Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/07/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Frank (F.), you get my points exactly, except that we differ in opinions on what the next evolutionary step should be: you think that a good EVF is a good step, but I think there are inherent advantages of the optical rangefinder and that it can be further tweaked using known technologies. I remember when I first joined the list, and some people said at that time that Leica owners tend to say, "nothing is broken, what's wrong with my IIIxyz or Mxyz?" regarding the M6 and M7. And of course once the M6 was released, people bought them in droves (while some lament the loss of classic design or durability etc.) Ditto with the M7 - "why would anyone ever need autoexposure?" apparently was bantered a lot. I came in the list after the M7 was released. In fact, it was my first M camera. And we all have been here the last half a dozen years and hear people say "digital sucks" or "crop factor is so horrible" while the sales on M8/M9 revitalized Leic'a fortune. No one is going to hire me to fix this thing, that isn't my point. My point is simply that optical rangefinder has not reached its full potential yet, and the tweaks that can be done using the modern technology isn't outrageous or far fetched or will change anything except to make things better. On Sun, Jul 22, 2012 at 11:44 AM, Frank Filippone <red735i at earthlink.net>wrote: > Mark, I think you are missing the point...... > > What is the difference between the M4 + Top mounted Meter and an M6? The > Meter is built into the M6. What was wrong with the old meter? Nothing. > What is right about the built in meter? It sees through the lens. It is a > major improvement in functionality. > > What is the difference between an M6 and an M7? The electronic shutter. > What was wrong with the old shutter? Nothing. What is right about the new > shutter? It is more easily and automatically calibrated and needs no > tweaking to stay in calibration. It is a major improvement in > functionality. > > What is the difference between an M7 and an M8? The M7 requires film, the > M8 is digital capture. What is wrong with film ( other than the places to > get it developed competently is about zero)? Nothing. What is right about > digital capture? It is the present and future of photography. It is a > major improvement in functionality. > > What is the difference between a M3-M9 RF/VF and the imaginary ( at this > time) M+Electronic RF/VF? The RF is now TTL. What is wrong with the old > RF/VF ? Nothing. What is right about the Electronic functionality? It is > not subject to initial nor long term calibration. It is a major > improvement > in functionality. WYSIWYG. > > It is not always about keeping the old nor about "fixing" some current > feature... if the old or current can be improved upon. It is about the > user > experience and making it less "difficult"..... > > Frank Filippone > Red735i at earthlink.net > > > The Leica M10 will be an M9 with a CMOS sensor. > That's pretty much end of story. > Is there anything else they need to fix? I'm thinking no not really. > > > to be fixed and certainly not rethought. Again its been slowly > tweaked and used for many decades. > > The Leica LTM and then M camera is an extension of optical mechanical > tradition going back to 1920 and the microscopes they made before that. Its > not something they're going to be asking software designers in silicon > valley to rethink for them. Perhaps they'll ask some retired Swiss watch > makers if any are still alive? > > Mark William Rabiner > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > -- // richard <http://www.richardmanphoto.com>