Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/05/06
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Mark, I don't think that Leica considers that producing a 24x36 M is a sink or swim issue. First they have to survive as a company and look to have bet the ranch on the S2 first. A gazillion speculations predict a dSLR R10 and its new R lens system after the S system gets off the ground. Lets hope so for everyone. Any possible 24x36 M digital, if the engineering problems could be overcome, would have to follow all of that and need millions of Euro more in development costs. Could there be any worse global financial situation than now to try to achieve something like that? Go out and buy a stack of new M lenses of your choice. Buy an M8, buy anything from them. That sort of stimulation package might help them get your dream 24x36 Digital M into production one day! Very clearly the film M bodies are in absolutely minuscule numbers with basically just a trickle of 'on demand ' production for the Japanese market. Those two limited run M8s represent about 12 months M7 & MP production numbers, to put those in perspective. I really do not think that any of the current M lenses are too large or suffer from covering the 24x36 image circle. As long as Leica has some M digital camera in production there is a vehicle for them and a huge range of choices. Pretty clearly no other company is stepping up to offer an alternative digital M body, let alone a 24x36 sensor one. I hope that Leica survives and after the S2 and new R system actually get into production just maybe your dream might be possible one day I don't understand why you object to the new, very fast, cutting edge lenses being in the range for those that want/need/can afford them. We still have the whole existing range of Summicrons, Elmarits etc down to the slower compact ones. On M wides you can go to the 35mm equivalent of 24mm FoV right now. So the single 35mm focal length from Leica you cannot achieve is the 21mm. Even there a Zeiss lens is available. I really do think that their lenses are exactly what distinguish them from all of the larger manufacturers and that is what they are saying when they characterise them selves as a lens company. I just want them to survive and flourish. . 2009/5/7 Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com> > My thoughts are that no you'd not need a film body to exploit a classic > 21mm's full potential you'd need a 24x36mm format digital sensor. > And that's going to come because by this time Leica knows that despite > whatever obstacles its sink or swim on that issue. > A full frame M body has got to be in the works. > They are coming out with all kinds of astronomically priced 24x36mm format > glass for the incredibly shrinking film population. > And the digital people shooting through the center of it. > It leaves one aghast at this wasted potential placed before the market. > A year ago they could be thinking "make the glass enticing enough and > they'll go back to using film" but by now I'm guessing they know > differently > for sure.. > The handwriting is on the wall; with respect to people on the list who are > enjoying shooting cropped format with their M8's people out there now just > want to be able to shoot at ISO 32,000 at a drop of a hat with no noise > problem. That's what everyone's doing now. Its not going to happen with > half > frame to the effect format. > > > Mark William Rabiner > > > > > From: Christopher Birchenhall <crbirchenhall at googlemail.com> > > Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org> > > Date: Thu, 7 May 2009 00:16:45 +0100 > > To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org> > > Subject: Re: [Leica] Slow CV 20mm for Pentax Nikon > > > > Mark > > > > I have just read the hard copy of this review; looks a promising > > update on my small Nikon 20mm f4. Only problem is it doesn't have > > bunny ears and will not fully integrate with my Nikkormat !! :-) > > > > As to small 21mm lenses I love the tiny Zeiss f4.5 but you need a film > > body to fully exploit it's potential, in my case that is now reduced > > to my M3. > > > > Chris > > -- > Cheers > Geoff > 'Life's not B&W, except at both ends' > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/gh/ > http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman >