I bit the bullet and pre-ordered a GXR with the Leica module. While I agree that most of the images posted so far have been underwhelming, the pictures at this link convinced me:
http://www.grblog.jp/2011/08/gxr-mount-unit-2nd-photo-samplemore-lenses.php
Specifically, the Nokton 40/1.4 shots look very film-like to me, and very similar to what I would expect to get if this lens was on my M6.
I found both the images and the written text at the Phoblographer to be seriously underwhelming. However, as noted, the reviewer didn't appear to have taken the time to learn the basic functions of the camera and with due respect doesn't seem to have much of an affinity for/experience with this style of shooting.
Sean Reid's initial review allayed any concerns I had about the technical quality of the module. Most importantly (for me), he indicates that the particular qualities of the different lenses he tried were evident in the images produced by the camera (I highly recommend reading his complete review, even given the cost of subscribing to his site). The images at the link above conveyed a similar impression to me.
For me, the lack of the AA filter plus the micro-lenses, and the consequent preservation of the unique qualities of the lenses shot wide open (at least the promise of it at this stage) trump my concerns about manual focusing. The images that I have seen from Leica glass mounted on the Sony Nex5N do not look particularly Leica-like to me. What is the point of shooting Leica lenses on a digital platform if they no longer look like Leica lenses? (The same applies to Zeiss, Voigtlander, etc.).
Cheers,
Robert
(Note: I made a similar post on the l camera forum. Apologies if the duplication bothers anyone)
