Elmar: Leica M EV1 – Next Level M?

[IkarusJohn]

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1 hour ago, SrMi said:

I think it can be argued whether M11 has added "pointless" improvements, as I see all improvements as valuable. I know some disagree, and some agree with me. My impression is that most agree, as the M11 models seem to sell well.

Would it have sold better if it had held to the M paradigm of doing less better?  Drifting towards its competitors dilutes the unique selling point of the M system.  We all speak for ourselves, and Leica will analyse the only reliable data in a way which confirms its decisions.  We all do that.

Leaving aside wild speculation about the success of the Q camera, the M system, particularly the M9 (according to Dr Kaufmann), saved Leica.  If you look back at Leica’s history, it is the cameras that have been grounded in the paradigm of less is more - the M3 used available technologies and perfected them for Leica’s own lenses; the M4-P and more critically the M6 reverted to the basics done well - no fancy-pants overload of information in the viewfinder or anything else which Canon and Nikon offered at the time, just manual lenses, direct aperture and shutter control and the most minimal metering information.

The M10 returned to the basics after the M(240).

Now, you like your M11, I get that.  But the core enhancements of that camera over the M10 equivalent had nothing to do what either the essentials or “nothing more than what the photographer needs”.  I know we’re going to disagree on this, and I’m comfortable with that.  But, let me ask you this - if the M11 had a 40MP sensor with better dynamic range, a faster processor better battery life and an improved viewfinder, would you have bought it, and would you also be saying it sold well?

It’s rhetorical.