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Leica Event May 10th – Live Coverage


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You bet! I got a prerelease M Monochrom in March to gain some experience with it and I must say I was impressed. I knew what advantages a monochrome sensor would bring, according to theory, but it’s always nice to see a theory corroborated in practice.

 

Your articles misrepresenting black-and-white film as binary technology ("Film grain restricts image resolution as well since a silver halide crystal only knows the difference between black and white..." LFI 2011/6, for instance) is the reason I cancelled my subscription.

 

I suggest you read this article:

 

Photo Utopia: Clumps and Chumps (or why film isn't binary)

 

before writing your (inevitably) gushing article on the new monochrome camera.

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There is no "X System". There was one X camera, now there's another one. It's not a. "system" camera. It's just another camera.

 

I have an X1. I won't be buying an X2.

 

Leica writes AF got faster in the X2.

(Nothing much looks changed in this camera, except the chip and the "Visoflex" plug.

They didn't even bother to implement DNG only.)

If AF improvement is achieved with software, it might benefit the X1, too.

Soon after the M8.2 came out the M8 also got the "shutter-cocking-only-after-letting-go" option in a software update.

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As I recall, - it was some time ago declared that the aim of Leica was to conquer 1% of the worlds market-sales of cameras and lenses.

I wonder if Treadstone, or was it Blackstone, agrees that this will be possible with such a peculiar product strategy as we have seen Leica show us here today.

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To be fair, an M9 B&W camera, if it really does offer significant advantages, is interesting. The X1 now has the EVF so many people wanted, and other peoples wishes have been granted with an ASPH Summicron 50, albeit at a shockingly expensive price.

 

However Leica have underwhelmed us because of the implication of choosing May 10 as the launch date, all the talk of an EVIL 'system' camera, the 'fanfare' they have given these product launches isn't really necessary. I'm sure the business schools teach you to manage your customers expectations and then try to exceed them. Leica have got that part tits up!

 

Or is there more to come?......

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In my neck of the woods the new 50/2 is three times the price of the one it is replacing and just shy of twice a 50/1.4ASPH. This better be some 50. Possibly a ploy (?) to increase the sale of the Summarits which are starting to look like even better value for money. Must say I'm glad another 50 isn't on my list of desirables right now.

Carl

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I think it's bloody marvelous! A lot of my shooting is in low light, and I do a LOT of B&W conversion, as colour is pretty crap at ISO 2500 anyway in very low light.

 

A Nocti, or Lux paired with the new M with low noise and sharpppp images up to ISO 10,000 sounds like a big bag of excellent.

 

It is a stop better than the M9 and you get to invest in a bunch of fiddly filters. Why didn't they introduce an M10 with 3-4 more stops of DR and if they wanted more resolution then fine, give the masses 36MP. I'd take that over a M9M any day. But, what do I know, I'm not an artsy B&W photographer. I don't even own a black t-shirt.

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before writing your (inevitably) gushing article on the new monochrome camera.

 

Was this really necessary?

 

I am very much looking forward to Michael's review. His work in LFI is always interesting and informative.

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Hi:

 

I could not be happier with the announced X2 at only, I believe, ~ $2,500 and the EVF for ~$560. It means that my X1 is still dated (OK. 12 MP as opposed to 16 MP - not important, imho) and holding its value! Thanks Leica - no need to upgrade!)

 

Hektor

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As I recall, - it was some time ago declared that the aim of Leica was to conquer 1% of the worlds market-sales of cameras and lenses.

I wonder if Treadstone, or was it Blackstone, agrees that this will be possible with such a peculiar product strategy as we have seen Leica show us here today.

 

Agreed. It's hard to imagine the managers at Blackstone being thrilled at the prospect of selling a 50mm f2 lens for - HOW MUCH!

 

I though Leica were going more towards the mainstream market to increase market share. The Hermes thing didn't work out so great last time, what's different now?

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Ummm wtf where's a M10 with improved processing/screen/sensor/live view. Taking away the Bayer filter is cute but not revolutionary when other cameras manage superior DR and high-ISO (and resolution) with color anyway. Plus color data makes for some of the most darkroom-esque B&W edits.

 

Who cares if the MTFs on that 50AA are crazy since the rangefinder is only a bit better than ~1/2 DoF accurate (on par with a rebel's AF). Plus the Summilux outresolves the M9 over ~90% of the frame at F/2 already and is APO. Basically no discernible difference from the Lux except a higher price tag, smaller size, and slower aperture unless you put it on an Nex or something. IMO it's a forward-looking lens for an M10 with a giant megapixel sensor and live view.

 

Gross. And there's on-camera presets. Also like a rebel.

 

From dpreview.

The M-Monochrom sadly has exactly the same disappointing 230,000 dot rear screen.

 

This puts it on a par with contemporary $100 compact cameras. For reference, the first 920,000 dot screens started to appear on DSLRs around 5 years ago.

 

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I don't think anybody has said 'sharp up to 10,000 ISO', just that the ISO goes up to 10,000, which even a lowly P&S can do nowadays.

 

Steve

 

The ISO 2500 sample JPEG of the organ on Leica's site is pretty impressive for noise/sharpness. Based on that alone, I'm sure performance will be pretty good at max ISO, especially compared to the 9. We'll have to wait and see more sample images.

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[Michael's] work in LFI is always interesting and informative.

 

It's the reason I subscribed to the German edition of LFI. Pity he's now writing in English, so I'm again getting the translated version. ;)

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Was this really necessary?

 

I am very much looking forward to Michael's review. His work in LFI is always interesting and informative.

 

That's great for you Andy. I'll actually miss the magazine because otherwise I enjoyed it. But articles by Michael denigrating film in order to make digital sensors look better consistently reminded me that the magazine is also an additional promotional channel for Leica, and I lost faith in it.

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