RE: [Leica] Do you want flash with that, sir? Yes, and more : a future

[Alan Ball <AlanBall@csi.com>]

On Thursday, May 14, 1998 8:11 PM, Five Senses Productions 
[SMTP:fls@5senses.com] wrote:
> I personally like both kinds of images....fill and non-fill, depends upon 
the
> situation.  If you want TRUE reality with an M6 and fast lenses, you must
> never use flash or anything artificial.  Now that's hardcore 
photography.....

And never use filters, never tweak burn in at print time, never use films 
that may have a 'flattering' colour bias (that means no colour pictures), 
never crop a print, never use reflectors, never play with Photoshop, etc. 
Flash is nothing more than 'bending' the light to the picture's advantage 
at shooting stage.

M users have access to a wonderful little tool that deserves to go on 
adapting itself to contemporary technologies.

I would thus be delighted  for example if Leica announced its intention to 
go on supporting the M mount for future digital developements: very high 
res 24x36 sized CCDs would make very good usage of the optical qualities of 
the M lens range and it would be a nice way to protect current customer 
investments (and shareholders hopes). I have no wish to be pushed in the 
margins 5 years from now and be condemned to resort to a niche technology 
(film and an industry that will surely decline, in all points of view) or 
to trade in my hardly earned M gear (and I can guarantee that there will be 
no price bonus and no collector excitement for 'normal' current M6 
systems). The S1 makes me think that leica could make such a declaration of 
intention...

In the short term, an up to date M box (fast shutter, TTL flash, etc) would 
show Leica's will and capacity of supporting technological evolution for 
its M line, and serve as a bridge towards the eventual digital M. That does 
not entail "killing" the M6, it can go on living just like the FM2 goes on 
living, till no one buys it anymore.