the film plane back and forth? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZDavid Posted February 10, 2011 Share #16 Â Posted February 10, 2011 I find RF fast and precise. No need to change the M. If it ain't broke... However, an AF R-Series would surely have generated more sales than the no doubt excellent but super pricey S line. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xmas Posted February 10, 2011 Share #17 Â Posted February 10, 2011 No. AF is not necessary. Not for M.But live view with focus assist/indicator (using contrast detection method) in M10... Why not? Â Commercial suicide ... There would be a glut of 2nd hand M lenses cheap... Â Noel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted February 10, 2011 Share #18 Â Posted February 10, 2011 No. AF is not necessary. Not for M.But live view with focus assist/indicator (using contrast detection method) in M10... Why not? Â And then again, why? Â Regards, Â Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjh Posted February 10, 2011 Share #19 Â Posted February 10, 2011 Some years ago, Contax produced a camera called the AX which offered autofocus by moving the film plane instead of autofocus built into the lens. You could mount a full frame chip that would move to achieve focus like the AX did with film. With todays technology, this approach would offer a superior solution for those who own R lenses . Oh please, not again. This misguided idea has come up every few months for the past couple of years and I still stand by what I said the last time: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/digital-forum/161537-r-solution-more-details-4.html#post1588111. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted February 11, 2011 Share #20 Â Posted February 11, 2011 ... Many of my customers want photos of their children taken with the unique look of my Noctilux. I am quite good at getting in focus shots in general, but with subjects like children moving around, using the Noctilux can be very difficult without an autofocus option. ... So it's not actually autofocus you want it's focus follower. Â Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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