Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/03/25

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

Subject: [Leica] VF Upgrade to my M6TTL
From: Leicajay at aol.com (Leicajay@aol.com)
Date: Thu Mar 25 14:52:48 2004

In a message dated 03/25/2004 5:10:51 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
feli@creocollective.com writes:
Jay-

How has the new MP dial been "cheapened"?


Feli
It is now simply a disk engraved with ISO numbers on one side, which rotates 
inside the outer rim which has an index dot.  There are tactile detents but 
nothing near the positive push-hold-turn-release of the M6.  Very similar to the 
M7 dial, but minus the exposure compensation and its locking button.  Put the 
two side by side and consider the engineering of each, and it becomes obvious 
the "new" style is a simpler design, ergo most likely cheaper to produce.  
I'd have no gripes if the MP were selling for $1500 and marketed as "the economy 
M" (as one could argue it perhaps should, considering it has been stripped of 
a number of accoutrements).  But as the "Mechanical Perfection" $2600 body 
touted as the finest Leica yet, I think the original ISO dial is more in keeping 
with the image.  

In addition, the ISO on the M7 and "new"MP are easy to accidentally 
disturb...on the M7 the set ISO speed flashes every time the camera is switched on, and 
plus if it's not on "DX" you get the flashing diode.  On the MP you would 
discover the ISO had moved--when the film comes back from processing.