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M11-P, what more can Leica add?


Masukami

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Now the M11 is finally out of the bag, I'm already thinking about the M11-P...

Apart from losing the red dot, I can't imagine what else the good folk at Wetzlar could easily do to create the M11-P.   Maybe bigger internal storage.

I'm sure it's on the roadmap - anyone want to speculate what it will look like?

 

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I won't be surprised if the M11P comes in brass and the new black paint. I've gotten very used to the heavy M10 feeling bodies and I really can't say for sure if I'd prefer the lighter weight or not. I definitely think the heavy weight of the brass will appeal to many customers and I could see that going into a M11P black version.

Edited by Crem
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11 minutes ago, Crem said:

I won't be surprised if the M11P comes in brass and the new black paint. I've gotten very used to the heavy M10 feeling bodies and I really can't say for sure if I'd prefer the lighter weight or not. I definitely think the heavy weight of the brass will appeal to many customers and I could see that going into a M11P black version.

Interesting. You could have a good point there.  Although, traditionally the ‘P’ designation is for professional, and I’m unsure if brass and black paint qualify? 

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My bet is that brass is being phased out for digital M bodies and will not be coming back for the black M11-P, except perhaps in some limited special edition.  My bet for the M11-P is on the usual tactic of replacing the red dot with top script, the expansion of the internal storage, and at most the return of the M10-D-style “advance lever” thumb-rest.

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Apart from omitting the red dot…

Leica M9 —> Leica M9-P
Silver chrome cover instead of grey paint, vulcanite leatherette, sapphire cover glass (LCD)

Leica M (240) —> Leica M-P
Doubled RAM (2 GB), sapphire cover glass (LCD), image field selector back again

Leica M10 —> Leica M10-P
Touchscreen, level, more silent shutter

Just to inspire everyone. 😁

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Leica M11 —> Leica M11-P
EFC (Electronic Front Curtain), 4 GB buffer (if that's necessary), black paint, 128 GB internal storage, faster sensor read-out for an even better electronic shutter :D, traditional rf shooting mode (starting with closed shutter dunno)

Edited by BJohn
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1 hour ago, Masukami said:

Interesting. You could have a good point there.  Although, traditionally the ‘P’ designation is for professional, and I’m unsure if brass and black paint qualify? 

You bring up a very good point. All I can say is the following: Leica likes to make money off of non-professionals and I think they will do a very good job of understanding their market. Black paint and brass will definitely sell big time. It will also feel much more premium than aluminum and the new special coating they are using. They could launch it today as a $5000 premium over the normal M11 and I bet those would sell out faster than the normal M11. It's unfortunately, but I think current Leica M10/M11 prices result in a limited number of professionals purchasing them new. I know a number of photographers that simply can't justify buying two bodies at $9k USD each plus lenses, batteries, etc. Leica is a luxury brand and the P at this point is for connoisseurs. I would love to see a black paint no logos versions.

Edited by Crem
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11 hours ago, M9reno said:

My bet is that brass is being phased out for digital M bodies and will not be coming back for the black M11-P, except perhaps in some limited special edition.  My bet for the M11-P is on the usual tactic of replacing the red dot with top script, the expansion of the internal storage, and at most the return of the M10-D-style “advance lever” thumb-rest.

@M9reno

I'm sure that you're absolutely right about expanding the internal storage. Perhaps the buffer, too.  These would be easy changes to make that would provide real value to shooters at little cost to Leica.

I've been trying to get my head around the idea of providing both brass and aluminium variants.  I've seen some posts stating the aluminium is partly necessary because the new black finish (more environmentally friendly than black chrome) won't 'take' on the old brass plates.  

It could also be a way to 'ease' the Leica faithful into a new direction: introduce a lightweight alternative, keep brass on the silver finish for the diehard fans and still provide the option to create black paint special editions in brass, as you mention above. 

I have mixed feelings about the brass. I love my M10-R black paint as I see it as the last and ultimate of the 'traditional digital Ms' and intend to keep it as my daily shooter and enjoy the brassing that will follow in the years ahead.  Having said that, my biggest regret was selling my black M6 TTL, which had zinc (I think) top an bottom plates and 'brassed' in a kind of ugly way.

 

Edited by Masukami
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10 hours ago, BJohn said:

Leica M11 —> Leica M11-P
EFC (Electronic Front Curtain), 4 GB buffer (if that's necessary), black paint, 128 GB internal storage, faster sensor read-out for an even better electronic shutter :D, traditional rf shooting mode (starting with closed shutter dunno)

Apart from the black paint, buffer and storage, those are a lot of big technical changes. You're half way to an M12!

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10 hours ago, RF’sDelight said:

Apart from omitting the red dot…

Leica M9 —> Leica M9-P
Silver chrome cover instead of grey paint, vulcanite leatherette, sapphire cover glass (LCD)

Leica M (240) —> Leica M-P
Doubled RAM (2 GB), sapphire cover glass (LCD), image field selector back again

Leica M10 —> Leica M10-P
Touchscreen, level, more silent shutter

Just to inspire everyone. 😁

I loved the sapphire glass on my M-P 240 (practically indestructible).

Sadly, I don't think you can use sapphire with touch screens.

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48 minutes ago, Masukami said:

Apart from the black paint, buffer and storage, those are a lot of big technical changes. You're half way to an M12!

I do think that due to the fact, that the shutter is the same as in the M10P, at least some manual shutter mode (I give the timings, no metering at all) should be implemented with ease (probably also doable with some FW update). But yeah, EFC depending on the sensor and the current hardware wiring may be tricky and getting back the old metering is not possible without modification. You have a valid point there that this is not P-relevant.

Hence I correct my wish list:
- black paint, 128 GB internal storage, 4 GB buffer :)

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17 minutes ago, Alistairm said:

They should do the first digital MA and have traditional shutter operation with no metering. 

I love the idea, like an M10-D but also remove the metering, the M11-A is born. The A stands for "bring your a-game" or analog 🙃.

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Joystick and "internal adjustable +3/-4 diopters" will be grateful and much appreciated.

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- No Red Dot. I like Leica branding on R and SL cameras, can't stand it on M (except old black M6).

- Classy-c Leitz Weltzar engraving on that otherwise naked top plate 🙃

- Less start-up/wake-up and shutter lag? Perhaps an option to get old-style light mesure on closed shutter (and more simple/slicker shutter operation) so we can have M10P levels of slickness?

- Less MP, bigger pixels. SL2s style. What's the point of no-mirror operation if you have motion-blur issues and need to raise Shutter Speed / ISO to counter balance this?

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