Leica LTM Idea for new Leica LTM:-)

[mr_phillip]

Funny, I've thought about this a lot and I'm amazed Leica has never produced a limited-run LTM model again – they could charge a fortune for it and I guarantee it'd still sell.

Personally I'm with sepiareverb – I'd love to see a IIIg available in a limited run with a choice of black paint or chrome finish, and MP style TTL metering. I'd happily sell a kidney to buy one of those 😉

 

[cmedin]

At the risk of being inflammatory, surely the LTM body could be made to conceal digital (Arrgh!) components with few, if any, external changes except, maybe, a new baseplate?

How's about converting all those bodies don't get used/are not rare/are in poor condition/have a low value etc

You can see where I am leading...a black and nickel digital Leica I, the ultimate point and shoot!

Michael

(OK, so maybe an autofocus nickel Elmar is going a bit far...)

The problem would be finding a sensor thin enough; the distance from the film plane to the back of the camera is quite small. But yes, if it was doable, and you stick one of those 14 megapixel full frame monochrome sensors in there... I'd buy it. 🙂

 

[Al Patterson]

I'd like a digital Canon P in LTM, or digital CL or CLE in M mount please.

And I only want to pay $1,500.

 

[Dralowid]

Doesn't need to be a full size sensor, I can always use the fold down frame on the Leica I viewfinder.

Michael

 

[aoresteen]

Well heres's what I would want:

Same size as a IIIg including height.

IIIg viewfinder is fine.

Black paint with Leica engraving

LEVER advance!!!!!

Either a flip open back or removeable back like the Contax/SP/Contaflex

MOTOR drive like the OM Winder 2 😀

If you insist on a bottom loader, then stretch the body to make it the same width of an M and coupled for the Leica Mortor M.

TTL light meter

4 strap lugs like the Pentax LX

Now here's the best idea: put an M mount on it! Now it can use ANY fricken' Leica lens from 1930 to 2007. Sell it with a 50mm LTM to M adapter and call it a screw mount body.

Hell, Canon could make it and call it the Canon 8

 

[MartinP]

Zorki 5 with a cla ???? That would fill most of the preferences ;o)

 

[Bingley]

I'd like a digital Canon P in LTM, or digital CL or CLE in M mount please.

And I only want to pay $1,500.

Al, that makes two of us. That would make me finally break down and buy a digital camera.

OK, manufacturers, get moving! There's a niche market here! 😀

 

[Roger Hicks]

Hell, Canon could make it and call it the Canon 8

Or indeed Leica could make it and call it an MP. Your 'super IIIg' looks like a 'stunted MP' to me.

Cheers,

R.

 

[SteveM(PA)]

Remember when Johnathan Eastland discussed it in this thread?

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44397&highlight=iiig

quote:

"One of my pet Leica hassles has been trying to persuade the co. to also revamp the old IIIG with TTL, an M mount and other stuff. The idea has not been dismissed out of hand, but until now, they have not been equipped to do this. Perhaps when the new Wetzlar facility comes on line, they'll get around a table. "

 

[Graybeard]

If an existing IIIg coud be modified for TTL metering, that would be a pretty neat camera. The Voigtlander meter makes too big a lump at the top of the camera for my taste.

It might even come in at under the $2000 mark for both the acquisition cost of a IIIg and installation of the meter.

 

[rbiemer]

Here you go:
"Canon 8"
😀
Rob

Hell, Canon could make it and call it the Canon 8

 

[jbf]

Hey i have an old canon 8 that still works.

 

[aoresteen]

Or indeed Leica could make it and call it an MP. Your 'super IIIg' looks like a 'stunted MP' to me.

Cheers,

R.

Roger,

Well, I prefer to think of the MP as a 'bloated IIIg' 😀

But your point is well taken.

A few years ago I asked Don Goldberg about changing the LTM for an M mount on my IIIg. Don made it clear to me in no uncertian terms that he had done it ONCE before and would never ever ever try to do it again. It was a real PITA but he says he did it.

So I think it is possible. We can wish, no?

 

[LeicaTom]

Hummm I`m not so sure a "revival" LTM Leica would sell that well?

Nikon did well with that SP, but I`m sure did`nt make that much $$$ with it - the Japanese are alot more sentimental about old things especially cameras

The IIIG idea with just an added meter and I`d say a "NEW AGE" f2.8 Elmar 50mm
*which Leica already has, they made it for the M6J in 1994 - a camera which was/is the greatest Leica Retro camera EVER made - but that`s enough camera for it`s own thread someday*
(and at $8,000+ plus its sadly a camera I`ll NEVER own unless I hit the Florida Lottery- that would be my ultimate "user" camera)

This would be the *cheapest* way for them to go and still come out ahead of the game with retooled original stampings for the IIIG body and that new/old Leica lens, make it TTL like the M6 and everything else just like it originally was with a few "tweaks" to show that it`s new etc.

For Leica to even think about this the camera would still run in the $4,500 (new) range, which you can blame on the German labor board for the price controls and the high cost of living in Germany and what the factory workers there are paid..........they could NEVER make a Retro camera and come out ahead of it with any sort of profit if it cost under $3,000 (that`s a pipe dream) and a camera of this sort would turn out to be another group of White Elephant's just like the M6 group were -
(aka Danish Wedding (or let`s see what other stupid meaningless engraving we can put on a Leica M6) series would be etc.)

Unless they can make like 10,000+ of them they would`nt ever get to be used
(does anyone really shoot with those new Nikon SP`s anyway? (I sure hope so)

- I would like to see results from them, and how many of them did they produce?

Now if there were still a Leitz Canada things would be alot cheaper still - think about it, now there`s were a camera COULD have come out from

Tom


PS: Personally what I`d like to see in a "revival" Retro Leica would be
"Stepped Rewind" Grey or Black paint IIIC with a "new age" Xenon f1.5 50mm
or a "new" Chrome or Black paint M3 ala M6J - in a speical package deal and a 50,000 production range for $4,000 each
- see Leica dropped the ball on that one which they SHOULD have made that in 2004 for
"50 years of M Leica" and the M6 could have went out with a bang!!!!!