[Leica] Re: Digital newbie question.

[firkin at ncable.net.au (Alastair Firkin)]

Personally, I think the M8 is priced quite low compared with the  
usual LEICA hitch up: Here in Australia it may end up being only 30%  
more than the M7 and given the savings in film etc----- if the M8 is  
too much, I don't think there will be a cheaper M: I suspect they are  
aiming the 4/3 series at that market

Cheers
On 24/10/2006, at 1:36, Lawrence Zeitlin wrote:

>
> On Oct 23, 2006, at 3:46 AM, Greg wrote:
>
>> I think a fair number of Lug newbies are driven quickly away after  
>> they make the mistake of asking a newbie Leica (been asked a time  
>> of two before) question and either their question is not answered,  
>> answered rather rudely, or they're pounced on.
>>
>> We all need to keep in mind that you only get one chance to make a  
>> 1st impression!
>>
>> I also suspect that the new M8 is going to attract some old Leica  
>> M users back that may have held on to a favourite body and a lens  
>> or two that they couldn't sell but wern't using. This should add  
>> some new/old blood to the List.
>
> OK, I'm a digital newbie. So many questions.
>
> Leica has a history of introducing a top of the line camera first,  
> then following it a year or two later with a simplified version of  
> the same camera. The M3 begat the M2. I understand that the  
> marketing strategy is to skim the cream of buyers first with the  
> more expensive camera, then introduce a lower priced model to pick  
> up the marginal users. Does any knowledgeable Lugger suspect that  
> Leica will follow this approach with the M8. My interest is both  
> photographic and economic. I have a drawer full of Leica lenses and  
> cameras, all vintage. The last new film Leica camera and lens I  
> bought was a CL in 1974.
>
> I would like to use the old lenses on a digital camera but the new  
> M8 is far too pricey for a marginal photographer's budget. Are the  
> lenses good enough to make use of all the capabilities of the new  
> camera? Should I wait until Leica introduces a lower priced model?  
> Will they ever introduce a lower priced digital Leica? Do I wait  
> until the M8 shows up on the used camera marketplace? How about the  
> Epson RD-1? Or should I just forget about the whole thing, sell the  
> film equipment on the LUG or e-Bay and move to the 4/3rds format.  
> My Olympus OM lenses work nicely on my E-500.
>
> Larry Z
>
>
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