Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/06

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] M and R Future
From: dmorton@journalist.co.uk (David Morton)
Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 13:50 +0100 (BST)

Eric wrote:

> Let's see. Cosina's new Voightlander introduces a couple lenses, and a 
> body with no viewfinder and Leica is in trouble? Hmmm...that's some 
> confidence there.

I was told by a Leica employee, at Solms, that they had looked at the 15mm 
Heliar, were impressed by the performance, and shocked at the low price. 

However I don't think they see the Cosina lenses as a real threat to their 
core business. It might even help sales if people start out with Cosina 
lenses on a Leica M body and then 'upgrade' to the real thing when funds 
permit. That strikes me as a sensible way into the M system for those with 
limited funds. OK, anyone who uses an M with all non-Leica lenses is 
rather missing the *point* of Leica, but as an interim step.

> I have been told by the Leica/Konica rep. here that Konica is going to 
> have an M mount body with aperture priority automation and three lenses 
> this fall.

I would be surprised if there wasn't an aperture priority M body from 
Leica quite soon. Really *very* surprised. The M TTL has proved popular 
'out there', even if it wasn't too well accepted on this list. An M6 AE 
would probably be more popular still.

Having now used M Classic and M TTL, I must say that I *much* prefer the 
metering in the TTL - the three LED exposure display is quicker to use 
than the old two LED.

I also prefer the size and location of the TTL's shutter dial. 
Unfortunately the feel of the shutter dial of the TTL is a real 
disappointment. It feels (and looks) like it belongs on a GBP150 camera, 
not a GBP1500 model.

David Morton
dmorton@journalist.co.uk