Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/02/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Being at the end of a rather long postal journey, I just got my December /January LFI magazine. It includes an interview with Dr Kaufmann and other leading Leica folks on future directions and progress. For folks that don't get this, I thought it might be of general interest to show a quote here. I think the whole issue is well worth a read, if you get the oopportunity. Just ignore this if you aren't interested in future maybes and dreams. I'm well aware that it does not represent any concrete facts. Personally I found this paragraph quite startling, based on the very considered nature of Dr Kaufmann's previous published remarks. LFI: Just to be clear, the development of an heir to the R will not lead to the redundancy of the digital M? Dr Kaufmann: On the contrary. The M system has yet a lot to offer and we're bound to see it evolve. There will probably always be the classic Leica M. Just like there will always be millions of classic Leica M lenses circulating in the world of photography. However, we're also thinking about what else we can do with elements of the Leica M, particularly its bayonet. The possibilities become endless. What would happen if we were to reinvent the viewfinder, moving beyond just optical? What if an automatic lens recognition mode were capable of always displaying the corresponding frame? Suddenly we're thinking zoom lenses. And what would happen if a camera were compatible with both M and R lenses? You see, these are the dreams of the future. You know how it is when you're brainstorming. The imagination goes wild. For those like me intensely interested, I'd welcome opinions, off list if you like. -- Cheers Geoff 'You want to do WHAT!!!??!! Dr Kaufmann?