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Dear Leica, some throughts on an M pro


IWC Doppel

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Following a conversation with a friend, fustrated with his large, confusing Nikon. We have (Well mostly him to be fair) come up with a slimmed down Leica (or Nikon if you swap rangefinder for SLR with contact patch)

 

Speed on top as is

Shutter actuation as is

ISO on top via dial

Small didgital display for shots left and battery (even better if it appeared analogue)

Body 3mm slimmer (no screen)

Keep the m9 top plate 'notch' ;)

lightmeter as normal

card format switch under bottom cover

 

You can adjust the functions via a cable to a PC or phone app, excluding any screen settings as there isnt one !. You'll miss changing settings 'mid shoot' but I rarely if ever do and perhaps there is another dial/button for pre set settings, but that gets complicated and that's not the point.

 

You'll get all and more functionality of the M6/7 and still wait less time to see your pictures (as soon as your home you really see them, rather than 'peeking' on the back of the camera) and not have as many battery consumption issues.

 

PS can I keep the CCD sensor please :D

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Dear Leica:

 

Please keep the screen. It was a great idea. Confused can just use some gaffer's tape over the LCD and look at his pictures on his computer when he gets home.

 

Rick

 

 

 

p.s. The new CMOS sensor is fantastic. Confused can just down size his images when he gets home and add some noise to his high ISO shots.

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Do we 'need' the histogram, until the MM we can only review the jpg in any case. I never hankered after this when I had an M6, I could live without, I am sure many couldn't live without menu options, aurofocus, auto ISO and so on, but are they actually better because of 'auto' ?

 

If I could buy a more basic version with no screen for less money I would

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Do we 'need' the histogram, until the MM we can only review the jpg in any case. I never hankered after this when I had an M6, I could live without, I am sure many couldn't live without menu options, aurofocus, auto ISO and so on, but are they actually better because of 'auto' ?

 

If I could buy a more basic version with no screen for less money I would

 

I will go as far to say that under difficult lighting circumstances it is sheer luck to get a properly exposed digital image without histogram. Using the histogram is best practice. Yes. for serious work you do need it. Unless you carry and use an incident light meter.

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How many understand all of the menu options and functions in their DSLR and are able to get the camers to do exactlty waht they want every time ?

 

I have a GF1 as back up to the M9-P and that STILL confuses me !

I don't find it much of a problem. RTFM....

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Having to chimp to take photographs is really painful for some of us. I can live perfectly w/o histograms and would be quite happy with the reversible LCD and the general ergonomy of the R-D1. I don't need a Thumbs Up with the latter at least... Now i can use the M240 with the LCD off most of the time but i miss the top screen and the frame selector of my M8.2.

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How many understand all of the menu options and functions in their DSLR and are able to get the camers to do exactlty waht they want every time ?

 

I have had absolutely no problem with this on any of the digital cameras, DSLR or otherwise, I have used. There are examples of poorly designed menus, but in my experience most manufacturers today are quite well versed in creating logical and clear menu design.

 

I will go as far to say that under difficult lighting circumstances it is sheer luck to get a properly exposed digital image without histogram. Using the histogram is best practice. Yes. for serious work you do need it. Unless you carry and use an incident light meter.

 

I'd say this goes for film, too. But I can't imagine a purported "pro" M without a screen. As for chimping, that is a matter of will power and, as the case may be, need. When I shot digital, I almost never chimped, but that may have been easier for me because of the preceding twenty years of film photograpy of course. I'm so happy I got rid of the digital stuff.

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It ain't chimping. It is checking exposure at the start and once or twice during a shoot, like you would use an exposure meter on an M3... I don't even have autoreview switched on. Chimping is indeed a pain.

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Sure you can use and incident light meter, no one said you couldn't. You could do that now. I'm also not talking about studio work tbh. we can call it something else (M basic), the name isn't important. It's only an idea ;)

 

I am happy enough with the light meter in camera, in any case so long as you don't blow the highlights are you really stuck if your 1/2 stop out ? Plenty of talk at length about adding exposure in LR as opposed to picking a higher ISO in camera demonstrating the flexibility of RAW to some extent.(Yes I too would prefer to get the exposure right and not adjust afterwards, but the screen only facilitates this for a second shot as we know)

 

I can and do read manuals, my GF1 is well thumbed but my memory fades if I don't use and personally reading manuals is dull at best. Most complex functionality on cameras, at least to me is to automate and that's not what I want. You can swap frustrating/distracting/'on the wrong setting'/'need to get the manual out' for confusing if you like

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