[Leica] Two weeks with the R-D1

[richard-lists at imagecraft.com (Richard)]

It's probably more annoying to the shooter than the people being 
photographed, but after the M7, the R-D1 is definitely "Thunky." It takes 
beautiful pictures. I don't have drawerful of old and new lens so basically 
I use it with 2 lens, 35/1.4ASPH and 50/1.4ASPH. It makes wonderful 
pictures, different yet equal to the slides I normally shoot.

The price is definitely a major block, but then again, if and when the 
Leica Digital M comes out in later 2006 and early 2007 at the earliest, it 
will be at least $6000-$7000, and with the dollars dropping faster than a 
falling brick, it will probably be more by then.

On the other hands, while mother Solm takes its time, it rarely produces 
"Thuds," even the controversial R8/R9 and the M5 have their champions. So 
if Leica can produce a Digital M the same size or just a bit bigger than 
the M7, with 10MP or more, I suspect it will become another home run. Sure 
most professionals would stay with their 20FPS 24MP Canon 1DxsMkIV, and the 
price will put it out of reach for most people, but how is it too much 
different from the current situation? With 1.3x crop factor, there is a 
lack of super wide, but that's what the full frame M7/MP are for :-)

// richard (This email is for mailing lists. To reach me directly, please 
use richard at imagecraft.com)