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Mini M? [MERGED] AKA X-Vario


digitalfx

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… but as the “M” in “Leica M” stands for “Messsucher” (Rangefinder), removing the rangefinder would be sort of … well. Weird?

 

Hrm.

I think if you look at the trend in Leica advertisement, they have progressively tried to move away from the 'M for Messsucher' connotation. They will come up with a M mount camera without the rangefinder. This is one way to appeal to a broader segment. This could probably be it. The Mini Me. Muahahaha to Fuji and Sony.

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my ideal "Mini M":

 

an M8 in a smaller package. so optical viewfinder, NO live view, NO EVF, no M240 BS. Just a smaller, crop sensored M camera that can handle all of the M-lenses.

 

obviously i'm going to be wrong about this, as apparently this camera is going to be an R-lens solution as well, which basically means it has to be an EVF. massive fail.....

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Will it be a rangefinder do you think?

 

A rangefinder could be mechanical or electric just like a lens.

 

What's to say the mini M won't use a special miniature integrated lens/sensor the size of a phone camera to collect a rangefinder patch image, then just crop/pan rather than rotating the patch mirror. The digital patch image could be projected on a hybrid viewfinder like the Fuji x100s has.

 

I hope it has an integrated lens with mechanical aperture and focus controls and an APS-C sensor.

 

If it's just an M mount with an electronic viewfinder and some lame excuse for focus confirmation you're just going to end up with a chubby body (M rear focus distance plus LCD = fat) and frustration.

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Think about the possibilities for Leica if it is indeed a "Mini" M that accepts M lenses at a lower cost than current M bodies...sales of M lenses could potentially double overnight.

 

I doubt it. Few who buy this Mini-M for reasons of cost are IMO likely to be buying many new Leica lenses at current prices.

 

If this new product is indeed a rangefinder-less M camera, it will not be something I will be getting excited about.

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… but as the “M” in “Leica M” stands for “Messsucher” (Rangefinder), removing the rangefinder would be sort of … well. Weird?

 

Hrm.

 

They call the X2 micro M and the d-lux 6 nano M so it sounds like the letter M lost it's initial meaning.

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I doubt it. Few who buy this Mini-M for reasons of cost are IMO likely to be buying many new Leica lenses at current prices.

 

 

Leica created the entire Summarit-M line for just such a purpose. Also it has the potential to be accepted as a second body by lots of existing customers.

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I'd be surpised if they miss the opportunity to produce a full frame body with a detachable evf, or even a built in evf. No mechanical rangefinder, just focus peaking. There's no need to go head on with everyone else in the smaller sensor categories as their lenses are small enough.

If it's 2/3 the price of the M it will boost M lens demand, many with an M will consider it as a back-up, and there should be less in the way of warranty issues like rangefinder readjustment.

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So maybe Leica wants to or is being forced to compete with Sony, Fuji, et. al. in the MILC category. What would be nice to see is a direct competitor to the X-Pro1: a new autofocus body with a new range of lenses, and perhaps an adapter to take advantage of existing M lenses.

 

Either that or the M-E is getting canned and being replaced with something more... current.

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Leica created the entire Summarit-M line for just such a purpose. Also it has the potential to be accepted as a second body by lots of existing customers.

 

The Summarit prices are no longer very "entry level" IMO. The RRP of the 35 is now £1400.

 

I'm sure you are right that this new product will be attractive to many existing customers but I'm not sure how that will help lens sales.

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I am sure it will be some sort of cropped sensor that can take M lenses on its mount (or with a free adaptor).

 

The key questions are:

1. Will it introduce autofocus

2. What will the crop be, e.g. 1.3, 1.5 or 2 ?

3. Will it have a range finder ?

4. Will it have OVF or EVF

 

A small camera (e.g. M6 size or smaller) with 1.3 crop, CMOS sensor and RF with reduced functionality (e.g. stills only) would be fine for me.

 

Leica could also introduce a M-Video at a later stage, just adapted to video makers if it thought there would be a market

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