Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/01/13

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Subject: [Leica] Re: NEW M7 MAJOR CROCK-POT CROW PARMESAN
From: Rolfe Tessem <rolfe@ldp.com>
Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2002 10:03:50 -0500
References: <200201130703.XAA00197@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>

> Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2002 22:47:03 -0800
> From: Mark Rabiner <mark@markrabiner.com>
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Re:  NEW M7 MAJOR CROCK-POT CROW PARMESAN
> Message-ID: <3C412D63.AA84B91A@markrabiner.com>
> References: <200201130137.RAA24414@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> <3C411703.3040006@ldp.com>
> 
> Rolfe Tessem wrote:
> 
>><Snip> > Well put.
>> 
> 
>> > The M5? Oh, right, that terrific camera that a bunch of Leica luddites
>> > declared to be a heretical piece of junk - and a couple of decades later
>> > many folks have finally realized was, for many reasons, one of the best
>> > Leicas ever made - even if it did have its problems.
> 
>> 
>> Hmmm. I'll side with those who say "heretical piece of junk". Does
>> anyone actually use an M5? I say give them all to the collectors and let
>> them sit on shelves where they belong. I remember my own dismay when
>> Leica introduced this camera and discontinued the M4 -- which I
>> thankfully had just recently purchased. If I'd been more prosperous at
>> the time, I would've bought a couple more.
> 
> 
> Plenty of people use M5's Rolfe. Some of them are right here on this
> list. Others have never heard of the Leica users group.
> I shot a roll with a Noctilux with one and i was totally sold on the
> camera. AND the Noctilux.
> I'm pretty sure it's got the widest focusing base of any M camera and
> it's feel is solid and exquisite.
> Some day I'll be using one of those bodies. Perfect for fast lenses. A
> built in spot meter. Terrible camera!


If an M5 floats your boat, great. I hate the feel of the thing -- much 
too big and clunky compared to the M cameras before and since (and it 
seems as though the marketplace agreed with me). Actually, the size 
probably makes it a pretty good match with the Noctilux :-). The reason 
the M5 is relevant is that when Leica introduced it, the company made 
the mistake of discontinuing the M4 -- a mistake that almost sunk the 
company. Let's hope that particular lesson has been well-learned as we 
await the introduction of the M7.


>> > And a flash, like the Olympus, that will sync up to a 1000th? Where do I put
>> > down my deposit on one. And if I have to buy an M7 just to use that flash,
>> > where do I get one of those.
> 
>> 
>> And here is the problem -- all this focus on flash, flash, flash. If I
>> need a camera with truly sophisticated flash capabilities, I'm not going
>> to use an M camera and I'm certainly not going to use an M7 with half
>> the capability of cameras designed with a modern shutter such as, for
>> example, the R8 or even a Nikon FM3.
> 
> 
> Actually Rolf there is no focus on flash, flash, flash.
> You don't have to buy the flash, flash, flash 
> and if you do buy it you can take if off your camera if you get sick of
> using it. 
> It comes right off. Not built in.


Well Mark, since (apart from the new viewfinder magnifications) the 
entire evolution of the M6 has been focused on enhancing the flash 
capability of the camera, I don't know how you can say that. And if the 
leaked specs of the M7 are anywhere close to accurate, this is also the 
direction of evolution in the new camera as well. Is the baseline of the 
rangefinder being increased? Are there other new features that might 
enhance the natural strengths of the M cameras as fabulous 
available-light instruments? Not that we've heard so far. All I hear 
about is flash.

 
>> One wonders just who Leica is using for focus groups with all the recent
>> development centered around improving the flash capability of a camera
>> that is, arguably, the best camera ever produced for available light
>> photography. This, at the same time that films are now available which
>> make available light photography easier and more accessible than ever.
> 
> 
> The fact that M cameras are so excellent for available light photography
> most certainly means it is very stupid to ever put a flash on it.
> They should just make the shoe just a shoe and not a hot shoe. Skip the
> PC connector altogether! What the hell! Where are my blinders?


Come on Mark, everyone knows that the shoe is there for accessory 
finders, not for a flash ;-).


>> > BTW - Is this group, quaking in fear at the idea of an evolved M, the same
>> > group that prattles on and on and on and on at regular intervals about 'what
>> > I'd like to see in an M7?
> 
>> 
>> I'm sure it is a difficult business problem for Leica that the M camera
>> is basically fully evolved. That surely makes it tough to sell new
>> cameras. But it is important to make a distinction between Leica's
>> problems and our problems. What would I like to see in an M7? Get rid of
>> the plastic parts, put the Vulcanite back on, make the goddamn shutter
>> speed dial turn the right way and shrink the body by 2.5mm.
>> 
>> I'll buy one tomorrow.
> 
> Rolf the build on the M6 is as good as the times will bear.
> They could give it the build of an M3 and charge 5 grand for it and we'd
> all be talking about the camera company which died years ago.
> The fact is the build on the M6 is excellent - second to none - and the
> camera is a proven tool.
> Where is the plastic which bothers you? The thumb advance? What should
> that be made of, Titanium? Carbon Resin? I'm sure a good machinist could
> make one for you.


Well, we could certainly start with the thumb advance, work our way 
through the insert on the frame-selector lever, the protector around the 
lens release button, parts of the battery cover, the piece around the 
frame-counter, and let's not forget the dreaded red dot. :-)

I actually own two M6s, a ten-year old classic and a new LHSA black 
paint model and I like them both (although I'm not sure I'll ever 
completely like the new shutter speed dial on the TTL). My comment was 
not meant to impune the M6, but to suggest that the camera is so close 
to fully evolved that my preference as a next step would be to restore 
some things that were deleted in the name of economy.

It bears noting that, in constant dollars, Leicas are about as cheap now 
as they've ever been.


> I have faith in Leica as a modern company that it is capable of making a
> newer camera still with features such as auto exposure which even
> conservative people are delighted with. It certainly feels right at home
> on the XPAN.


As the saying goes, only time will tell...


- --


Rolfe Tessem
rolfe@ldp.com
New York City



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Replies: Reply from "Jerry S. Justianto" <jsjm6@cbn.net.id> (Re: [Leica] Re: NEW M7 MAJOR CROCK-POT CROW PARMESAN)