Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Mark Rabiner wrote: > David Morton wrote: > ><Snip> Without a source, Stephen Gandy's claim is meaningless. > > My point exactly! > Mark Rabiner Oh really, is that so? Just what makes you junior rocket scientists qualified to make such expert knowledgeable statements? Do either of you have one of the largest collectible camera sites on the net? what's your URL's oh great sources of knowledge? Does Leica link to your site, as it does to mine? Has Leica provided you a substantial amount of material for internet posting (the Leica screw mount, Leica M, and Leica R serial #'s) ? What really surprises me is that neither of you criticizing this information were smart enough to simply email me to find out the sources. Apparently the obvious was well beyond your ability. Now I'm just irritated about it. After this bullshit, no I'm not going to identify the sources. Doing so would be legitimating the questions of the less bright. Wait and find out for yourselves. Unfortunately I can't guarantee an M7 at Photokina. All you have to do is look at the shelves of unproduced prototypes in Solms to figure that out. . However, at this point in time, I have good reason to believe the M7 will be at the next Photokina, regardless of what you respected Leica "experts" believe. Hell, Christies sold the top plate to a M6E several years ago, which at the time was believed to be about five years old as I recall. As far as the M7 timing, it all fits (and you had better hope it fits if you are a Leica fan), if you are smart enough to see the obvious. Since this leaves out Morton and Rabiner, it goes like this: For almost 30 years the M has had no competitors. Now Cosina-Voigtlander is proving the market for a low cost quality rangefinder. The lenses are selling so well that the US distributor is having a hard time keeping up with demand. Before the end of the year Cosina ups the ante with the newest Voigtlander complete with with a rangefinder-viewfinder. Ricoh and Konica are both said to be both gearing up M cameras. In my opinion Ricoh is probably the most likely to be introduced. Konica is filthy rich and sees cameras more of a hobby and intellectual exercise than a product -- they have problems being bothered with products which aren't likely to be very successful commercially. In the face of less than great R sales, the M is Leica's lifeblood. Leica's tradition and new "M Campaign" is aimed at building up Leica's M market and public awareness in the face what what will be serious competition. The new campaign uses tradition as a great marketing tool, all but saying "If its not a Leica rangefinder, it's not good enough" --- a brilliant ploy in the face of newbie nobody competition. That is all and fine, but it will only go so far in the face of newbie features the M can't match. Among these are higher sync speed, and expected AE operation of the Konica and Ricoh. What to do? Upgrade the M with modern features --- the M7. Hopefully they will keep the M6 in production for the more traditionally minded. Ironically Morton's and Rainier's were right only about their own postings as being "meaningless' as they don't seem to have a clue about what is going on. Stephen Gandy http://cameraquest.com