Re: [Leica] What I'd like to see.

["Anthony Atkielski" <anthony@atkielski.com>]

From: Lee, Jonathan <Jonathan.Lee@hrcc.on.ca>
Sent: Friday, September 24, 1999 17:13
Subject: [Leica] What I'd like to see.


> 1. A leaf shuttered Leica.

Aren't leaf shutters inside the lens assembly?

> So, let's make and an M6 "lite" to sell side by
> side with the regualr M6: Take and M6, keep soemthings
> the same: shutter, rangefinder. Remake everything else
> in aluminum and plastic with the idea of cutting the
> weight of the body in half.

Who would buy it?  One great selling point of the M6 is quality construction and
durability.  Take that away, and what's left?  Being able to mount M lenses is
not a selling point, because anyone who can afford M lenses can afford an M6
body, too.

I really don't like the idea of making any "bargain" Leicas.  There are plenty
of bargain brands already; we don't need one more.

> Yes it will be less durable,but the point of this camera
> is weight.

My M6 with its tiny Summicron lens is so light that I tend to forget that I'm
carrying.  Just how light does a camera have to be?

> 3.  Market a series of modern designed collapsible lenses
> of low aperature, good (not exceptional) optics and decent
> construction.

But lens design is not something one undertakes lightly.  Where would the market
be for this?  Why reinvent lenses that already exist in almost the same form?

> Again lightness and compactness are the primary factors here.

But the M6 is already light and compact.  Making it more so wouldn't change
much, since there isn't really anything else that is lighter and more compact as
it is.

> Say a 35/f2.8, 50/2.8, 90/4.0. The body and lenses should
> total to less than 2.5 lbs.

You don't want to use glass elements in the lenses?

  -- Anthony