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Changing a product through it's lifecycle is a common practice catering for the different profiles of adoption in the Rogers Bell Curve: innovators, early adopters, early majority adopters, late majority adopters and laggards.

 

I think it's clever marketing, catering for the professional and late adopters together whilst making the most of early adopters too all along creating a desirable product and brand. Larger companies like Canon clearly have the budget to develop entirely different models to trial new technology and market them differently to the less cautious amateur and semi pro market ie Canon 7D, 5D rather than 1D

 

"late majority" and "laggard" segments in the Rogers Bell Curve, despite being latest of adopters, make up 50% of sales. Late majority adopters make up 34% of sales alone. These are people who generally prefer less branding, more traditional styling, more resistant to change (frame selector back on), more cautious (professionals don't want buggy products).

 

The larger buffer certainly makes sense as a signal and enticement to professionals who are also generally late adopters because they need a more stable and matured product with ironed out bugs and are less willing to fix what aint broken.

 

Early adopters buy the standard M 240, they are more likely to be brand proud and less concerned of what others think. They are more open to and willing to fly the flag of branding and big red dots and make a good opportunity for marketing, they are "sneezers" spreading the word. I think a lesser wearing screen is less off a concern for them because they are faster consumers and more wanting of the latest upgrade.

 

All this gives something to each category and plays to their profile.

 

Leica, interestingly, is the only company I'm aware of that increases, rather than decreases the price of it's 2 year old product (pending M240 increase). Co-incidentally late adopters and laggards are generally wanting of price reductions rather than increases so it goes to show you how different the Leica niche demographic is.

Edited by Paul J
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Dear Leica,

 

 

 

Please read the last 11 pages.

 

 

 

This update didn't cut it.

 

 

 

I've still got my favorite Leica glass, but I didn't buy a 240 because it was years behind the competition. I'm not buying a 240 with a built in screen protector because it is years behind the competition.

 

 

 

Hope you can catch up.

 

 

Which aspect was, and is, behind loads ?

You can't do face detect with MF, which is a major selling point of the camera

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Which aspect was, and is, behind loads ?

 

To keep the list manageable, let's restrict it to only features that you could use while shooting the M240 like an M7 (no video, no live view). I'll also list the camera that has the feature.

 

  • Electronic first curtain shutter to allow complex metering mode without delay (A7)
  • User selectable frame lines (X-Pro 1)
  • Single frame line option (X-Pro 1)
  • Suggested shutter speed in viewfinder (Zeiss Ikon ZM for gods' sake)
  • Current ISO & aperture guess in viewfinder (every other camera ever forever)
  • Ability to re-assign digital buttons (Fuji cameras)
  • Built in sensor cleaning (Almost every other digital camera)
  • (restricted by my rules outlined above) Hybrid viewfinder (X-Pro 1 - may be patented)
  • (restricted by my rules outlined above) Wireless connectivity - app to grab photos, control camera. (A7)

 

Of course the M240 could also have better ISO performance and a lower base ISO, but that doesn't really count as a "missing" feature to me. I'm sure Leica would like its sensor to have 0 noise at 6400, but they aren't magicians. :p

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By Leica's own admission, people don't like their company logo. Maybe it's time to change it?

 

You would think, with Leica pushing the iconic nature of the M body style like they do, they would have figured out themselves that just maybe a logo wasn't needed on the actual product.

 

Just ditch the screw, reverse the adjustment mechanism and go at it through the back of the camera. Then they could cover that hole with a screw; problem solved...

 

s-a

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I spent a weekend with the M-P and have written up a thorough hands-on preview. Check it out here:

 

Leica M-P (Typ 240) Hands-On Preview

If anyone has any questions or thoughts please let me know!

 

So tedious, you have a vested interest in selling more cameras so it's hardly objective. While I accept that a new M240 buyer might be able to justify the extra expense, the upgrade cost of moving from a used M to an M-P is going to be far more substantial and the improvements - if that is what they are - are hardly likely to justify the cost.

 

I would have been much happier if Leica had focussed instead on improving IQ. M-P buyers should remember that they are buying a camera which is more than 2 years old.

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The best feature about this camera is that I will have one by Friday. Unheard of for stock to be available at announcement. And I'm getting my preferred black as well.

 

I'm adding this to my M240 and moving on my last M9. I took both to a wedding last weekend and didn't shoot a frame on the M9. I skipped the M9P so this time I'm going to treat myself. I was actually just about to look at the purchase of a second 240 when the announcement was made and it was nice that I didn't have to wait for one. I doubt, even as a working photographer, any of the features on the P will change my life but I did like the frame line selector on the M9 so it'll be nice to have that. And this time I wont need a sticker to tell which camera is which. :-)

 

I like the way the camera looks. I've never had a Leica without a dot so I have no personal reference. It'll be nice to be able to share accessories and batteries again, as well.

 

Gordon

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  • Electronic first curtain shutter to allow complex metering mode without delay (A7)
  • User selectable frame lines (X-Pro 1)
  • Single frame line option (X-Pro 1)
  • Suggested shutter speed in viewfinder (Zeiss Ikon ZM for gods' sake)
  • Current ISO & aperture guess in viewfinder (every other camera ever forever)
  • Ability to re-assign digital buttons (Fuji cameras)
  • Built in sensor cleaning (Almost every other digital camera)
  • (restricted by my rules outlined above) Hybrid viewfinder (X-Pro 1 - may be patented)
  • (restricted by my rules outlined above) Wireless connectivity - app to grab photos, control camera. (A7)

 

+1 and add to that:

 

  • Customizable "Favorite" menu containing only functions I use. Bring up my 'Favorite" menu with the SET key. Current items int the SET menu should be moved into a section of the standard MENU.
  • Ability to move Live View spot around the frame.
  • Customizable Focus Peaking tolerance.
  • A decent, high resolution viewfinder that does not lag.
  • Quick, interactive user interface. Especially during image review. Use decent processors. Yes, I am going to pay $100 more for a decent CPU.
  • H.264 video instead of 20 years old blocky horrible MJPEG. You do it right or don't do it at all.

 

It is interesting to note that most of the above are just software improvements.

Leica has a software problem that has to be solved as soon as possible.

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… If anyone has any questions or thoughts please let me know!

A factual error that you could have checked in this forum's Wiki: "Additionally, you will notice that Leica has reintroduced the frame line preview lever. This lever, which has been a fixture on all Leica M cameras since the original M3, …" None of the M1, MD, or MDa had the frame line preview lever and all were post-M3.

 

Pete.

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I don't think so but i may be wrong.

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!

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Didn't the early M2 bodies, which came 5 years after the intro of the M3, also not have a preview lever?

As far as I'm aware all M2's had a frame line preview lever. You're not confusing the frame line preview lever with the delay timer lever, which not all of them had, by any chance? (Note the missing DT lever in LCT's manual compared to his M2.)

 

Pete.

Edited by farnz
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Changing a product through it's lifecycle is a common practice catering for the different profiles of adoption in the Rogers Bell Curve: innovators, early adopters, early majority adopters, late majority adopters and laggards.

 

I think it's clever marketing, catering for the professional and late adopters together whilst making the most of early adopters too all along creating a desirable product and brand. Larger companies like Canon clearly have the budget to develop entirely different models to trial new technology and market them differently to the less cautious amateur and semi pro market ie Canon 7D, 5D rather than 1D

 

"late majority" and "laggard" segments in the Rogers Bell Curve, despite being latest of adopters, make up 50% of sales. Late majority adopters make up 34% of sales alone. These are people who generally prefer less branding, more traditional styling, more resistant to change (frame selector back on), more cautious (professionals don't want buggy products).

 

The larger buffer certainly makes sense as a signal and enticement to professionals who are also generally late adopters because they need a more stable and matured product with ironed out bugs and are less willing to fix what aint broken.

 

Early adopters buy the standard M 240, they are more likely to be brand proud and less concerned of what others think. They are more open to and willing to fly the flag of branding and big red dots and make a good opportunity for marketing, they are "sneezers" spreading the word. I think a lesser wearing screen is less off a concern for them because they are faster consumers and more wanting of the latest upgrade.

 

All this gives something to each category and plays to their profile.

 

Leica, interestingly, is the only company I'm aware of that increases, rather than decreases the price of it's 2 year old product (pending M240 increase). Co-incidentally late adopters and laggards are generally wanting of price reductions rather than increases so it goes to show you how different the Leica niche demographic is.

 

The best time to buy a Leica digital body is when Leica do their mid-life cosmetic update. The M240 was being dumped recently by a large dealer in Australia for $7180 (ex. tax) including a free Summarit. If you deduct $2000 for the Summarit, the M240 will set you back $5180 (Aussie dollars). That's around USD$4700. This is well below current second hand pricing!

Edited by Ozkar
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As far as I'm aware all M2's had a frame line preview lever. You're not confusing the frame line preview lever with the delay timer lever, which not all of them had, by any chance? (Note the missing DT lever in LCT's manual compared to his M2.)

 

Pete.

 

Just foggy memory. I remember the early ones had a button rewind clutch, wasn't sure about the frame lever.

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The best feature about this camera is that I will have one by Friday. Unheard of for stock to be available at announcement. And I'm getting my preferred black as well.

 

I'm adding this to my M240 and moving on my last M9. I took both to a wedding last weekend and didn't shoot a frame on the M9. I skipped the M9P so this time I'm going to treat myself. I was actually just about to look at the purchase of a second 240 when the announcement was made and it was nice that I didn't have to wait for one. I doubt, even as a working photographer, any of the features on the P will change my life but I did like the frame line selector on the M9 so it'll be nice to have that. And this time I wont need a sticker to tell which camera is which. :-)

 

I like the way the camera looks. I've never had a Leica without a dot so I have no personal reference. It'll be nice to be able to share accessories and batteries again, as well.

 

Gordon

 

Hi Gordon,

 

When you have a chance please let us know what you think of the camera in use compared with the M

 

Kind regards,

Mark

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