M 11 will be around in less than 4 years. The speculations and facts.

[AandW]

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Since many people don’t seem to use the Focus Button on the front perhaps it could be replaced with a 2 or 3 position lever. (Alternatively there is room for a button and a lever).  It could be another throwback to the analogue cameras and about the same size as the Reversing/Rewind Lever.  You could either assign a few Drive Modes to the lever or User Profiles.   Anyone who misses the drive modes on the On Switch could assign single, continuous and self timer to the lever.   I would prefer to use the lever like the 1 and 2 settings on the Sony A7s and quickly select User Profiles or reset to my standard settings after making some adjustments.  If you wished, via the User Profiles, the lever could quickly change the A and M settings of the ISO dial.

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[digitalfx]

Since many people don’t seem to use the Focus Button on the front perhaps it could be replaced with a 2 or 3 position lever. (Alternatively there is room for a button and a lever).  It could be another throwback to the analogue cameras and about the same size as the Reversing/Rewind Lever.  You could either assign a few Drive Modes to the lever or User Profiles.   Anyone who misses the drive modes on the On Switch could assign single, continuous and self timer to the lever.   I would prefer to use the lever like the 1 and 2 settings on the Sony A7s and quickly select User Profiles or reset to my standard settings after making some adjustments.  If you wished, via the User Profiles, the lever could quickly change the A and M settings of the ISO dial.

 

 

Its used by everyone who uses R lenses...it cant be eliminated.

[Viv1857]

I find the focus button to be an invaluable tool.

[Leicauser7]

With all the talk about the lesser M10 battery capacity, I find the assanine base plate far more objectionable. The batteries are so small should be no problem carrying an extra one around and just swapping them out... But bc the half case has to be completely removed to get the damn base plate off, the whole process becomes a total PITA. Does anyone at Leica actually use their own products? Such bad industrial design in today's world is astounding.

[Stef63]

With all the talk about the lesser M10 battery capacity, I find the assanine base plate far more objectionable. The batteries are so small should be no problem carrying an extra one around and just swapping them out... But bc the half case has to be completely removed to get the damn base plate off, the whole process becomes a total PITA. Does anyone at Leica actually use their own products? Such bad industrial design in today's world is astounding.

Welcome to the world of Leica. The base plate is there for decades, so why change it? And why using a half case? A proper M user uses his camera naked.

 

Ever used the protector case on the T? You had to loose one of the lug straps, remove the lens and only then you were able to remove the Leica designed protector case to replace the battery.

 

PS For the record : I'm against nudity on the M, so my camera's all have their half case. Arte di Mano seem to have a solution with a magnetic leather door on the bottom of their case that replaces the standard base plate. But it comes at a price.

[ELAN]

Personally I like the base plate and am happy to see it retained in the M10.  It's solid, secure, weatherproof, nostalgic and pretty quick on and off, more so on the M10.

[digitalfx]

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I've always hated the baseplate, but what is the alternative, a plastic door?

No thanks.

 

I've never used a half case on any of my M's since the M3...they are meant to be naked.

 

 

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[IkarusJohn]

I've always hated the baseplate, but what is the alternative, a plastic door?

No thanks.

 

I've never used a half case on any of my M's since the M3...they are meant to be naked.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

 

The alternative is the nifty click in and click out battery on the SL & T.  It works, it's secure, and it doesn't seem to adversely affect the weather sealing.

 

So, if the M had this Leica innovation, what would we lose (for considerable convenience)?  Well, the SD card would need a new home - I'm sure.  I certainly wouldn't miss having to fav about with the baseplate - I get it's purpose on the film M cameras, the digital Ms, not so much.

[AAK]

Oh, I do have a wish: bring video back, if possible in such a discrete manner as not to upset the more traditional users. Consider the tradition of the Leica Travel Camera as promoted by Dr.Paul Wolff; he carried an extra cine camera to supplement his Leica travel photography.

 

 

I'm very skeptical of video in any rangefinder. For me, it's definitely not a priority in an M camera.

[digitalfx]

I'm very skeptical of video 

 

 

skeptical?

[Lax Jought]

Oh, I do have a wish: bring video back, if possible in such a discrete manner as not to upset the more traditional users. Consider the tradition of the Leica Travel Camera as promoted by Dr.Paul Wolff; he carried an extra cine camera to supplement his Leica travel photography.

 

I'm wasn't sure for a moment there, whether you were being sarcastic. 

[wlaidlaw]

There is no reason Leica could not put a focus indicator on a thin LCD at the bottom of the OVF, like Contax did with the RX and very useful it was too, especially for the 85mm f1.2 Anniversary Planar, with half the DOF of an 0.95 Nocti. The only thing I am not sure of is whether that needs to be driven by a PDAF detector, rather than a CDAF detector off the sensor, as Leica uses for focus peaking. 

 

Wilson

[paulsydaus]

Two concepts, one is out of left field.

 

Firstly, I'm interested to know the shutter lag between shutter press and opening shutter? How does this compare between the digital and mechanical M?

 

I personally can tell there is a difference between my M240 and MP.

 

If Leica could create a digital m which has basically a mechanical response time, that would be huge.

 

The M240 is good, but occasionally I do notice lag and it's not because of the buffer. Has something to do with the interrupt service routine response time or shutter electromagnet response time...?

 

Second, I'm going way out here: square 36mm x 36mm sensor, with frame selector toggling between portrait and landscape optical rangefinder frame lines.

 

Making portraits much easier as well as opening up square format which is always popular. I personally wouldn't care if the camera needed to be slightly taller.

 

Maybe, some kind of exposure feedback in the optical finder which briefly pops up to show the exposure result of the last shot (I.e. Min/max levels)... configurable so you could turn it off... (faster than chomping)?

 

 

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[Paulus]

With all the talk about the lesser M10 battery capacity, I find the assanine base plate far more objectionable. The batteries are so small should be no problem carrying an extra one around and just swapping them out... But bc the half case has to be completely removed to get the damn base plate off, the whole process becomes a total PITA. Does anyone at Leica actually use their own products? Such bad industrial design in today's world is astounding.

 

Yes, they use their products, and yes, some of the use halfcases. I do to and use there products for quite a time.

 

We tested the base plate M6 removal in Siberia at minus 48 degrees with very thick gloves and a little rope around the locking mechanism. It worked after some practice. If one cannot cope with it after a little practice, I suggest forget Leica.

 

It's not a camera build for speed and the base plate isn't also, but my plate never fell out of my hands, because I had to change a filmroll quickly, just a little practice and some intelligent approach is enough. Inserting the film met with some difficulties at the start this passes away after a few hundred rolls.

 

Inserting a battery and a SD cart is really just a piece of cake compared with film.

 

I like such a baseplate because it has some advantages. Sometimes you have to master a tool. Play a violin for a while and you should recognize this. 

[Paulus]

Welcome to the world of Leica. The base plate is there for decades, so why change it? And why using a half case? A proper M user uses his camera naked.

 

 

Excuse me?

 

"A proper M user uses his camera naked " ? 

 

Do you mean the camera or the man? If you mean the camera I don't know on which users, you base you argument. 

You suggest as if a half case or a ever ready case is something " not done " for real photographers. 

[digitalfx]

Excuse me?

 

"A proper M user uses his camera naked " ? 

 

Do you mean the camera or the man? If you mean the camera I don't know on which users, you base you argument. 

You suggest as if a half case or a ever ready case is something " not done " for real photographers. 

 

 

 

What he means by "naked" is that he uses the camera without a case.

I have never put a case on my M cameras...try it you might like it.

[Dirk Mandeville]

I've never been much for the half case look, but I may be forced into it with the M10. I need a grip on the front of the camera. I used the Leica grip (which replaces the baseplate) on my M9, but it was a little too big of a grip. In the M10 version, they did a much better job with the grip part. But they doubled the height of the baseplate, which absolutely ruins the proportions of the camera. It looks hideous to me, especially on the silver cameras. So I may have to go with the half case, which seems to have a nice grip built in.

[IkarusJohn]

... I like such a baseplate because it has some advantages. Sometimes you have to master a tool. Play a violin for a while and you should recognize this. 

 

 

Can you elaborate on what those advantages are?

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[Stef63]

Excuse me?

 

"A proper M user uses his camera naked " ? 

 

Do you mean the camera or the man? If you mean the camera I don't know on which users, you base you argument. 

You suggest as if a half case or a ever ready case is something " not done " for real photographers.

 

I was making a joke of course to demonstrate the Leica way if thinking (or some of its users). The base plate is there for decades, so it has become irrelevante if it's the best industrial design for a current camera. It is like it was and they will stick to it.

 

Oh and did you read my PS? I use all my M camera's with a half case and not "naked".

 

You should read Ken Rockwell "Leica Man" stories. But do not take him to serious.

[henning]

I may not have much that is original to add to this thread, but since I use 3 different digital camera systems at this time and have used MANY film cameras over the years, I do know what I like.

 

I would like the general responsiveness and overall speed of the Olympus E-M1 mkII; I don't need the 60fps RAW shooting capability, but for lesser tasks the speed of this camera is such a joy compared to any other camera I have used, and that includes various high end DSLR's. I never have to wait for it. Overall ergonomics are pretty decent but could use modification in some areas. Menus are useable but not much more. From the Sony A7RII take the sensor - it's the class act right now. Otherwise the camera is a rather awkward, slow and cludgy mess, relatively. Strange that an electronics company puts out an expensive product with such inadequate electronics. Menus barely better than those of the Olympus. Leica has great ergonomics, but generally lags its contemporaries in electronics. Great lenses, but definitely at a price. Olympus also has a number of outstanding lenses, but while not inexpensive, their lower price is offset by hardly being 'micro' 4/3.

 

So. In view of none of these systems being able to do everything, and my not expecting that, I would prefer Leica stick to making an excellent rangefinder camera, that optical rangefinder being further developed along the lines of the M240 and M10. Size of an M4. Battery life to last anyone a day. Splash proofing. A clip on EVF is not ideal, but a better designed, i.e., lower profile, more solid attachment and definitely higher resolution with faster refresh rate a la Olympus would be great. Give the EVF display options for electronic levels, histograms, over/under flashes etc for those that want that. IBIS would be fantastic. A higher dynamic range sensor with better useable low light performance would be wonderful, but it doesn't have to have more mp. Video is unnecessary but if it can be done without excessive heat or wear on the battery life, OK. Just let me disable it. Keep the menus and options simple. If it only shoots lossless compressed dng, fine.

 

Then make it monochrome. And then make it without the rear screen; if you want a 'screen', use the clip on EVF.

 

O yeah, and make it closer to $5000 CDN than $10,000.