Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/02/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Howard, Sounds like you want a Contax G2 with Leica lenses! I originally went for the G series because I wanted all that stuff and now find the simple M6 a breath of fresh air. I like the G2 alot and it really is a quicker-handling, more ergonomic, better-designed machine in many ways. The main reason for shooting with the M6, for me, is the availability of fast lenses that perform well wide open. My wish list for the M7: * Replace the horizontally travelling cloth focal plane with a vertically travelling titanium one. Keep it all mechanical. The designers should be able to get at least 1/2000 out of it with no problem. Plus, such a shutter will be more durable than the cloth one. * Aperature-priority auto exposure would be nice, but ONLY if it can be done in such a way that the shutter can operate throughout its entire speed range MANUALLY, with a dead battery. I wonder if this is possible... I don't remember seeing any camera with this ability (I.E., shutter controllable either mechanically OR electronically), but it would be a great feature. The only one that comes to mind that's close would be the Canon "New F1", which had a manual (dead battery) speed of 1/90th. It could also be aperture-priority with the AE finder. Seems like you'd have a fundamentally mechanical shutter, with speeds selected electronically somehow, or mechanically via the shutter speed dial. Possible? * Redesign the body with ergonomic rubber contours ala Contax G series. Keep it small. Hold both bodies and the G fits your hand perfectly, much nicer to hold than the M. * Add a self timer - --Jim Laurel > -----Original Message----- > From: cummer@asiaonline.net [SMTP:cummer@asiaonline.net] > Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 1998 2:53 AM > To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us > Subject: Re: Thoughts for Solms on a new M7 [Leica] Leica-Users List > Digest V2 #160 > > Now that we have someone on the list from Leica (yes!), and perhaps > someone > from Leica USA as well, could we start a discussion on what we would like > to > see in the Leica M 7? On the Rollei Users Group the rep from HP Marketing > (Rollei Distributor) comments from time to time and this is very > informative. I think the M6 Hm or 0.85 is a good start. Yes, I am going to > buy one! I met the Leica Marketing Manager (sorry can't remember his name > and can't find his card) at the Hong Kong Photo and Electronics show > several > years ago and he patiently listened to my comments that for eye glass > wearers the 28mm viewfinder in the M6 couldn't be seen entirely - not > enough > eye relief. That was one reason that separate 28 mm view finders still > have > a market. (This we all know). I went on to say that by the time one had > enough money to buy Leicas you usually needed glasses and Leica should > recognise the market segment made up of "old guys with bad eyes and > purchasing power." With the introduction of the M6 Hm I am glad to see > that > they were listening.:>)). > Concerning the yet mythical M7 I would like to see an updated M6 (similar > sized body please) with a shutter running to (at least) 1/4,000 and a > flash > sync speed of at least 1/250. Like in a Nikon FA, FE2, FM2. The exposure > system should be centre weighted (spot metering as an option) - as is the > meter on the M6 (which works very well in my experience). Aperture > preferred > automatic (like on the CLE) should be available (you set the aperture and > the camera chooses the shutter speed) and manual shutter preferred as well > (as in today's M 6) - not like the CLE where when you turn off "A" the > meter > stops working! The flash should also be TTL of course with some ratio > adjustment(like the R 7?). The clarity of the viewfinder / rangefinder > should remain as good as it is now - with the addition of shutter speeds > indicated in the finder. The best way of doing this without cluttering the > finder I leave to the designers in Solms. I don't see any need for auto > focusing or any way to incorporate it usefully. Now that the R8 has been > developed and marketed, hopefully Solms can turn its development team on > to > the design of the M7. I am sure many others have their own thoughts as to > what should be incorporated into the next model. Let's share those > thoughts > with Solms. > Howard Cummer