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2014 - Possibly a big year for Leica


rramesh

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I suspect 2014 will be a big year for Leica with several major announcements.

 

This could include new M lenses, a new camera range (T perhaps), maybe a special anniversary edition of the M, auto focus lenses perhaps, a new S etc.

 

Any thoughts or comments?

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I seriously doubt it.

 

There is a big delay between product announcement and availability when it comes to Leica.So, any announcement in 2014 won't bring products to market in the same year. IMO, Leica failed to capitalize on it's M. Leica M was not available for the longest time and Leica lost many customers to Sony. Leica needs to substantially reduce its time to market.

 

Another thing, after seeing what Sony can do with A7®, I would certainly expect a lot more from the new M. I am afraid removing the red dot and calling it "M-P" won't cut it any more. Sony's development cycle is a lot shorter and if Sony manages to solve some of the problems with M lenses in the next version of A7® then Leica would be in serious trouble.

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Sony's development cycle is a lot shorter and if Sony manages to solve some of the problems with M lenses in the next version of A7® then Leica would be in serious trouble.

 

Yes but Sony have HUGE manufacturing plants with people constructing products almost in slave conditions. Leica is much smaller and it seems the workers are less slaves than their Asian counterparts. The new factory should help boost production but it's never going to be at the capacity of a giant like Sony

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Surely their biggest issue is to deliver the stuff that they're already making. Dealers I know in London have really hurt this year because Leica has announced things and then failed to get them to the shops. Until the production and supply chain's sorted, I'd rather there were NO new products.

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Surely their biggest issue is to deliver the stuff that they're already making. Dealers I know in London have really hurt this year because Leica has announced things and then failed to get them to the shops. Until the production and supply chain's sorted, I'd rather there were NO new products.

 

I'd modify your statement a little to say that "Surely their biggest issue is to deliver the stuff they're already making, and make sure the stuff they deliver isn't faulty".

 

We see so many threads on this site about problems with new gear that has to go back to Leica to basically be rebuilt. That must put a serious dent in their financials, apart from the damage it is doing to their reputation for quality.

 

Before doing anything, Leica needs to sort out their Quality Control processes. Get it right first time. IMHO.

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Surely their biggest issue is to deliver the stuff that they're already making. Dealers I know in London have really hurt this year because Leica has announced things and then failed to get them to the shops. Until the production and supply chain's sorted, I'd rather there were NO new products.

 

I am 100% with you. How about making 2014 the year they start producing the APO50 in respectable numbers.

 

Any new FF I will look at, but do not plan to be an early adopter if it is a brand new model.

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I seriously doubt it.

 

Another thing, after seeing what Sony can do with A7®, I would certainly expect a lot more from the new M. I am afraid removing the red dot and calling it "M-P" won't cut it any more. Sony's development cycle is a lot shorter and if Sony manages to solve some of the problems with M lenses in the next version of A7® then Leica would be in serious trouble.

 

Sony will never correct the camera for shorter focal length M lens issues on the A7 ..... they have barely managed to get their native lenses to work adequately and the lenses themselves are no competition for Leica optics.

 

I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'what Sony can do with with the A7r' ...... having used one with both M and native Zeiss lenses for 6 weeks I am pretty unimpressed ..... it has a long list of flaws and idiosyncracies that does not match up to the hype and on paper specs.

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Sony will never correct the camera for shorter focal length M lens issues on the A7 ..... they have barely managed to get their native lenses to work adequately and the lenses themselves are no competition for Leica optics.

 

I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'what Sony can do with with the A7r' ...... having used one with both M and native Zeiss lenses for 6 weeks I am pretty unimpressed ..... it has a long list of flaws and idiosyncracies that does not match up to the hype and on paper specs.

 

While I would agree with you that Sony will not likely address wide angle short comings with Leica M lenses, I have no idea what you are talking about relative to Sony natvie FE lenses. My own experience and reviews by knowledgeable reviewers like Lloyd Chambers have illustrated equal to or superior performance from the native lenses to M lenses. Granted, the range of available native FF lenses is very limited, but that doesn't mean they are optically inferior. I have no idea what other short comings you are talking about:

 

Let's see... 1) No lock ups, 2) No defective sensors with defective columns, 3) No eyelets/lugs falling off, 4) No SD card issues, 5) No flickering frame lines, 6) No cracked sensors, 7) No missed focus alignment, 8) No long blackout when using EVF, 9) No inability to move focus point around frame, 10) No lack of sensor dust removal, 11) No banding at high ISOs... are these the short comings you are talking about? :D

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While I would agree with you that Sony will not likely address wide angle short comings with Leica M lenses, I have no idea what you are talking about relative to Sony natvie FE lenses. My own experience and reviews by knowledgeable reviewers like Lloyd Chambers have illustrated equal to or superior performance from the native lenses to M lenses. Granted, the range of available native FF lenses is very limited, but that doesn't mean they are optically inferior. I have no idea what other short comings you are talking about:

 

Let's see... 1) No lock ups, 2) No defective sensors with defective columns, 3) No eyelets/lugs falling off, 4) No SD card issues, 5) No flickering frame lines, 6) No cracked sensors, 7) No missed focus alignment, 8) No long blackout when using EVF, 9) No inability to move focus point around frame, 10) No lack of sensor dust removal, 11) No banding at high ISOs... are these the short comings you are talking about? :D

 

John,

 

You make many valid points but just because image is captured digitally doesn't mean that viewfinder need to be electronic to qualify for modernity.

 

I had a play with A7 and it's EVF is excellent but it is still miles behind optical VF, either reflex or rangefinder.

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I expect to see Leica branded Panasonic mirrorless GX7 or GM1. Interested in seeing the lenses.

Micro 4/3rds? Not a chance. Or a small high-end compact? I think the C or DLux 6 don’t need replacement yet.

I am still hoping for an APS-H EVIL….Maybe APS-C.

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Never seizes to amaze me how many people are so down on Leica and profess to know how they should run their business or what their problem is. We will always hear of more issues on this forum than not, which comes out of context and has little to do with reality. Leica can take as long as they want to meet its demand. We all have the right not to buy the camera. I expect there to be delays whenever you're talking about doing things at a very high level and crafting them by hand. And with increasingly complex technologies, things will inevitably go wrong sometimes. I for one don't expect Leica to be perfect, but I do expect them to back them up, which in my opinion Leica does very well. And that's what I'm willing to pay for. And in some cases, wait for. Though a Leica is far from free, we all have free will regarding its purchase. If you want a mass-produced Sony, go to the Sony forum wherever that may be. The comparison is pointless.

 

I love my MP's and new M, and all my Leica lenses. And those that I don't, I sell or don't buy.

 

Hi. :)

 

PS. Regarding original post, I hope a "big" 2014 brings an update to the Monochrom, so that I may covet, buy and wait for one. That is all.

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