Luminous Landscape article on camera design (incl Ms) [Merged]

[philipus]

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Perhaps this has been posted already, though a search didn't bring it up: a pretty interesting piece on contemporary camera design with comparisons with the M 240 and the Monochrom.

 

A Redux Critique of Contemporary Camera Design

 

cheers

Philip

[Michael Hiles]

Very interesting. Thanks.

[euston]

Quite interesting, though I don't share his prejudice against fixed lens cameras. They have their uses.

 

I compliment you on choosing to post this here in the Customer forum. Threads that are likely to develop into speculation about Leica's business strategy and overall model range belong here rather than in one of the Leica Products sub-forums where they tend to become acrimonious.

[pgk]

Interesting enough if a shade long-winded. I'm a honestly puzzled by the author's need to deal with the“"preciousness,” which [he] would define more specifically as the impairment to functionality imposed by equipment that’s just too expensive and for which pride of ownership is fetishistic and overly protective", and the description of how he then actually dealt with it by using non-Leica glass. Very odd.

[chris_tribble]

Not quite sure where to post this as it covers M240 and M, so I'm putting it where I visit most. A long, but interesting reflection on where the M fits in in the modern world. I found myself agreeing with a large amount of what he says:

 

A Redux Critique of Contemporary Camera Design

[k_g_wolf ✝]

Thx for this link, Chris, a most informative article!

 

Especially the comments on the pricing of LEICA- gear seems to be spot on. "They" have to take care not to get

completely out of the interest of medium to serious photogs ...

 

 

 

Best

GEORG

[Peter Branch]

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............Especially the comments on the pricing of LEICA- gear seems to be spot on. "They" have to take care not to get

completely out of the interest of medium to serious photogs .......

 

On the other hand Leica has a queue of people willing to pay >£5k (GBP) for a 50mm f/2 lens - go figure as my grandchildren say.

[k_g_wolf ✝]

That´s true of course for the time being.

 

Queues sometimes behave like sensitive deer, they quickly queue at waters with different crocodiles

 

 

Best

GEORG

[CalArts 99]

fwiw, a couple of additional comments here: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/customer-forum/326490-luminous-landscape-article-camera-design-incl.html

[algrove]

Interesting enough if a shade long-winded.

 

+1

[IWC Doppel]

I look forward to Leica's next M and hopefully they will appreciate some don't want 240 extras as well, a two pronged approach would be interesting.

 

I don't personally see any point in a EOS-M with a 240 and an MM. Besides it's 'orrible' to look at

[Herr Barnack]

Any ideas about how the M240 in the photo at the top of the page ended up with a black dot instead of the orange-red dot that is standard fare for the M240??

 

Leica's logo has always been fire engine RED. Why did they do this to the M240, their flagship camera??

[stevesurf]

Not quite sure where to post this as it covers M240 and M, so I'm putting it where I visit most. A long, but interesting reflection on where the M fits in in the modern world. I found myself agreeing with a large amount of what he says:

 

A Redux Critique of Contemporary Camera Design

 

What an interesting article, Chris; many thanks for the link!

 

I found this section especially interesting as various industries that rely on image quality seek out useful metrics:

 

While on the subject of lenses, I’ll add this: They matter. They matter more than the sensor, in my opinion. Whether on film, or with a digital sensor, the captured image is formed not by the film or the sensor, but by the lens and that image has an indelible footprint, which can be altered in post-production, but it cannot be remade. Global and micro contrast, edge sharpness, overall sharpness, veiling flare, chromatic aberration, bokeh, depth of field, flatness of field, focus shift, rectilinearity, and more, are lens attributes which can be sometimes tweaked in post-production, but cannot be obliterated and remapped. Because the sensor represents newer technology with attributes that are easy to quantify and measure, the critical importance of the lens system may not get the attention it deserves. One of the most controversial metrics in the digital conversation is the sensor testing and ranking by DxO Mark. A great way to start an argument is to reference their findings, which I personally feel are reliable and accurate. The overall ranking involves an equation that’s a bit subjective, but the actual numbers for dynamic range, color depth, and high ISO performance are objective and accurate in my view. All that said they are pretty minor, and that’s the source of a lot of people’s animosity and perplexity. The properties of the sensor may be easy to quantify, but are a small fragment of the imaging process. First off, the quantity of pixels on the sensor isn’t part of their equation. They are only evaluating quality of information and are ignoring quantity of information. That’s fair enough since the manufacturer readily discloses how many pixels there are, so DxO doesn’t need to confirm that for you.

 

I especially found this sales receipt of a 35 'cron entertaining

 

[jaapv]

Any ideas about how the M240 in the photo at the top of the page ended up with a black dot instead of the orange-red dot that is standard fare for the M240??

 

Maybe?

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[mjh]

Leica's logo has always been fire engine RED. Why did they do this to the M240, their flagship camera??

The ‘red’ dot on the M9 does look orange to me.

[pico]

I especially found this sales receipt of a 35 'cron entertaining

 

 

Really! Remember when tax was only 4%?

.

[Herr Barnack]

Maybe?

That's one solution. But the real issue is that a solution should not have been needed to begin with.

 

Even with the less than desirable color of the logo, I still enjoy and appreciate my M, and feel very fortunate to be an M owner. That is my only disappointment with it so far. Looking at the big picture, I would much prefer the red logo of old, but it is no reason to be unhappy with a phoenomenal camera.

[jaapv]

Leica cannot provide other than red logos. They did - once - on the M8.2 and got rapped over the knuckles by the trademark owner (Leica Geosystems). Leica Camera leases the rights to the logo.

 

http://www.leica-geosystems.com/guidelines/guidelines_de.htm

[marknorton]

I do think it's interesting that Leica do not own the rights to their own logo/trademark.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[jaapv]

It happened in 1996 when the Wild-Leitz holding AG / Leica Holding AG split up into Leica Camera AG and Leica Geosystems AG. The brand was assigned to the company deemed most stable.

If you look at Leica of that time you’ll find that the possibility of bankruptcy was constantly at the back of the management’s mind. For instance, Customer Service was made independent enough to survive a possible collapse of the main company and thus the support of the products was safeguarded.