Design cues and Leica's future

Q

quadtones

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Ok, so we've talked about the removable baseplate on the M8. I'm pretty happy with my m8's, but not because I have to remove the baseplate to change a battery or a SD card. [ Tim? How's the project going?]

Now we have the step on the top deck of the M9, an element that seems to relate to the M2,3,MP, etc. Has anybody noticed that the X1 seems to have a form factor very reminiscent of a Ic, If, Ig?

Wonder what this says about product planning....

Norm

www.normsnyderphoto.com
 
The change in form factor had to do with the new titan color (whatever its called). Apparently the designers thought the cam would look over the top with the new color so they modified the top deck.
 
Yes - I did notice some far similarity in form factor with the older Leica. Still, I find the X1 the ugliest camera I've seen for quite a while. En plus, no viewfinder. I'd be interested in the sales figures.
 
That X1 looks pretty brutal from the front but the backside has a very nice control layout it seems, Leica nailed the User Interface better than the big guys. I'm looking forward to watching you bleeding edge guys do the Beta-testing for me, I learned my lesson about buying new technology.
 
Yes...the X1 has a terrific backside....

Frank, I agree, enough beta testing. I'll look at this in a year or so, when I can pick up a used one, or wait and see what else is coming.

For now, my P&S is either an M6 or 8 w/ 35mm v4 Summicron. It's worked well, especially the former, for 25 yr. Plus, it has the "design cue" of looking well used.
 
Have the M8, and for what it will "cost" me in lost trade-in value over the next year or more, I'm still very happy with the results I am getting in B&W. That's why, no beta-testing for me...Went through it from 11/06 forward. They're running well now, so I can wait for a used M9.
 
quadtones said:
Have the M8, and for what it will "cost" me in lost trade-in value over the next year or more, I'm still very happy with the results I am getting in B&W. That's why, no beta-testing for me...Went through it from 11/06 forward. They're running well now, so I can wait for a used M9.
Click to expand...

I'm still trying to figure out if the M9 will eventually give me enough value. These IR filters bug me a bit, especially when swapping lenses between film and M8. As for the lens family, I'd get slower telephoto lenses and faster wide angles with the M9. A matter of preferences and opportunities.

The added value of an M8 over a film RF was quite there, at least in terms of being in the digital boat. The crop factor is something a human can certainly adjust to.

I enjoyed your latin streets.

Regards
Ivo
 
Thanks Ivo, and thanks for looking. I agree that the value of digital is certainly there in the M8 for me, and I've just learned to live with the filters, when I need to. For some subjects, and a lot of my [95%] B&W shooting, I skip them entirely. I think as Sean Reid had observed some time ago, that I get a bit better separation in the shadows.

The Latin Streets portfolio is ongoing, and the Costa Rican photos and about 50% of the Mexican photos were shot on film [some while my first M8 was in rehab, and ultimately getting replaced]. Now I'm about 90% digital, but I've been musing about getting a Hasselblad SWC, and using only that for a year, with FP4 or maybe XP2.

Cheers,
Norm
 
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