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Questions to Leica


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1. What's the current position on a FF M camera?

 

2. Have the recent wide lenses (WATE, 18/3.8, 21/1.4, 24/1.4, 24/3.8) been designed to make a FF camera easier to make work?

 

3. Our experience on this forum is that the 35mm Summilux-M ASPH exhibits significant sample variation in the level of focus-shift as you stop down from f1.4 to f4. What is the reason for this sample variation and does Leica have any plans to address it, such as an upgrade program to update the lens with, for example, a new lens barrel or new glass?

 

4. Are Leica planning to update the 50 year-old M Viewfinder/Rangfinder design to include one or more of these features: a) Variable magnification to avoid the need for finders and magnifiers, B) built-in dioptre correction, c) focus assist based on sensing actual lens focus?

 

5. Will the current electronic developments in the S2 allow a slimmer future M camera, like the M6/M7?

 

6. What is the current S2 release timetable and when will we hear prices?

 

7. Now that the R system has been discontinued, will the expected entry level DSLR mark the re-launch of the R system or will it be more a cropped S camera?

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hi,

 

as you may know we'll in two weeks have our annual member meeting in solms and the hessenpark. As every year we'll have an q&a session with some leica product managers.

 

In order to get the most out of it, this year we collect your questions and sort them into categories.

 

so - what are your questions to leica?

 

in this thread no discussions please but only your questions as clear and brief as possible!

 

Thanks

andreas

 

ps: If you want to attend the member meeting - we still accept registrations!

=> infos

=> program

=> registration form

 

 

when will the 40 to 150mmm zoom lens for the digilux be available again ?

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Mark has raised a good question, I also want to know how Leica prepares to deal with focus drift in the M, whether they are planning to transplant the S2's focus shift adjustment technology to the next M camera.

 

For any question regarding the R, please add my name "automatically".

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  • Will the next M8 firmware upgrade include the ablity to disable the self-timer and will it incorporate means to display both image and histogram with one push of only the Display button?
  • Will Leica produce an affordable 15mm lens for use in the current crop sensor cameras?
  • Will any new M8 or M9 have a LCD screen with at least as much resolution as the less-expensive Canon 50D?

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Can you please confirm the future plans Leica have for the Digilux 3 camera system? I have a Digilux 3 and have recently purchased the compatible Lumix 14-150 lens to use with the Digilux 3. I would like additional Leica lenses if they become available.

 

Thank you

 

Ian Fozzard

(UK)

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Hyper-focus & Pre-focus for Leica Summicron 50mm f/2 M-lens :confused:

 

What is the 'sweet spots' for 50mm Summicron M-lens so as not to lose the moment because one is busy trying to focus the lens on subject?

 

What would be the Hyper focus and Pre focus settings for this lens?

 

I currently own this lens without the Tab feature.

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Everything about the M8/8.2 is looking good for me purchasing it except for:

1) sensor noise

2) price

 

I shoot expensive cameras professionally and do not/would not count a Leica 35mm SLR as a pro camera if it cannot begin to compete with the Japs on these two issues. Why would I not use a camera with a clean 22 mpix image at iso 800 that is perhaps a half pound heavier but which offers so many more pro features at 1/3 the price? Let me ask that question even simpler: why would I buy a camera that does less for 250% more money? I don't think you can go on much further counting on the "company's history", the sexy illusion of the brand, Cartier Bresson or collector interest any longer. If you wanted to, you would have already gone out of business, I suppose!

 

I doubt you will see an M8.2 in any pro's hands, rather, only the serious and wealthy amateur's.

 

If I am right, this might be your good reason to keep the sensor noisy and to keep the price way up. But I doubt anybody buys baseball gloves signed by after work softball players rather than signed by Derek Jeter or Manny Ramirez. I doubt anybody buys Football shoes signed by a high school lineman. Rather than a pair of shoes endorsed and signed by a Heisman winning pro player. I doubt golf clubs signed by Max Wanker will sell as well as those signed by Tiger.

 

So, I don't see a long term value in marketing to the rich amateur.

 

What does interest me about your M8.2 is its unobsequiousness and stealth-like capability to capture fast happening street moments in my palm hidden behind my jacket sleeve.

Pulling out an H3 or sinar P2 with tethered hard drive and battery to shoot a suited man in stetson skipping over a puddle in Paris is just outta the realm of my fancy expensive pro cameras.

 

If I were Leica, I'd talk to Canon, get their 5D sensor and put it in an M9.

Then I would drop the price of the body to $1999 and all prime lenses to $1500.

Sit back and watch the pros grab the camera and pull Leica back from the brink!

Wick

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I am willing to 'invest in' (pay for) expensive coming high-end R optics. I can afford them and it would make sense for me, because they have a life cycle of 30-40-50 years.

But I have no interest in a very expensive coming high-end digital R body. Yes, I could afford it, but it would not make sense for me, simply because digital bodies have a life cycle of only 3-4-5 years.

The digital revolution has just started and develops very quickly with decreasing prices as a result (just like we have seen it with computers and printers).

So my question is this: Will we ever see Leica introducing an affordable entry-level digital R body as an entry-ticket to the wonderful world of expensive high-end R optics, i.e. will Leica ever introduce segmentation of the R customer base just like the competitor companies know how to use segmentation as a strategy with entry-level DSLR models, in order to expand the customer base potential for the optical core business: the lens line-up ?

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If I could have one thing it would be better low light / High ISO performance from the M8 or its successor - similar to that of the Nikon D700, so it can go to 6400 fairly comfortably and without banding. I think this would mean a new sensor.

 

What about the upgrade paths for the M8? Is Leica planning to continue with upgrades?

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Can you ask about any sensors upgrades with improved noise performance at high iso ratings. It appears many other makers Canon & Nikon especially have cameras that perform exceptionally at 800, 1600 and even 3200 iso. Leica has always been famous for low light performance, mainly due to the lenses, but this is now being let down by inadequate sensor performance.

 

To be honest, full-frame doesn't bother me but low noise at high iso is the top of my wish list.

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Something a bit different. There are those of us who prefer the hybrid-digital route, meaning to shoot on film and scan the resulting negative or transparency. It seems that, one by one, manufacturers are discontinuing production of affordable, dedicated 35mm film scanners (Canon, Minolta and now Nikon). Any chance of Leica partnering with somebody so as to keep the dedicated 35mm film scanner in production?

 

Jim B.

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