Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/11/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Stephen: I don't think I'm alone in this. I hate the M6. Crappy meter, fumbly loading, flash sync at a 50th, no real motor. As they say, give me a break. For so long we have made excuses for the M that we've started to believe it. Sure it's a jewel, but as a tool, there's better. I shoot Leica for the lenses, and only the lenses. Give me a more updated body and I'll buy It. I'm already trying to line up to buy one of the first Hexar RF bodies. If I have to buy it with the 50mm I will and just put it aside or sell it. When people are paying $1000 for a beat up M4, the hexar will be an alternative. But unlike the M4, the Hexar will have a meter and give them no urgent need to upgrade to a Leica body. It's bad news for Leica if they thought they could continue to sell 15 year old technology, but it will open up a whole new lens market. Anyone want to buy an M6. Tom >>From what two friends who have seen Hexar prototypes have told me, I am >not sure the Hexar will turn out to be M6 competition after all. >potential not so hot selling points are > >1) a Rangefinder/Viewfinder described as much poorer than the M6 >2) a motor/shutter combination described as much nosier than the M6 >3) no TTL flash (confirmed by Hexar brochure) >4) .6 finder magnification, which means less focusing accuracy, which >becomes very important with a not so great finder >5) dead battery means dead camera > >if the finder and advance are not improved over the prototypes, it may >become another noteworthy Konica made footnote to camera design > >I think the Cosina made Voigtlander Rangefinder will clean up in >sales, in whatever mount it appears in (M or LTM), if it succeeds in >selling for 1/4 to 1/3 of a M6. One of the guys who didn't like the >Hexar finder said that the Cosina finder was much better. > >Stephen Gandy Thomas Kachadurian - ------------------- www.kachadurian.com