There are a lot of M10 rumors out there, all of which are predicted to be settled one way or the other at or before September 18th at Photokina in Cologne Germany (Newbies: Photokina is the world's largest photo show and takes place every two years in Cologne).
Better sensor, more pixels, better ISO, better color etc.
Yawn. predictable with every upgrade of every digital camera.
The M10 RANGEFINDER GAME CHANGER (if it happens) is LIVE VIEW.
Why?
Live view means that you can focus practically every SLR lens ever made on your M10's LCD or digital accessory viewfinder via the appropriate adapter (
like these). How cool! For me that means an M10 will be usable not only with Leica Screw Mount and Leica M lenses, but also with my many Nikon F, Canon FD, Pentax S, Pentax K, Exakta, Olympus OM, Konica AR, and 2 1/4 lenses! Not to mention classic Nikon and Zeiss Contax rangefinder lenses!
But wait, like the classic TV sales pitch, that's not all!
Live View on the M10 means that
for the FIRST TIME EVER for a rangefinder CLOSE UPS ARE EASY! Imagine adding a close up filter to your favorite M lens and focusing macro. Or using macro lenses from your favorite SLR!
Yes, the M10 is going to be expensive, but it will also be a rangefinder game changer IF it does have LIVE VIEW as so many predict. The dumping of all those M9 and M9P on the marketplace before their value drops even more once the M10 starts shipping is not a coincidence. As the sport continues, the interesting question becomes "How low will M9 and M9P prices go?"
Keep a look out for some pretend Rangefinder expert latching onto this rangefinder game changer like they realized it and wrote about it before anyone else. Its pretty hazardous out there in media rangefinderland. The other day I read the editor of a large successful UK Photo magazine proclaiming that the Fuji X-Pro100 is a rangefinder camera! LOL. No wonder newbies are confused.
Stephen
