Next Leica M Film camera

[maccarma]

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Is anyone aware (sorry if my thread is redundant with others...) about the project of a "new" film camera from Leica coming in the next years?

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[wattsy]

I'm not aware of any rumours. I doubt it will happen - I don't get the impression that the senior management are very interested in the film bodies and the MP (don't know about the M7) still seems to sell at £3500.

[maccarma]

....meaning they'll "drop" the film cameras????

[Guest Randle P. McMurphy]

We are just talking about the "M" - the "R" was droped years ago........and

I really think that the M7 and MP are the end of the line - nothing to improve.

 

I´m no prophet but look at other brands - decisions are made by the sales

and film goes away - year by year.

[Dutch]

I´m no prophet but look at other brands - decisions are made by the sales and film goes away - year by year.

It is however interesting to consider how popular film M cameras are. Just look at the prices fifty year old M cameras can go for, and I am talking 'user' cameras. Or how about the very expensive MP? People buying a new one, buy it because it is a camera for life. Digital does not have the same kind of life in it, and as long as it doesn't film will stay.

[earleygallery]

....meaning they'll "drop" the film cameras????

 

Leica have stated that they will continue to make the film M cameras as long as demand exists.

[wattsy]

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....meaning they'll "drop" the film cameras????

 

No, meaning I don't think they will introduce a new model.

[bill]

As a matter of interest, what lily-gilding could there be?

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[plasticman]

I´m no prophet but look at other brands - decisions are made by the sales

and film goes away - year by year.

 

Excuse me if I yawn.

[pico]

I can't imagine a better late-model film M than the M7. How could it be better?

[marcusperkins]

I believe film will increasingly be about personal involvement with the image taking process. For me, an image I've taken on film has a greater perceived value than the same image shot digitally. Primarily because of the time dedicated to the process, in the same way a home baked cake always 'tastes' better than a bought one (even if the bought was actually better).

 

In this respect, I believe the current film Ms are at their peak, and need no more developement.

[250swb]

When the sales of film are booming again for the first time in years

 

Steve

[azzo]

I can't imagine a better late-model film M than the M7. How could it be better?

 

 

...... by being an MP ! .....

[dickgrafixstop]

At the risk of offending die-hards, the M7 should be the end of the line for manual focus,

film based bodies. Hard to imagine any incremental improvements that would justify

either the development expense (for Leica) or the purchase expense (for users). Wouldn't look at exotic skin covers as a real breakthrough.

 

There may be - no setting odds here - some room for a future auto focus, auto exposure

M body for film should the M10-M11-M12 include those features and new lenses to take

advantage of it. I don't know how much engineering it would take to retrofit the

electronic body with a film mechanism and what the "real" market for that would be. Probably depends on the "niftyness" of the new autosystems, quality of the new auto

lenses and the retro mind set of Leica executives whether such a beast would see

daylight.

 

Meanwhile, the "resurgence" of film may just be a pip on the interest line generated by

A.) curiosity to see differences as digital processing improves, B.) financially motivated by

the dramatic drop in old lenses resale value or C.) more smoke than fire. Several of the

local photoprocessors have severely curtailed film processing capabilities, explained by

lack of traffic to justify the floorspace for the machines.

[plasticman]

Meanwhile, the "resurgence" of film may just be a pip on the interest line generated by

A.) curiosity to see differences as digital processing improves, B.) financially motivated by

the dramatic drop in old lenses resale value or C.) more smoke than fire. Several of the

local photoprocessors have severely curtailed film processing capabilities, explained by

lack of traffic to justify the floorspace for the machines.

 

Excuse me if I yawn.

 

PS: let me know where I can find those 'dramatically' cheaper old lenses.

[Guest Randle P. McMurphy]

Leica have stated that they will continue to make the film M cameras as long as demand exists.

 

Or as long as you can buy a film to put it in your camera..............

[Guest Randle P. McMurphy]

Excuse me if I yawn.

 

Just wake up and look around how many films passed away last year.

Companys go for the money not for sentimental feelings.

[Dutch]

Just wake up and look around how many films passed away last year.

Companys go for the money not for sentimental feelings.

Sure, large multinational corporations will not stick with film since film is not as appealing for the general consumer. That does not mean film is dead. Film has become a niche market to which smaller, specialist companies will continue to cater.

 

There is more to life than mass consumption.

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[stunsworth]

Or as long as you can buy a film to put it in your camera

 

I can't see film disappearing in my lifetime

[Guest sterlinstarlin]

With the exception of Kodachrome, all of the film I like to shoot is still available. The Kodak Portra is better than ever with the recent release of Portra 160 and Portra 400. Ektar is outstanding! Tri-X isn't likely to go anywhere soon. I already have enough feet of XX to last me a long time. And it's still being madeI shot a roll of Ektachrome E100G a couple weeks ago and the results were just as pleasing as what I'd previously had with the recently discontinued Fuji slide emulsions. My take, if you think film is going away in the near future you probably aren't shooting enough film... i.e. out of touch. All of that said, I think the M7 and MP will stand as the last MP. No improvement needed.