9AM, 9/9/09 announcement

Leica wants to stay in business and it is unlikely that they will be able to do so simply by relying on the few pros and a handful to Leica M devotees.

Their smartest move is to listen to their present owners, but start with a clean slate. Ask for reasons why you use a rangefinder, or a Leica rangefinder. They need to look at function. Next, they need to find out what serious Amateur photographers don't like about their digital SLR. I'm one that doesn't like the weight, the mirror and the inability to see beyond the picture frame. Next, see what they like about their digital SLR. I like the speed, low ISO, the ability to immediately check the histogram in tough situations. I don't care to see the image itself. I also like having the full record of when, where, how. An old M lens won't enable aperture data for example. Lastly, they need to be able to provide these qualities in one camera. So, you don't want to use the histogram, don't. You don't like meters.. well ignore the meter and go full manual. Leica probably won't do all of this because of their financial restraints, which have resulted from their past inability to meet market demand. If you want your precious camera company to exist into the future, they will have to compete for the consumer dollar and that also means, to some extent, keeping prices to moderately unreasonable.

Another purist camera and you may win the battle, but lose the war.
 
Well, it seems that most everyone now believes that something significant is going to
be announced on 9/09, and not just an M8.3 that has a GPS and comes in a glow in
the dark finish. A few weeks ago there was a lot of doubt about this.
 
i'm not one of those people that thinks a leica product is not a leica product unless it was made start to finish in solms or wetzlar. as long as leica gets the final word, that's good enough for me.
 
Hmmmm

Hmmmm

Maybe the "M9" will have a FF sensor, along with a prism and a mirror box and utilize the R series lenses...... ie, an R9. No more Digital Range Finder?
 
Since Leica are betting the company on the S2 (sort of like Boeing are betting the company on the 787, which probably isn't the most comforting analogy at the moment), expect to hear about the S2 system, including the S2-P version, the lenses (some with leaf shutters), the Maestro image-processing system, and a range of customer support packages. They're rolling out a lot more than hardware, in order to entice the digital-MF-back market to switch.
 
Leica Forum Newsletter Confirmation

Leica Forum Newsletter Confirmation

"Leica's CEO Rudi Spiller just announced the unveiling of new products on September 9th via Youtube and Vimeo!
Original text of the video:

On September 9th Leica will introduce a collection of ground-breaking new products designed and manufactured for all photographers, novice and professional alike."

It sounds to me that they are diversifying and not betting the company on any one product, nor any one group. Perhaps a Panasonic digital point and shoot, new 'M' and a lens for the S2. The date, of course, makes the digital 'M' the star.
 
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Here's the full text


Leica to introduce "ground-breaking new products" on 09/09/09

Leica's CEO Rudi Spiller just announced the unveiling of new products on September 9th via Youtube and Vimeo!
Original text of the video:
On September 9th Leica will introduce a collection of ground-breaking new products designed and manufactured for all photographers, novice and professional alike.
» Video announcement on Youtube
» Video announcement on Vimeo
Live Web Cast
Leica offers an online video webcast - if you want to attend live you have to register with your email address here:
» Webcast registration
The event is scheduled on September 9th:
• 9 am New York City
• 2 pm London
• 3 pm Berlin
• 5 pm Moskow
• 9 pm Beijing
• 10 pm Tokyo

http://translate.google.com/transla...p://de.leica-camera.com/news/news/1/6741.html
 
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Here's another upcoming announcement that will interest some forum members. The Canon 7D, available at the end of this month (September) will be announced today or tomorrow. Some sort of preview will probably will be up on DPReview shortly. Badly translated leaks of the press release indicate that it will be more than just a slight upgrade of existing models.

http://www.canonrumors.com/2009/08/eos-7d-press-release/
 
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Leica is really do a great job here of building up enthusiasm of this announcement and milking it for all the free publicity it is worth. Its nice to see them back at the top of their PR game.

Stephen
 
Bill Pierce said:
Here's another upcoming announcement that will interest some forum members. The Canon 7D, available at the end of this month (September) will be announced today or tomorrow. Some sort of preview will probably will be up on DPReview shortly. Badly translated leaks of the press release indicate that it will be more than just a slight upgrade of existing models.

http://www.canonrumors.com/2009/08/eos-7d-press-release/
Click to expand...

I heard about the 7D. I'm currently considering a Nikon D300 just because it has an SD card. If the Canon has an SD slot. I'll jump on that one. Rumour is it'll be cheaper as well. But of all the leaked specs. There's no mention of SD. Oh well.

And 09/09/09 at 9AM. How could it be anything but an M9. I imagine it'll be an entire product rollout. S2 in production for the studio and commercial sect. The M9 announcement for professional photographers. A compact fixed lens rangefinder like a modern Canonet for the advanced market. And probably a P&S or two for the amateurs.

I believe a camera for each market will the be salvation of Leica.
 
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swoop said:
I heard about the 7D. I'm currently considering a Nikon D300 just because it has an SD card. If the Canon has an SD slot. I'll jump on that one. Rumour is it'll be cheaper as well. But of all the leaked specs. There's no mention of SD. Oh well.
Click to expand...

You choose a camera because of the storage medium it uses :eek:
Ok. I take the M9 if it takes CF-cards :D
 
Here's a shot from Panasonic's website on the new GF-1; there's a Leica variant u4/3 lens being offered; could this foretell a Leica u4/3 body announcement on 9/9? Hmm. The link.

~Joe

topic05.gif


g_lens_image01.jpg

All LUMIX G lenses comply with the Micro Four Thirds System standard for digital interchangeable lens system cameras. Even with their extremely small size, these high-performance lenses reflect Panasonic's advanced optical technologies, such as the MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) system and a design that minimizes wide-angle distortion to further improve optical performance. The LEICA DG MACRO-ELMARIT 45mm / F2.8 ASPH. / MEGA O.I.S., which complies with the Micro Four Thirds System standard, has also been newly developed. Characterized by their compact size and light weight, these lenses bring out the full capabilities of the 4/3 image sensor, and support the Contrast AF function of the DMC-GF1.
* MEGA O.I.S. is not available on the LUMIX G 20mm / F1.7 ASPH. and the LUMIX G VARIO 7-14mm / F4.0 ASPH.
 
tom.w.bn said:
You choose a camera because of the storage medium it uses :eek:
Ok. I take the M9 if it takes CF-cards :D
Click to expand...

It's just easier. I'm really bad an emptying my cards. I keep a pile of them on my desk and grab some when I run out the door And all my devices use them. 3 digital cameras and an audio recorder.
 
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