[Leica] LFI Leica executives interview, the ultimate speculation thread

[datamaster at northcoastphotos.com (Gary Todoroff)]

Interesting topic - coincidentally I just 
e-mailed this comment to a Leica fan this morning:

Leica/Olympus makes a fine combination until 
Leica sells something more affordable than the 
M8. Where is the CL of digital? I was very 
disappointed that Leica put so much research and 
money into the new S2. It was like a slap in the 
face to us faithful 35mm rangefinder fans, still 
holding onto their wonderful Leica glass in hopes 
that Leica will make a reasonably priced digital 
body that they can use those lenses on.
Gary Todoroff

>There are a number of hints from Dr Kaufmann implying a cheaper M mount
>camera, not to supplant the M8 though. Leica does share with Matsushita as
>we know. Certainly possible Leica may market a version. I can't speak about
>other countries but here Panasonic has thus far positioned their four thirds
>products to be too expensive. Technically clever certainly. But the G1 for
>example is almost twice the price of the Olympus E420. That makes no sense
>to me. I do think that micro four thirds is a logical development. For any
>future M, an optical finder with a different frame-line system I can
>understand. An EVF like the G1 horrifies me personally. In my opinion a G1
>with red dot (? la the D-Lux and C-Lux) will not appeal to traditional Leica
>customers. But a smaller M mount camera priced lower than the M8 may well
>do.
>2009/2/17
>Geoff