Will the next M be a T+ ?

[3D-Kraft.com]

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Maybe, but I trust the M will always stay a rangefinder camera. No AF for the M, ever.

 

I agree. But the demand (and necessity for Leica to survive in that business in a long term) for a new full frame system beside "M" will grow. And I bet, it will have the same mount as the "T" albeit the name wil be different (and most propably not T+ or FT )

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[UliWer]

... And I bet, it will have the same mount as the "T" ...

 

If Leica presented some new lens with M-bayonet during the next twelve months, your bet won't be a good one, if not, you'll may win it.

[mjh]

If Leica presented some new lens with M-bayonet during the next twelve months, your bet won't be a good one, if not, you'll may win it.

I have reasons to believe that allowing for 12 months would be overly generous …

[3D-Kraft.com]

If Leica presented some new lens with M-bayonet during the next twelve months, your bet won't be a good one, if not, you'll may win it.

 

Of course there will be new M lenses - I never said (or betted) the opposite. My bet has a horizon of about 5 years.

[NZDavid]

I certainly hope not. I am far from convinced that touchscreen cameras are superior. Perhaps both the M and T. Why not?

[Baddog]

If Leica would ( or could ) produce one or more zoom lenses for my M240 similar to the new T lenses

My feet would stay firmly bolted to the M camp for a long long time.

Regards

Allan

[esy0345]

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If they would just give us what we really want which is an option for full frame with in-camera hybrid viewfinder M and real zoom M lenses instead of huge R lenses with at least f2 divided into 28-50,70-90, and 18-24 f3.8 or such they would have a great system. f2 does not have to be that large in a manual focus lens.

[paulsydaus]

Spot on.

 

 

I would prefer just one dial controlling either shutter speed (in M mode) or exposure correction (in A mode). I usually don’t change ISO while shooting, but if people want another dial for ISO or whatever, I wouldn’t be opposed to that. As to using a touchscreen in preference to the dedicated buttons, I had no objections either.

 

 

 

Apart from that, the existing lenses pretty much dictate that the M will stay a manually focused rangefinder camera.

[UliWer]

I have reasons to believe that allowing for 12 months would be overly generous …

 

One will have to take some delivery time into account....

[Tmuussoni]

I am hoping the next M will atleast have 2 options, one for rangefinder experience and one for EVF.Or perhaps a hybrid experience. But in my opinion EVF is the future. The technology is going fast forwards while I don't see any significant improvements in the OVF technology. That shouldn't mean Leica couldn't competete in the EVF experience. They can if they want. So my dream body would be a Leica M and something like the Sony A7R sensor and even more advanced EVF. Touch screen or not, I don't care as long as it will still have some manual dials such as EV compensation. And with a Leica build quality. Now I use Sony A7r and Leica M lenses and love the EVF handling. And of course the Sony does not handle the wide angle M lenses that well.. The problem is I never was a fan fan of RF experience, but I absolutely love the M lenses and those will keep Leica alive in the future.

[Exodies]

Built in evf and hot shoe mounted rangefinder with some piezo-electric shuffling to position it just right? I can hear the howls of indignation already.

And while you're up there, move all the screen activity onto a phone.

And a three-d flexible circular sensor.

The next gen camera needs more imagination than we have used for the last century - the M looks like it could take two film spools in the case; is that really the most ergonomic shape?

[jaapv]

I am hoping the next M will atleast have 2 options, one for rangefinder experience and one for EVF.Or perhaps a hybrid experience. But in my opinion EVF is the future. The technology is going fast forwards while I don't see any significant improvements in the OVF technology. That shouldn't mean Leica couldn't competete in the EVF experience. They can if they want. So my dream body would be a Leica M and something like the Sony A7R sensor and even more advanced EVF. Touch screen or not, I don't care as long as it will still have some manual dials such as EV compensation. And with a Leica build quality. Now I use Sony A7r and Leica M lenses and love the EVF handling. And of course the Sony does not handle the wide angle M lenses that well.. The problem is I never was a fan fan of RF experience, but I absolutely love the M lenses and those will keep Leica alive in the future.

Developments will never change the fact that an EVF is a TV screen and an OVF a window.

[Paul J]

This generation will mostly reject an EVF I feel. I equate it to being locked inside a department store with no windows all day which is lit with banks of the cheapest sort of flouros. i.e. Not a nice experience. It's optical for me.

 

Perhaps the children of today will accept it more and more as it becomes normal to them it will take over completely but I think we will see hybrid or tandem finders for a long while before an evf will take over altogether. I think it will remain an occasional tool for the most part and for some time to come yet.

 

Of corse I'm open to being wrong but I bloody well hope not.

[Vip]

I would love to have an hybrid viewfinder switchable to maintain the beautiful M we have now and switching to an EVF without the need of an attachement.

Hoping also longer tele lens for M and extension tube for macro 90

[sanyasi]

I don't want to be a cheerleader for the M line, as I have only been using it for six or so years, but I don't understand why people believe the M should have autofocus and zoom lenses. While I am not an engineer, it is fairly obvious to me that you are talking about a fundamentally different camera when you talk about autofocus and zoom lenses. The M is not set up for that sort of communication between lens and camera.

 

There are plenty of autofocus systems with zoom lenses. The M is a relatively simple camera that relies on prime lenses and a manual system for focusing. It is what it is. If you don't like it, use a DSLR or one of the increasing number of mirrorless systems.

[StephenPatterson]

Maybe, but I trust the M will always stay a rangefinder camera.

 

I bet your wrong about this, for two reasons:

 

1. Producing an optical rangefinder is very expensive, in terms of time to manufacturer, components needed, and ongoing support and maintenance for camera returned under warranty.

 

2. An EVF can "simulate" a rangefinder, and that's where the M will go. Maybe not the next iteration, but it will happen.

 

The optical viewfinder/rangefinder is on the chopping block at Leica, just like the frame preview selection lever. It's just a question of time...

[tookaphotoof]

By the time that happens I for sure will not be replacing my M for the next one.

I had my first evf experience in 2002 with the Minolta Dimage 7Hi and I'm using one on the M once in a while, but I simply prefer optical viewfinders.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mjh]

Producing an optical rangefinder is very expensive, in terms of time to manufacturer, components needed, and ongoing support and maintenance for camera returned under warranty.

Yep, it is expensive. And if there is one vendor opposed to the mindset of replacing everything expensive to manufacture by something cheaper, that would be Leica. If that should ever chance, Leica would be just like any other camera (and lens) vendor.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[3D-Kraft.com]

Developments will never change the fact that an EVF is a TV screen and an OVF a window.

 

I suggest to take a look on a 4K screen with well produced 4K material (e.g.

). It is like looking through a window.

 

Razorfish (about 1996): "Everything that can be digital will be."

[zlatkob]

I can imagine if Leica build on the T design elements, the next M could look like this;

 

Aluminum body

Touch screen interface with one or two dials on the top plate

Clip on EVF - time to drop the rangefinder

New or revised 'M' mount and new range of M AF lenses (but legacy M lenses will fit of course)

 

Your T+ pretty much is the existing T, except that the lenses aren't called "M AF" and they're not full frame. There's no reason to build a T+ because the T already serves the purpose of being a compact interchangeable lens AF camera. If they every built a full frame version of the T, there's no reason to believe that it would replace the M. The T+ would just be another product on the product list.

 

Of course, but the point I'm raising is if the design elements will form the basis of a future M camera.

 

At some point Leica will surely move to an AF system for their flagship camera.

 

There is nothing sure about that at all. I think it's extremely unlikely. The only possible reason for that to happen is if the M stopped selling, i.e., the market for the manual focus M dried up. That doesn't seem to be about to happen now or in the near future. Of course it is likely that Leica will build more AF cameras, but not as a replacement for the M.

 

The fact that the rangefinder mechanism is expensive to build does not support the idea that a move to AF and/or EVF is inevitable for the M. Last time I checked, the M is a very expensive camera. Having expensive components is just an expected part of the product. For many buyers, the expensive RF mechanism is the MAIN selling point. Replacing it with something cheaper makes no sense on an expensive camera for which that is the main selling point.