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Utterly baseless predictions


jaapv

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For PMA, I don't expect anything except the announcement that the 90 Elmarit and 50 Elmar will be discontinued. If anything, one or two more lenses, perhaps an 18/4 and a 21/4.

 

For Photokina, the R10. Hopefully a 4:3 sensor capable of 24x36mm by cropping, R7-sized body and a lot of smaller improvements, at around 16-18MP. Also some more lenses, probably including an R AF standard zoom.

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Well, Jaap, that is also in a prediction category.;)

This camera makes nice prints for me, I would just like it to be little bit more reliable (operative) - today I lost shots (again)- because the light meter remembers some value from inside bag.

 

It is a little bitter post- I am the preorder guy for M9, but also an afraid guy, if this one is not completely taken care of, that the same mistakes will be made again.

 

An I also hope that somebody from this company reads this forum.

Anyway, let's skip the grumbles in this thread. There are plenty of other threads to air them.

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What would improve sales when you don't have any rabbits to pull out a hat?

 

My guess is for an enhanced M8 (say M8 A for lack of imagination).

 

  1. Improved ISO "noise" performance:)
  2. Reduced Shutter Sound:D
  3. ISO button on the camera body:eek:
  4. Bigger Battery with smaller charging unit:confused:
    Oops forgot to fix that horrible "auto" white balance!

 

Rob

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I'll guess a couple M lenses for PMA. That would mean wides since that's where the system is weakest.

 

Could also see a minor upgrade to the M8 there as well. I'm probably wrong, but didn't the double-stroke M3 get replaced at a PMA instead of photokina?

 

And wasn't someone speculating that Leica would bring out a version of one of the Olympus bodies to replace the demand-dependent discontinuation of the Digilux 3 that Mark mentioned?

 

photokina will bring everything that PMA didn't. :rolleyes:

 

--HC

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Hehe how much do you bet? langue2.gif

 

Anything you're willing to give up from your Leica collection. :p

 

But ... back on topic (seriously), I was wondering why Panasonic hasn't come up with anything (except that little piece of plastic without the Leica moniker) and for the last PMA they had 10 digicams in a row. Perhaps they're quitting from the business - now that would be a good bet. :D

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Note these are not what I WANT, but what I think are LIKELY:

 

PMA - nada (except the vaguest possibility of a new PanaLeica of some kind: C-Lux IV or whatever they are up to these days). Leica is saving all the really cool stuff for the hometown venue (PhotoKina/Koln).It's possible they might show a "roadmap" of future releases - but only in private meetings/sessions with such as Guy (who won't tell us!)

 

I guess it's possible they'll announce the official demise of the 50 Elmar f/2.8 and 90 Elmarit 90 f/2.8 at PMA (replaced by the Summarits) - hardly news.

 

PhKa - R10, 5 AF lenses (21-35, 28-90, 70-200, + 50 and 80 f/1.4); 18 f/3.4 Super-Elmarit-ASPH, 18mm f/4 Elmar (non-ASPH = $1495). Likely some "rationalization" (i.e. deletions) of more redundant lenses in both lines.

 

 

Either a full-frame M roadmap will be revealed (prototype by PMA 2009, deliveries before end of 2009) - OR Leica announces the a full-frame sensor compatible with RF lenses is still 3-4 years away - and adds more M8-friendly wides.

 

I don't think Leica will bother with further "cropped-sensor" lenses if they feel the 24x36 body is getting close. They are not going to "support" the M8 with its own lens line (e.g. 24 'cron) if the M9 is right around the corner, but they will if it is a long way out.

 

Last prediction - at least 5 more prediction threads started here before PhotoKina...

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Jaap,

You let the self-promoting insider-knowledge windbags out of their bottles again, I see. ;) {snipped}

 

Huh? What are you hinting at? On second thought, I'm not entirely sure I want to know...

 

Anyyyyywayyy... I'm not sure we'll see much at PMA, but, in the realm of pure dreaming, I can hope for

  1. new wide glass. I'd be very interested in f3.5 or f2.8 wides from Leica; faster would be better, but unweildy and expensive
  2. an announcement about the R system. Specs, direction, pictures, something! Even if they took Marc's mockup of the R10 and said "we like the look of that!" it would be cool.
  3. an upgrade path for the M8 (that would be fine)

I'm still very optimistic about future M8 firmware upgrades, so I'm not going to speculate there--that's not PMA material.

 

Sigh. Photokina seems so far away!

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Not baseless; Based in HOPE...

 

At PMA, Leica will introduce a 24mm Summicron ASPH.

 

At photokina, the sub-M digital wunderkamera:

 

Compact rangefinder type camera, size and form-factor similar (identical would be fine) to Hexar AF, employing either APS or 1.33x sensor and Great, fast, fixed 35mm equivalent spherical Summicron lens. Around 10MP. Image stabilized.

 

Usable (and quickly changeable) AF/MF controls, simplified viewfinder (expensive rangefinder not needed, but must be accurate for framing) and zoomable live view option. RAW/DNG a must. Hotshoe and PC socket.

 

Direct, tactile controls for ISO, shutter speed, aperture, white balance and AE compensation. Super responsive, super quiet shutter. Good high ISO performance (usable at 3200, open to artistic interpretation at 6400, say comparable to EOS 30D class performance). All day battery.

 

Some smart user interface/firmware innovation: Auto ISO, look-at-a-white-thing-and-push-button WB, intervalometer, aperture-smart focus shift correction, scale focusing w/DOF calculator, internal ND filter(?), AF button separate from shutter button, multi-shot AE lock, live histogram, and a really easy way to turn all this stuff off and use it like a film camera if you like.

 

Smallish, good ergonomics, good retractable lens hood, generally sturdy and durable, pro-sumer class build, with no Big Silly Deal-Breaker bugs. $2500.

 

That's my prediction, and I'm sticking to it. Why? Because if this camera existed, I would buy two of them.

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As I said elsewhere: My friend, an official Leica importer, after some good wine over Xmas, asked me whether I liked the six new lenses Leica has made.

After I corrected him by saying that they were only four (the summarits), he mumbled something and then refused to explain further by claiming that he's not so much into lenses... blablabla.

 

So I'll bet: TWO LENSES!

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I remember Andy talking of the Dog Days of Summer when we'd speculated about the M8 to death and it was just a case of waiting and waiting until Photokina.

 

At the very least, I hope Leica will say something about the R direction at PMA. Otherwise, by the time Photokina comes around, it will be close to 2 years since the DMR was pulled, the D3 and EOS 1Ds III will be old news and Leica will be very late arriving at the DSLR party. I just hope it's not obsolete before it's even made.

 

As for those mystery lenses, mustafa heard about, 21/4 and 16/4 would be my guess. Maybe.

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