Exercise in industrial design

[marknorton]

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...plus, the viewfinder/rangefinder unit contains about 100 parts. Using the same unit as in the film cameras saves on parts inventory, speeds development, and helps keep the cost and price down.

 

I'm sure Dr. Spichtig is willing to commit "heresy" if needed to save the company - but in this case using the existing RF/VF makes sense for many reasons.

 

There's been very little information about this, so it's either "nothing new" or "big surprise". If the same as the M7, we'll be faced with having to choose a viewfinder magnification at purchase time and/or buying a redesigned auxiliary finder.

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[Goldie]

The rangefinder has certainly not had much reference made to it, but are they going to seriously alter this masterpiece of opto-mechanics? However, considering we know the body shell is slightly thicker to allow for the sensor and screen, this extra thickness might be utilised up at the viewfinder to include an integrated magnifier and dioptre adjuster; these would just be add ons. (but then again they are available as accesssories already! )

[Bob Ross]

I prepared to bet that one change at least will be a built in diopter adjustment :-)

If you win your bet, there will be a big cheer from deep in the heart of Texas....

[adan]

Hmmm - variable diopter probably would be easy to add. It would mean extending the depth of the eyepiece, but that would benefit left-eyed shooters whose face will be mashed against the extra 3mm depth of the LCD panel.

 

I went with the simplest possible 'digitized M7' look, but Mark is right - we could be in for a big surprise. Square ends, more obvious shift in depth - who knows? ("The Leica shadow knows").

 

One of the recent LFI magazines had a picture of the original 1980 "M6 MOT electronic" prototype based on an R4 body - very squared off, very chunky, shutter dial like the R-D1. The real M8 may follow that path rather than the 'signature' rounded ends.

 

I didn't post a front view because in my concept there wasn't that much different visually - "M8" on the front plate, no more battery cap, a hint of the new top plate engravings visible.

[gravastar]

I prepared to bet that one change at least will be a built in diopter adjustment :-)

I hope the digital M has this. The image in a direct vision viewfinder changes it's distance as the object distance changes. If you have limited eye accommodation, even with a fixed correction lens this can be a real problem for portraits etc.

 

Bob.

[Goldie]

My point entirely adan.

But why not ice the cake and integrate a magnifier to deal with the small rangefinder fields of longer lenses; this could be switched in or out as needed.

[Bob Ross]

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Square ends, more obvious shift in depth - who knows? ("The Leica shadow knows").

 

One of the recent LFI magazines had a picture of the original 1980 "M6 MOT electronic" prototype based on an R4 body - very squared off, very chunky, shutter dial like the R-D1. The real M8 may follow that path rather than the 'signature' rounded ends.

 

The last time they tried to square off the ends of an M was the M5, which is probably more popular now than when it was in production.... Well, I still love mine. It also has a neat over hanging shutter dial with the shutter release in the center.