Jump to content

M9 wish list


hankg

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

The article sounds somewhat speculative. I'll try my best to translate:

As far it is known, the developers are mainly working at three innovations. Firstly, there should be a M9 rangefinder camera having a full format sensor. This gives the highest image quality. Furthermore a R10 SLR is in progress having an over sized chip and autofocus - a complex new development up to shutter and lenses. And finally some kind of a 'small' digital M should come to market

 

In my understanding the 'over sized sensor' implies larger than 24mm x 36mm. This would give an almost unique camera targetting the H3 rather than the D3.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Replies 60
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

It makes sense for Leica to offer more than one M camera, different price points, crop factors.

 

I don't think Leica should do an M9 until they have something new to bring to the party. New bottle, same old vintage will not work, which means a step change in sensor technology - less sensitivity to IR, full frame, lower noise.

 

It would not surprise me if the M9 and R10 share a common platform, maybe even the same firmware load with just a hardware strap to say "I'm an M9, you're an R10". Leica R sales have traditionally lagged M sales by a significant margin so the only way an R10 could be justified would be if the development effort was spread across both camera ranges.

 

Even if the M9 is not announced at Photokina 2008, the R10 (which I guess we all assume will be, otherwise the R is dead) will give us some pointers.

Link to post
Share on other sites

#1 wish: It needs to be affordable to me or nothing else matters :rolleyes: It's tough enough to set aside two month's wages for a single piece of photo equipment in the best of times.

 

The largest printer I might logically buy for home use is the Epson 3800, which limits my prints to 17" wide. Beyond that, I'm probably not doing enough volume to make the higher ink capacities economical. So more pixels is probably not what I really need.

 

Lots can be done to enhance the existing 1.3x, 10 MP formula: Improved high ISO performance to 6400 and beyond, more dynamic range, "soft clipping", live view, live histogram in the finder, sunlight-readable display, slimmer chassis, different viewfinder options, And how's about 500 raw photos on a single card and on a single battery charge, up from the 160-200 that we got now?

 

And if they can do all of that and somehow reduce raw file sizes, that would be amazing.

 

For the fun of it, open the source code to the firmware, GPL it even. Then charge $150 to unbrick cameras. Make technical documents freely available.

 

Make the backup battery that maintains user and clock settings a user-replaceable item because surely no one is throwing out a 5-10 year old M camera.

 

Get the design to where it can be fully serviced in many places, not just the mothership: What a drag to have gear crossing the Atlantic for every little problem.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Guest guy_mancuso

I sent Solms Hanks illustrations to look at. Just never know but i do like his design idea's myself. Simple and keeps your eye on the ball and not the bat.

Link to post
Share on other sites

How much longer does it take to ship a camera from NY to Solms than from say the UK to Solms?

 

Umm, I think the big bottleneck is Leica NJ. I think in the future I'm going to bypass, at least for anything I know will need to go to Solms. It's also way more expensive to safely send gear between US and Europe, another reason it's been going via NJ (via my dealer first). My M8 has been out two months now for a rangefinder fix (sticky framelines) and it just went on the bench in Solms last week. I think they'll also be changing/upgrading transistors,etc as well so am hoping it will actually work better all around.

Link to post
Share on other sites

As long as I'm dreaming. This would let the thumb work EV and ISO without moving out of position and the forefinger control shutter speed and release.

 

[ATTACH]63753[/ATTACH]

 

I like this iso control! I would imagine one would push in the iso ring to get it to move? I'm trying to remember what other camera has a ring like that.....

 

For ev adjustment I could see a two fingered deal - the ring finger pushes an inset button on the right bottom front of the camera while the thumb contols the scroll wheel on the back. I think the thumb trying to move that little switch at the back of the shutter is too awkward. The whole idea here is too never have to take your finger off the trigger, eye away from the finder, and left hand from the focus.

 

And I think finally Leica is going to have to put a shutter speed indication in the finder for manual as well as auto. Working in the dark and trying to figure out what shutter speed you are on is a pain in the ass!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Here's the way I look at this - what would it take for me to spend the money to upgrade from the M8 - as it is - to an M9?

 

The more I think about it, there are really only two things that would attract me enough to make a change: 24 x 36 sensor, and 2 stops better image quality (noise/noise banding etc) above ISO 640. A Nikon D3-type 13Mp sensor in an M8 body.

 

If Leica is really looking at an over-sized sensor for the R10, then I guess they and Kodak have pushed the offset microlens technique a little further along, and an M-lens compatable full-frame may actually be pretty close.

 

Most of the features listed in this thread would not - in and of themselves - be enough. Although they are mostly good ideas, and likely a few will be picked up (or already have been) for the M9/10.

 

That being said - My priority for additional controls would be the EV shift. Unless the ISO/noise improves significantly I will be sticking with 160 for the vast majority of shots - but it would be nice to deal with dark/light backgrounds quickly with more accessable EV control.

 

I don't have a problem with the handgrip, if it's done right (Contax G cameras were pretty good at being grippable without being lumpy) but I would put a higher priority on a more leathery covering rather than the MP/M8 "sharkskin".

 

Anyone who can design a zooming viewfinder, or one with LCD framelines, for interchangeable lenses that ALSO retains a manual coincident M-type rangefinder, is free to submit blueprints. No one yet HAS designed such a finder in a production camera (the Contax G cameras only had slow kludgy AF, or slow, kludgy focus confirmation - NOT manual RF focusing).

 

(Oh, and "LCD" framelines had better work with the camera off. I don't want to have to power up just to preview a subject and decide if there's a picture there - that's for the EVF P&S crowd.)

 

As to a 'monochrome-only' sensor - Kodak produced a monochrome SLR camera, the DCS760m. Sold a grand total of about 100. Sounds like just the market for Leica to jump into if it wants to go back to its old money-losing ways. One can find a review and other comments at luminous-landscape: Kodak 760m Review.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm wondering, in Hank's suggestion, how you would adjust the shutter speed dial when the camera is at your eye? I use the forefinger of my right hand to slide along the front edge of the dial which would then get in the way of the +/- lever.

 

 

I made the second version for that reason. Here is the last one I did. Which figures the forefinger controlling the shutter speed which is moved forward almost like the M5 and the thumb controls the EV and ISO.

 

I made this for my own amusement -if I was doing it for Leica I would have left off the front grip (but kept the thumb bit) which I did in this version and left out the inset spirit level. Neither of those would have universal benefit. Lots maybe most users would prefer a smooth front and having tried a bit of griptac on the front of my camera if Griptac was an option I think I'd be happy with the smooth front..

 

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!

 

Personally I wouldn't mind having shutter speed displayed as it is in AE mode in the viewfinder and ISO and EV on left and right of it. If you have an ISO thumbwheel you don't need the ISO displayed in the LCD and so you could cut down the LCD size. This is not so much a design as a suggestion to get the controls where they belong. This shows one possibility but there is more then one way to implement that effectively.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I would like, in addition to a lot of stuff mentioned above:

 

- Focus confirmation

 

- A different battery-card arrangement so you don't have to take the bottom off to reload; perhaps a hinged plate. It gets cold in Minnesota (seven inches of snow in my driveway this morning) and messing around with that bottom plate with cold hands or gloves just isn't worth the cuteness of it.

 

JC

Link to post
Share on other sites

It gets cold in Minnesota (seven inches of snow in my driveway this morning) and messing around with that bottom plate with cold hands or gloves just isn't worth the cuteness of it.

JC

 

John,

 

You're not supposed to use the bottom plate to shovel snow, although I suppose it would work in a pinch. (-:

 

It's nice to see a little snow on the ground here, it's certainly more attractive than brown grass.

 

Larry

Link to post
Share on other sites

These major changes, and no more (in order of priority):

 

1) External ISO dial, just like shutter speed, on the left top side of the camera. Perhaps recessed into the top, with the left half of the dial freely accessible and whose circular dial is flush with the left curvature of the camera.

 

2) Improved noise characteristics of sensor, without sacrificing image quality. I dream of a sensor with low noise high ISO capabilities, similar to the Nikon D3, in the next generation digital M.

 

3) Full frame sensor IF image quality is NOT sacrificed. A full frame sensor should be a major priority, but not at the expense of image quality.

 

4) Optimum amount of extra mega-pixels, with large photosites (for example 8.46 micron photosite size of the Nikon D3).

 

4) Improved RAW buffer, burst capture speed, and general speed of electronic performance.

 

5) Add a Live View (that can be turned on and off) on the rear LCD, with contrast based focusing system. This obviously isn't a part of the M pedigree, however, it would help negate some of the rangefinder's weaknesses. Such as depth of field, long telephoto focusing, macro focusing, and action photography. It would be an option that would greatly enhance value in particular circumstances.

 

PLEASE LEICA, FOCUS ON THESE 5 POINTS! And while your at it, please add noise dampening for the shutter.

Link to post
Share on other sites

As long as the body isn't louder, more slippery or noisier, then I would like to see:

16bit pipeline all the way to the card.

Full frame sensor.

Selectable lens menu.

Quick access via hardware or software to ISO/EV settings.

Improved quality of manufacture in both hardware and software.

 

- David

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...