Survey: Would you buy the new Leica T?

[Carbon111]

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When I sold all my Canon DSLR gear some time ago to help bankroll my move to Leica, I basically lost out on autofocus.

 

I just ordered the Leica T, the zoom, the finder and the M mount. Now I'll have something compact to carry around with autofocus and the ability to use my collection of M lenses in a pinch. Flexibility!

 

The M and the T is a win-win combo in my opinion.

[jchfriis]

Started with the M6 and a couple of Leica lenses way back when. Then went to digital with the M8 when that was new and now finally went full frame with the M-E and a couple more lenses. For backup and point & shoot have a Lumix LX5. I think my bases are covered for the foreseeable future. But then again I guess this camera was not designed for people like me.

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[edesalvo]

I voted no for the following reasons:

 

1. Not FF.

2. Touch screen display.

3. Non classic design (no analog dials).

4. No incorporated EVF.

 

Exactly!

[WayneNor]

Very disappointed with the X1. Even if I were considering a T, I would wait at least a year to see what bugs it has.

[bmbpeu]

I have not taken part in the poll because none of the answers describe my response to the question.

I have an X1. I love it and if it were as technologically advanced as Sony's RX1 I would love it even more. The Rx1 is though an ugly brute that I don't warm to. The X2 didn't take improvements far enough over the X1. I would like Leica bring out a fixed prime camera with show-stopping technology (but I don't need touch screen and wifi, just a camera I can keep for the rest of my life)that is beautifully designed. Until then I'm saving for an M240.

[mooky]

This camera is not for me because: The fact that a CNC machine cut the frame out of a solid block of aluminum and the 'polishing' is meaningless to me. Yes, I'm sure it gives the T, 'feel', but I've heard that the sensor is a Sony sensor - that doesn't bother me to much.

But I'm guessing the rest of the insides are mostly 'foreign', offshore components, which wouldn't bother me to much either except that Leica is obviously focusing on that 'Leica feel' again.

Then the camera is not one I would take on a 'back-country' trip. No weather sealing, controls to small, touch screen is meaningless to me as well.

I would have liked to see an interchangeable, FF, with removable 'cheaper' EVF, slab-like body, with a 'leatherette' covering, be sealed, have analog controls, etc.

The X with an interchangeable mount would have worked had they done that instead of the 'vario'....though the X-Vario looks to be a better value than the T. Oh, then there is crazy cost of the EVF - huh? Is it really $600.00? What I don't get is why they bothered making this with interchangeable lenses when it comes across as a camera that people will buy who aren't all that interested in changing lenses.

So for me this is a 'yawner', and sadly, pretty much what I expected to be shown. Oh well.

[michaelbrenner]

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My first Leica was an X1, which I used *everywhere* I went from rock climbing to sailing regattas. The only things that held me back from the XV was that the lens was not interchangeable (I prefer a prime) and that it was too large.

 

Based upon the positive reviews seen so far, I will definitely give the T a close look. I would like to see the buzz produced by us normal "mortals" on performance and usability. The reviews I have seen so far have been produced by guys who can make just about *any* camera look good... For the rest of us mortals, feedback on real-world use by 'normal' people is a critical factor.

 

Main criteria: with the 23 prime will it fit into a belt case, like the belt case the X1/X2 have? Will it keep focus setting (and other relevant settings) after it has gone to sleep so that I can just draw and shoot? And obviously, will it exceed the x1/x2 in IQ, DR, ISO sensitivity, etc.? Bottom line: can us regular guys get stellar pics out of it in a dynamic environment *better* than we could with the x1/x2? That's the value proposition that appeals to me.

 

Finally, there is of course the M mount T adaptor, opening up the world of M lenses. The idea of being able to cobble up a used M lens and monkey around with it on this camera is quite appealing. Also, from what I have seen, one can mount an R mount M adaptor to the M mount T adaptor to use an R lens on the T as well, but of course with all that hardware on there, you no longer have a 'compact' camera any more...

 

Moreover, I could see this camera as a 'gateway' to the M. One could use the T (via the adapter) with various used M lenses as a 'tryout', and then as interest is piqued and ability grows, add the M.

[plewislambert]

"but the lack of a built in viewfinder is a deal breaker for me.

The add on finder destroys the shape and elegance of the design. and makes it vulnerable to damage.

 

I only have one camera with an add-on finder - a CL with a 12mm Voigtlander more or less permanently on it, as there is no reasonable alternative.

What Leica needs to understand is that there is a large market out there for a digital CL [ in addition to the existing Leicas ] but for some reason they ignore it."

Bruno

The CL was a good camera - mine was followed by an M4-P which was better built.

Who is the T camera aimed at? DX -not full frame, no viewfinder, no tilt on the screen (you get a more useful screen on a cheap Olympus). Japanese lenses at absurd prices, adapter for M lenses at an absurd price. Maybe the Chinese will fill this gap.

I'll stick to my M9 and 5 old M lenses until I buy an M240. What would buying a T provide me with? Maybe the X Vario will fall in price with the advent of the T. Now that would be an interesting point and shoot camera....

 

Philip

[blaft]

I am not interested because I go analog.

[dshuman]

If I did, I'd take my trusty Milwaukee disk grinder to all those sharp edges and corners. Just looking at them makes my hands hurt. And I'm a rock climber (5.11). What's with the Jony Ive design style these days? Macbook Pro(s) for the masses, with edges that'll cut ya', nice rounded comfortable product for that one special person who can afford it (Leica M RED). I'm beginning to think these rich people don't like us.

[JeTexas]

Seems like a great camera and concept -- if it was $999 or less for the body.

[MRJohn]

No, buying an expensive Leica is not a rational but an emotional decision. A Leica T just tries to capitalize on the emotional heritage which the M system created. It will not last. Personally, I find the T quite ugly and cold. Rather they should try to move some of the nice features of the T into the next M, cut the M body price in half (keep that entry ticket as low as possible and hope that GAS kicks in to buy more lenses) and ditch too many lines. Leica needs to focus, it is not Apple and not Audi. A good photograph generates an emotional response, so does the tool which creates it. This T is just a slow follower, where is the innovation, in the GUI? Come on, Sony or Fuji can copy the touchscreen in 6 months and then what? Leica should try to be creative and build on their M heritage with incremental innovation. Bring an autofocus lens line to the M, bring the next generation MM, have a state of the art build-in EVF… Well maybe I am wrong, time will tell.

[Printmaker]

Yawn...

[!Nomad64]

Main criteria: with the 23 prime will it fit into a belt case, like the belt case the X1/X2 have? Will it keep focus setting (and other relevant settings) after it has gone to sleep so that I can just draw and shoot? And obviously, will it exceed the x1/x2 in IQ, DR, ISO sensitivity, etc.? Bottom line: can us regular guys get stellar pics out of it in a dynamic environment *better* than we could with the x1/x2? That's the value proposition that appeals to me.

 

Since the first T's DNGs are becoming progressively available I began comparing with DNGs from XV, X2 and X1.

So far I got the impression that the 16MP sensor shared by all cameras but the X1 introduced some improvements such as better high ISO management but lost something on IQ as introduced chromatic aberrations. These latter are quite nonexistent on X1 outputs, negligible on X2 but definitely noticeable on the T files.

Also, the increased pixel density nominally brought more resolution but also lesser finer details as these tend to become fuzzy and cluttered.

 

The T seems to do a great job by automatically providing aberration corrections on the jpegs straight ooc. There's more detail to extract in the DNG files, but that also becomes much more of a hard work to remove noise and to properly sharpening.

 

All in all, the ooc jpegs from the T are excellent, which is coherent with a supposedly possible target of the camera, i.e. non professional, advanced amateurs who do not want to lose too much time tweaking their files prior to posting them on social networks, but if I had to judge based on the ease of working on DNG files and the final results that can be obtained, well, I begin to think that the X1 comes first and all the others follow. Call me a fool if you want and I'd be pleased to be proven wrong.

 

Cheers,

Bruno

[imants]

The RX100M3 will be a better propsition ..............

[lct]

I voted "No, other cameras have better specs for less money" sorry but i would have voted no irrespective of the price anyway.

I just wanted a small digital back for travelling light with a couple of M lenses and i expected results comparable to those of my M8.2 but the first DNG files i've developped look rather far from that.

Not sure if i will be happy with the competitors though but i think that i will try the little Ricoh M mount in the first place with hope that a small Leica body will better meet my expectations in a not too remote future.

Still a great fan of both M240 and M8.2 though in spite of the coffee stain of the latter .

[Jaybob]

Yawn...

 

EXACTLY! I thought I was the only one! It's like they didn't even try.

 

3 years ago (a lifetime in digital) this camera would have really been something.

 

A full frame M mount digital CL is what this should have been, and what we got is a NEX 5 with an brand new lens mount. Oh and the whole setup (body, all 2 lenses and VF) cost as much as an M-E.

 

WTF?

[pieterpronk]

It's weird how excited I was when I first saw the reviews, and how that excitement has waned until I feel very little excitement. I actually wonder about what got me excited about the T in the first place.

 

Was it the price? It seemed pretty low, but then you start calculating. I would need at least the evf which adds 600 or so to the whole thing. And then I would need to buy at least one lens. Well actually I feel I would need to buy two lenses since if I would only have one I might as well buy either the X2 or the vario. Anyway, once you start calculating you realize the price becomes silly pretty quick considering it's just aps-c of which there are plenty others.

 

Was it the image quality? The samples look nice, but once you realize all the other aps-c camera's can match it easily, that argument quickly turns into the "well we've hit the level where there are no real image quality differences any longer". In that case it seems even sillier to buy the brand that is ten times as expensive as a similar other brand system.

 

These last couple of days another thought has crossed my mind which further rained on the parade of the T... To be honest I just can not believe this system will survive for more that 10 years. I buy M lenses because I believe they will be viable options even 25 or 50 years from now. But the 23mm summicron? I doubt it will still be used 10 years from now. It might not even reach 5 years, considering the speed with which this market moves. I doubt any of the other aps-c systems will do much better by the way. I just can't see the T system surviving.

[cheewai_m6]

none of those answers fit me. it's not the perfect camera for me. the perfect camera for me is an MP. i have an M6 and M-E so there's no reason for me to get a T, yet i'd love to own one still.

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Hallo,

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[hektor]

I will not be buying the "T" as it does not have a viewfinder. I agree with Bruno, and would like a digital (solid-state) Leica CL. That may possible be why the Fuji Finepix X100LE Black is successful. Very similar, but does not have interchangeable lenses.

Edited April 30, 2014 by hektor
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