[Leica] M8 sighted!

[leicachris at worldnet.att.net (Christopher Williams)]

Should I call the Canon reps from PMA 2006 that told me they had seen the M8
and it was a joke of a camera??

Chris

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jem Kime"
Subject: [Leica] M8 sighted!


Hi folks,
Its been a little while since I did this, maybe some of you might still
remember me, maybe not...

I was at a folk music festival here in England this last weekend (Cambridge,
to be precise) and what did I spy but a Leica M8 in use.
I saw a camera, while I was lunching, about 30 feet away hanging on a guy's
shoulder. He was standing in a food queue. It looked familiar, in parts, in
that the lens definitely looked Leica M-esque, with a hood. But I could see
a shiny screen on the reverse. I tried to think what digital camera it could
be, couldn't and then eventually curiosity got the better of me.
I walked over and looked a little closer, I could see the front of the
camera had the normal Leica text but where the M6 / M7 / M8 'logo' should
have been it had evidently been removed. The baseplate had a battery(?) door
on it or maybe for the media card. The screen was on the left hand of the
back with some controls on the RHS of the rear.
I didn't see that much more but I introduced myself to the guy and invited
him to join me to tell me about his camera after he'd collected his lunch,
he said he would. So I pointed out where I was sitting (not inconspicuously
in a pink polo shirt) and waited for him to join me.
The next thing I knew he was nowhere to be seen!

I guess he'd be under strict orders to keep quiet about it anyway but it
surprised me he'd taken it to a festival with around 10,000 people there!
He was a youngish chap, maybe no older than early 30's, tallish (maybe 6
foot), slim build and dark haired. I didn't recognise him.

So, they're out there, being tested, if only I'd acted more stealthily, and
less directly I could have blagged some discreet pictures of it!

Hey ho! see you at Photokina,
Jem