M-EV1 Availability

[geesbert]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Isn't it strange that the new Leica is available literally everywhere? I personally think  this camera is a turd but I do not seem to be alone. I can't remember an M launch and having cameras available, usually it takes months to years to fulfil the craving of the Leica community.

It might be the price, €2000 less and they would sell like Fuji cake.

[Alexander108]

If it weren't available a thread would have been opened: Isn't it strange that Leica introduced the M-EV1 and you cannot buy it anywhere? Didn't they learn from the past?

I think they learned from the past. The typical suspects on YT (Chris Niccolls, Ted Forbes and a few others) immediately uploaded their first impressions. Unlike before no one claimed that this was a pre-production camera. 

But I do believe that the price is indeed €2000 or so too high. Either the RF if the most expensive part or not. I also believe they should have priced it slightly over the Q3 or on par as there is no lens included. If it were 1500 EUR less I'd buy it immediately. 

[Smogg]

13 minutes ago, geesbert said:

Isn't it strange that the new Leica is available literally everywhere? I personally think  this camera is a turd but I do not seem to be alone. I can't remember an M launch and having cameras available, usually it takes months to years to fulfil the craving of the Leica community.

It might be the price, €2000 less and they would sell like Fuji cake.

The camera may not be that terrible, but the public's expectations were different. Few expected Leica, with the SL3 and Q3 in its arsenal, to release a camera with a slow EVF based on an outdated architecture and processor that's completely unsuitable for it. Personally, I expected a completely different approach from a camera that relies on the EVF as the sole means of viewing and focusing. I think it's better to do nothing than to do it poorly.

Here's a two-legged chair. If you buy it in good quantities, we'll make two more legs.

Edited Friday at 08:33 AM by Smogg

[geesbert]

My personal expectations were also much higher. Fuji released the original X100 about 14 years ago and this was for sure a revolutionary view finder. I think everyone expected something similar, everyone wished for a hybrid but would have been satisfied with a full electronic one with perfect modern specs and a few tricks like focus patch simulation or projected frame lines. As it is right now, it's not very attractive. For years Leica was telling us how expensive and complicated the rangefinder is to be manufactured and now they sell a camera without an optical rangefinder and an a bit better than mediocre EVF for nearly the same price? Good luck selling this.

If there ever would be a M with a hybrid viewfinder, how much will they charge? 12,000+?

 

[FrozenInTime]

New lenses, with funky focal lengths, are now what is needed to boost enthusiasm :

40/1.2* and 66/2 ( Elcan ) both recently released for the Leitz cine Hugo line would do it  * if the T/1.5 can be opened up, trading even illumination for speed and poorer corners.

For at least the next two years, the M EV1 seems to be the best of limited options within the core small M form factor.

Sales will likely pick up once the stages of grief pass into acceptance.

[LocalHero1953]

2 hours ago, geesbert said:

Isn't it strange that the new Leica is available literally everywhere? I personally think  this camera is a turd but I do not seem to be alone. I can't remember an M launch and having cameras available, usually it takes months to years to fulfil the craving of the Leica community.

It might be the price, €2000 less and they would sell like Fuji cake.

I guess you haven't been watching. In recent years Leicas have been readily available at launch. They've had more than enough to satisfy initial demand, but there follows a period when they're difficult to get hold of. As if they want to see what the demand is like before they decide how big their production line should be.

[SrMi]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

All cameras destined for the huge US market were probably rerouted to other markets. Since there are no chargers, the boxes are not market specific.

[LocalHero1953]

7 minutes ago, SrMi said:

All cameras destined for the huge US market were probably rerouted to other markets. Since there are no chargers, the boxes are not market specific.

Except those with a FCC sticker on the bottom of the camera!
(But maybe they printed them all with the FCC sticker)

[stbeyer]

I don't think there is anything unusual about the avilability. Most recent Leica launches have had good availability in the first few days. It usually takes a few days, or even weeks for the first production runs to be sold out and then people stsrt moaning about having to wait. 

[Chris W]

The Leica M-EV1 is 'in stock' at one of my go to UK dealers.

£6800

[SrMi]

2 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

Except those with a FCC sticker on the bottom of the camera!
(But maybe they printed them all with the FCC sticker)

You are correct. The bottom stickers differ depending on where you purchase the camera.

[SrMi]

Leica Harrods, where I bought mine (and met Joel Meyerowitz 😁 ), still has some in stock.

[SrMi]

4 hours ago, Smogg said:

The camera may not be that terrible, but the public's expectations were different. Few expected Leica, with the SL3 and Q3 in its arsenal, to release a camera with a slow EVF based on an outdated architecture and processor that's completely unsuitable for it. Personally, I expected a completely different approach from a camera that relies on the EVF as the sole means of viewing and focusing. I think it's better to do nothing than to do it poorly.

Here's a two-legged chair. If you buy it in good quantities, we'll make two more legs.

I have not compared it to the Visoflex 2, but the EVF on the M-EV1 seems better. If you are shooting an RF M mainly with EVF (some seem to do), then the M-EV1 experience is better and a good alternative to M11.

I expected something as delivered and hoped for some innovation in focusing with EVF. It seems that Leica was never 100% persuaded that the EVF M was the way to go, so they could not invest much in R&D and basically reused as much as they could from the M11. Sales will determine whether the line survives.

[R4p70r]

14 minutes ago, SrMi said:

Leica Harrods, where I bought mine (and met Joel Meyerowitz 😁 ), still has some in stock.

Did Joel Meyerowitz baptized and signed the M EV1, before he handed it over to you?

Edited Friday at 01:29 PM by R4p70r

[SrMi]

2 minutes ago, R4p70r said:

Did Joel Meyerowitz baptized and signed the M EV1, before he handed it over to you?

Nah, just the book :).

[CDodkin]

3 hours ago, SrMi said:

All cameras destined for the huge US market were probably rerouted to other markets. Since there are no chargers, the boxes are not market specific.

The US units are in the US, in stock, and awaiting the approval to go on sale - already badged FCC approved.