Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/06/20
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Mark, no the M5 is not overweight. It is the nicest M to use in my experience but it is very ugly, the non rounded ends make the front look very big and the lens very small, aesthetically unpleasing. In fact it was probably the first M to be "styled", all the Ms and earlier cameras being designed by the engineering requirement and not styled at all. I suspect that if the M5 hadn't been "styled" it would look a lot better. Frank --- Mark Rabiner <mark@rabinergroup.com> wrote: > On 6/19/04 4:52 AM, "FRANK DERNIE" > <frank.dernie@btinternet.com> wrote: > > > Hi Douglas, > > as an engineer I make a clear distinction between > > design - which I see as fitness for purpose and > > functionality, that normally done by the > engineers. > > And styling - the aesthetics, sometimes by > engineers, > > sometimes by "designers" and sometimes the > management. > > In a camera the functionality is far more > important > > IMO than the looks. Having the controls fall under > my > > fingers and that viewfinder make up for the > hideous > > (IMO) styling for me. I find the M5 ugly but it is > IME > > the best M camera. > > I feel the same about most things. A beautifully > > styled car which is overweight and/or handles > badly is > > of absolutely no interest to me, though I would > prefer > > it to look nice, mind you there are almost no cars > on > > the market today which appeal to me. > > cheers > > Frank > > > Isn't the M5 overweight? > It's size and weight was the engineering/design > decision which almost sunk > Leica like the titanic did it not? > > The Leica rangefinder system was perceived by it's > patronage as being a > lightweight small way to make pictures in comparison > to most others. > The m5 didn?t go well with that mindset. It was seen > perhaps even as a > betrayal. I plan to get one one day by the way. > I guess engineering, design, and marketing all three > have to be in balance. > > > Mark Rabiner > Photography > Portland Oregon > http://rabinergroup.com/ > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for > more information >