Can Leica make a M like SL?

[Einst_Stein]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I would naively think it is easy. Just change the SL viewfinder to range finder style, reduce the hand grip and battery size,  add an M to L adapter as a standard accessory, and sell a dedicated external multi-functional hand grip with larger battery, there you go.

Yes, the body would be thicker than the current M. Is that a big deal? Really?

Edited February 27 by Einst_Stein

[Dazzajl]

For many years Fuji served up their mirrorless offerings in SLR, Rangefinder or Compact EVF style. You paid your money and took your choice; everyone was happy. 
 

Now they’ve moved away from that and only make the SLR versions and it all seems a bit dull and uninspired. 
 

Anyway, I’m sure Leica could, that doesn’t mean it’s financially viable for them. 

[IkarusJohn]

Surely, the better question is can Leica make an SL in a body as good as the X2D …

[Jeff S]

The X2D wins on ergonomics; the SL system wins on joystick, weather sealing, lens options, etc. Always tradeoffs, and choices.

[Einst_Stein]

9 minutes ago, IkarusJohn said:

Surely, the better question is can Leica make an SL in a body as good as the X2D …

I don't like X?D, I don't think it is market-wise as widely popular as M or SL. Anyone prefers X2D would not be here to talk about X2D-like Leica. 

[IkarusJohn]

1 minute ago, Einst_Stein said:

I don't like X?D, I don't think it is market-wise as widely popular as M or SL. Anyone prefers X2D would not be here to talk about X2D-like Leica. 

Well, I do.  I have and use the M, SL and X2D happily.  The nice thing about the SL adopting a smoother body, like the X2D is that it would be smaller and lighter than the Hasselblad.  You will recall, no doubt, Dr Kaufmann accepting that the SL(601) was too brutal.  Can’t say the SL2 is much better, myself, but opinions differ.

I can’t imagine holding, let alone using, a 24-90 zoom on an M shaped camera, let alone the 90-280.  But then, as one of a group who dislikes the X2D, you might.

[Einst_Stein]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

8 minutes ago, IkarusJohn said:

Well, I do.  I have and use the M, SL and X2D happily.  The nice thing about the SL adopting a smoother body, like the X2D is that it would be smaller and lighter than the Hasselblad.  You will recall, no doubt, Dr Kaufmann accepting that the SL(601) was too brutal.  Can’t say the SL2 is much better, myself, but opinions differ.

I can’t imagine holding, let alone using, a 24-90 zoom on an M shaped camera, let alone the 90-280.  But then, as one of a group who dislikes the X2D, you might.

But you still want a Leica, a X2D-like Leica! Don't you? 

[IkarusJohn]

Just now, Einst_Stein said:

But you still want a Leica, a X2D-like Leica! Don't you? 

Not really.  I don’t want an M-like SL.  

If I was going to change the SL (why?), it would be more to an X2D-like body.  It is the most comfortable body to hold for any length of time when using AF etc lenses.  But, it’s medium format, so it is big and heavy compared to the SL.  The SL could learn from having a body shaped to the human hand, rather than industrial design.

I love holding my M cameras (particularly the smaller M-A), but that’s with M lenses …

[Dazzajl]

55 minutes ago, Jeff S said:

The X2D wins on ergonomics; the SL system wins on joystick, weather sealing, lens options, etc. Always tradeoffs, and choices.

Usually but in this case, the GFX cameras combine the best of both worlds with the ultimate quality. 

[Smogg]

1 hour ago, Dazzajl said:

Usually but in this case, the GFX cameras combine the best of both worlds with the ultimate quality. 

The GFX has the typical Fuji colors, which is a huge minus for me.

[Jeff S]

1 hour ago, Dazzajl said:

Usually but in this case, the GFX cameras combine the best of both worlds with the ultimate quality. 

To each his own. I prefer the Leica and Hasselblad alternatives overall. Nothing beats the X1D/X2D in ergonomics for me, although I only experimented with it, never owned it.

[Dazzajl]

17 minutes ago, Jeff S said:

To each his own. I prefer the Leica and Hasselblad alternatives overall. Nothing beats the X1D/X2D in ergonomics for me, although I only experimented with it, never owned it.

As always, it depends on what you want from your setup. I love the feel of the Hassy and as a play thing, would be my choice hands down*. The GFX system is a more fully fledged and rounded product, designed to deliver in more situations. 

*except for the part where I’d never spend that much on personal kit that doesn’t work for living

[Dazzajl]

30 minutes ago, Smogg said:

The GFX has the typical Fuji colors, which is a huge minus for me.

I don’t really understand that. You can tweak the camera to deliver the files off the card to look pretty much any way you want. The downside of the GFX kit for me is that it’s just not much fun to shoot with. It’s everything the M isn’t, supremely capable but lacking in personality because of that. 

[Smogg]

57 minutes ago, Dazzajl said:

I don’t really understand that. You can tweak the camera to deliver the files off the card to look pretty much any way you want. The downside of the GFX kit for me is that it’s just not much fun to shoot with. It’s everything the M isn’t, supremely capable but lacking in personality because of that. 

I don't want to spend a lot of time in post-processing, and I have to do that with Fuji colors, especially green. 
The Leica colours are much easier for me to get to the colours I like, while the Hasselblad colours require almost no intervention from me.

[Dazzajl]

12 minutes ago, Smogg said:

I don't want to spend a lot of time in post-processing

I personally can’t imagine being happy with ‘contact prints’ but we all have to work our own way. And looking at your instagram, I love what you’re producing. 

[Donald M]

Maybe use https://www.cobalt-image.com? 

[evikne]

5 hours ago, Einst_Stein said:

Yes, the body would be thicker than the current M. Is that a big deal? Really?

For some of us, yes.

[Einst_Stein]

27 minutes ago, Dazzajl said:

I personally can’t imagine being happy with ‘contact prints’ but we all have to work our own way. And looking at your instagram, I love what you’re producing. 

It is practically impossible to tweak Fuji color to Leica color, or Leica color to Fuji color. For people who likes Leica color or Fuji color, it makes more sense just to enjoy what one have.

I don’t know about HB XxD, but I have Hasselblad CF39. I like the HB-CF/Phocus color as much as Leica color. They are different.  But I cannot say the same thing to Fuji color.

[Simone_DF]

15 hours ago, Einst_Stein said:

I would naively think it is easy. Just change the SL viewfinder to range finder style, reduce the hand grip and battery size,  add an M to L adapter as a standard accessory, and sell a dedicated external multi-functional hand grip with larger battery, there you go.

Yes, the body would be thicker than the current M. Is that a big deal? Really?

Sure they can. All they have to do is to add a mechanical shutter and a EVF to the Panasonic S9. 

But they would also need to develop a new line of smaller primes, which is not so unthinkable. The last Leica-original lens was the 21mm, and with the APO line now complete, there's space to introduce a new line of lenses. Unless they want to leave that slice of the market to Sigma, of course.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[Simone_DF]

14 hours ago, IkarusJohn said:

I can’t imagine holding, let alone using, a 24-90 zoom on an M shaped camera, let alone the 90-280.

Perhaps people interested in a smaller body are not interested in these two lenses.

I mean, I don't see this kind of argument from Sony A7C users.