9AM, 9/9/09 announcement

[Bill Pierce]

The following is the text of an invitation to a Leica Press Conference at the Time Warner Building in NYC, Sept. 9, ‘09 at 9AM (invitation and rsvp only) from Christian Erhardt.


Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

For the past 84 years, Leica has designed and manufactured the finest cameras, lenses, binoculars and scopes. Each innovation more exciting than the last. Our goal has not changed since Oskar Barnack designed the Ur-Leica in 1914: Uncompromising quality dedicated solely to the creation of an unmistakably perfect image.

Join us for a landmark event on September 9th, 2009 when we will introduce the next generation of Leica Products.

-----------------

Make of it what you will.

 

[kshapero]

Hey, where is my invitation? Its around here somewhere.

 

[arnulf]

Oh, God! I'm very excited to see what they come up with. The biggest question is exactly how ridiculous the price of the M9 is going to be....

 

[Pickett Wilson]

Will even a FF RF put Leica "Back in Busness?" How big a market is there really for a $7 or $8 thousand dollar digital RF in 2009?

 

[kshapero]

Actually, i hope what ever they come at with, will be a big success. I think it is good for all RF'ers for Leica to do well. My two cents.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

My guess on 9/9/09 they will announce the M9 for 9,009.00. Or not 😉

Todd

 

[newsgrunt]

If indeed it is a ff M9 AND the hi iso performance is close to those of Nikon's D3/D700, photojournalists will find a way to get one into their camera bag. The hi iso is basically a must for photoj's. If the price of the camera comes in under what's been floating around, I could see many shooters checking their bank balances.

Interesting times.

 

[Darkhorse]

Maybe they'll release a line of reasonably priced products in order to realistically compete in today's market. A boy can dream, can't he?

 

[Keith]

My guess on 9/9/09 they will announce the M9 for 9,009.00. Or not 😉

Todd

An M9 on the nineth of the nineth 09 ... 'nein!' 😛

 

[Pickett Wilson]

I've never actually seen a PJ with a Leica of any kind. Many of 'em are barely making a living these days - if they are working at all.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

"I am thinking 1000 units a month, for the next couple of years..."

Well, since they are currently selling 140 RF's a month, that would be significant indeed!

 

[newsgrunt]

A buddy who's a Reuters staffer keeps an M8 around his neck all the time.

 

[Keith]

If they do pull it off and manage to produce something with the image capabilities of the D700 it will be the landmark camera the M8 should have been ... why wouldn't photographers, and maybe the odd dentist, want one.

I supect they would be in high demand and an M8 used will be worth peanuts for those that don't want the 6 megagpixel RD-1!

 

[kbg32]

I don't live that far from the TW Building! Maybe I'll just show up!

 

[count_zero]

My guess is a micro 4/3 Digilux (repackaged panasonic GH1) along with a FF RF.

 

[Harry Lime]

09/09/09 = $9999?

It's a two edged sword.

We all want to see a full frame M9 for various reason, including that it will keep the company afloat.

But at the same time we all know that Mr. Moneybags Kaufmann will most likely price it out of reach for all but his country club friends.

I hate to sound so negative about this, but what good is it if the camera exists, but the vast majority of shooters that could make serious use of it can't afford it?

There is another rumor going around that two cameras will be introduced. The M9 and something else. A third 'solution' was hinted at by Leica, when they announced that the R10 was dead.

Deep down I hope #2 is a reasonably priced CL-D. I don't care if it is APS-C/H and needs DX type lenses or if it is made in China or Portugal.

Some people are talking about an EVF type camera, which I think would be useless, unless Leica has been able to do what no one else has been able to pull off (and may not be physically possible), which is to eliminate all lag.

 

[Harry Lime]

A buddy who's a Reuters staffer keeps an M8 around his neck all the time.

Nothing compliments a scarf better than a Leica...


😀

 

[Jason Sprenger]

A CL-D would be very smart as it would undermine the used market for M8 and M8.2's particularly if it's priced about $2k. As a crop camera, it wouldn't deter the "best of the best" Leica user from getting their FF M9.

 

[Harry Lime]

A CL-D would be very smart as it would undermine the used market for M8 and M8.2's particularly if it's priced about $2k. As a crop camera, it wouldn't deter the "best of the best" Leica user from getting their FF M9.

Now, that's just crazy talk.

🙄

 

[ferider]

Deep down I hope #2 is a reasonably priced CL-D. I don't care if it is APS-C/H and needs DX type lenses or if it is made in China or Portugal.

Some people are talking about an EVF type camera, which I think would be useless, unless Leica has been able to do what no one else has been able to pull off (and may not be physically possible), which is to eliminate all lag.

The M8 will become the CL-D 🙂

They are talking about a solution to keep using R lenses. Not necessarily a camera, could be an M9 adapter ?

Maybe with sensor-based contrast focus and viewfinder feedback ? Or an EVF that could be added to the M9 ? Like a digital Visoflex ? Just dreaming here 🙂