Jump to content

Open letter to Leica: M10 suggestions


FlorianM

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 61
  • Created
  • Last Reply

 

Whichever route you choose, VR in lens, or VR in body, both options will require more power to be supplied, requiring a bigger heavier battery, possibly increasing the size of the body to contain it.

I only have worked with the in-body Pentax VR the body (APS not full frame) is very small. Regarding the battery: with my K10 I had 2 batteries now with the K5 1 battery is (for me) more then enough for a whole day shooting.

 

I have no idea if it would be possible to put a in-body VR in the same size body as the M8-9, but I hope Leica can do it.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I only have worked with the in-body Pentax VR the body (APS not full frame) is very small. Regarding the battery: with my K10 I had 2 batteries now with the K5 1 battery is (for me) more then enough for a whole day shooting.

 

I have no idea if it would be possible to put a in-body VR in the same size body as the M8-9, but I hope Leica can do it.

 

As battery technology improves it is possible to increase capacity without increasing the size, but I still think Leica would have to increase the size of the battery in the M, especially if people want all the extra bells and whistles, like live view, EVFs, autofocus and VR.

 

Thinking again on live view and or EVF, this might allow for longer focal lengths to be used. And if they could hook it up to a hybrid rangefinder ... Hm interesting possibilities ;)

 

In body VR, to me anyway, would be the way to go as it allows it's use with the legacy lenses. As you say I hope, if they do choose to do it, they can fit it in the same, or similar size body.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The trouble with these speculations and wish lists is that they just try to 'improve' the existing product, mostly by adding this or that 'feature', rarely by removing one. Real progress is made when people get someting they never could imagine, even less ask for.

 

Most people just accept what's on offer as a given. Some few people around 1953–54 were no doubt speculating about an incrementally improved Leica III. What they got was the M3. Some people were not even sure they liked what they got. When reviewing the M3 in LFI in 1954, Walter Benser admitted to being slightly shocked by the wind-on lever – even though the VP format Exakta had it (single-stroke!) already in 1934 ... the Rolleiflex had it in rudimentary form in 1933, and fully developed in 1937. Even Ernst Leitz II himself didn't really know what to think of the M3. If the company had been content to listening to the customers, we would have arrived at the Leica IIIq by now.

 

I expect a surprise at this year's Photokina. Let's hope it will be a pleasant surprise.

 

The old man from the Glass Plate Age

 

There was interesting piece on BBC news yesterday, both Rolls Royce & Bently made record sales in 2011 all attributed to increased demand in China for luxury goods.

 

According to Erwin Puts latest Blog Leica is formally into Luxury (something we knew all along) so technical improvements OP & most of us muse about if convenient for the manufacturer could be lesser consideration – not ignoring the fact that latest offerings from RR/Bently are very advanced cars indeed.

 

Doubts & special editions aside I am looking forward to positive surprise come September 2012 - M/R solution with good battery, trouble free memory card, non cracking sensor, competitivly priced. Not much to ask :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Here is my wish-list in no particular order:

 

1. High-resolution LCD (i.e. at least 920,000 pixels) w/ sapphire glass (not releasing the m10 without, then the m10-p with sapphire glass in 2 years)

 

2. Full weather-proofing on the body

 

3. Better battery life

 

4. Viewfinder from the M3 - i.e. 0.92x

 

5. Finally, improved high ISO performance

 

Not too much to ask, is it?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Actually, that wishlist does make sense. Better LCD, M3 quality viewfinder, weatherproofing, high ISO performance, better battery life... better white balance, too. Also I'd like to see one menu/set button in the center of the four-way control pad, in place of a set and a menu button. Manual white balance control, possibly. And better, more tactile (metal) digital control buttons. Most of these are really just tweaks, not a fundamental overhaul -- even if they require sophisticated engineering. Keep the design simple -- absolutely!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Actually, that wishlist does make sense. Better LCD, M3 quality viewfinder, weatherproofing, high ISO performance, better battery life... better white balance, too. Also I'd like to see one menu/set button in the center of the four-way control pad, in place of a set and a menu button. Manual white balance control, possibly. And better, more tactile (metal) digital control buttons. Most of these are really just tweaks, not a fundamental overhaul -- even if they require sophisticated engineering. Keep the design simple -- absolutely!

What is this AWB stuff?:confused: Quite apart from that it is as good as any other camera, it is a parameter to be set in postproceesing. The only thing the camera does is to set a starting position. I usually have my camera set yo Daylight, to have a consistent preview for my film-trained eyes, but it is one of the least important points of digital shooting imo.

Link to post
Share on other sites

What is this AWB stuff?:confused: Quite apart from that it is as good as any other camera, it is a parameter to be set in postproceesing. The only thing the camera does is to set a starting position. I usually have my camera set yo Daylight, to have a consistent preview for my film-trained eyes, but it is one of the least important points of digital shooting imo.

 

What I had meant to say was a manual white balance dial, in place of a menu-based system. Perhaps on the left of the top-plate, where the rewind crank is on film Ms. Perhaps also an ISO dial beneath a white balance dial. The menu-based ISO settings are actually pretty easy; WB is trickier to set. I prefer analog controls to menu-driven ones -- but with both types of designs, it's good to avoid clutter. I don't see a need, for example, for a second dial on the right of the top-plate next to the shutter dial for exposure compensation, like the Fuji X-1 Pro and some other cameras. An ISO and white balance dial on the left would be useful, though.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Will your "wish list" camera improve your photography?

 

...thought not.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

 

Actually, yes.

 

1. Weatherproofing the body will allow me to take more shots in unfavourable conditions or conditions that I otherwise wouldn't contemplate with a non-weatherproofed body.

2. Ditto better high-iso performance, resulting in better quality prints & enlargements, not to mention more shooting opportunities in low-light.

3. The brighter viewfinder will make it easier to nail focus, particularly wide open - which result in more keepers.

4. Better battery life keeps me shooting for longer.

5. The LCD is the only area where it really doesn't improve your photography, but it does provide a quick opportunity to check whether focus was spot-on during a critical shoot and time to reshoot if needs be... Also after a shoot who doesn't like to review them in high-res over a coffee/beer before getting back to home/office and loading them on the computer?

 

As NZDavid said, these aren't major design changes, just improvements in areas that I think would result in making a great camera even better.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...