Last Night at the LA Leica Store with the Leica T

[CameraQuest]

I handled the T yesterday at the LA Leica Store. I was surprised. I liked it. Nice design and nice handling. Steve Huff got it write(pun intended) when he said the T is like an Apple designed camera. Even if the add on EVF is $600, $1850 for the body is new low price territory for an interchangeable lens digital Leica.

As a less expensive intro to the M system it makes sense for people who do not already have a lot of lenses. Image quality is said to be superb with the two intro T lenses. I see the T as Leica's stylish well done late to the party response to M43 and Fuji X. The M to T adapter recognizing M coded lenses is brilliant.

Unfortunately the importance of that response changed with the introduction of Sony's full frame 7/7r a few months back. While the T certainly fills an important gap in Leica's camera line up, it would have been a lot more important if the T were full frame. Over the next 6 months or so until Photokina, the T will likely sell quite well. I wonder how well the T will compare to the competition post Photokina. There will surely be many A7/A7r competitors introduced at Photokina - all trying to improve Sony's ground breaking design - including new updates from Sony. As always in the camera world, time will tell.

Stephen

 

[jsrockit]

I have to admit, I like it the more I look at it. I won't be buying it, but it's quite beautiful.

 

[Ken Ford]

I'm actually very impressed with the design even if I don't like a few aspects of it (no internal EVF, no AF-ON/AF-L button on the back). The rest of the design is quite nice IMO.

 

[swoop]

I like the camera. It's not a panasonic with a red dot. It's a genuine Leica engineered camera that exhibits everything Leica is about, outstanding optical quality, pure photographic simplicity, and superior attention to design and detail.

 

[robert blu]

To be honest I'm a little "confused" about this camera. It seems I'm the only one, everybody else has clear firm opinion! There are things I like, other things surprise me, other I do not like...
For sure next Photokina will be interesting, time to prepare a few days long visit!
robert
PS: I have Leica glasse for my m7 and a x1 as my only digital camera...

 

[helen.HH]

Though I may be a Leica Fan Girl
The 'T' is not a thing of Beauty to my Eyes
and the lenses 'look' rather plasticky

As for a Touch screen.... If thats considered Progress
I guess I'm not with the 'In Crowd'

So i won't be in the least Tempted !

I am not bashing Leica
I'm a Devotee but Not for the T

 

[GaryLH]

Helen.. Visit the Leica store near u...tempt...tempt.. Lol.. 😀..

I would most likely give in if they ever did a Leica T monochrom 😛

Gary

 

[helen.HH]

Helen.. Visit the Leica store near u...tempt...tempt.. Lol.. 😀..

I would most likely give in if they ever did a Leica T monochrom 😛

Gary

Even if I do go and Look....:angel:
I would be more into an X2 or the 240

 

[GaryLH]

Not the ME?

Gary

 

[edge100]

The difference with Apple is that there's substance to back up the style.

How is the 'T' better - with the exception of its build quality - than the X-T1? The A7/R?

The (high) price of a digital Leica M is justified because it does something that no other camera in existence does: provide a true rangefinder on a full frame digital camera, coupled to lenses that are not only of very high quality (image and build) but also tiny. There is literally no one else doing that. You can argue that the M240, for example, doesn't offer a bazillion frames per second, or has lackluster video, or whatever. But then again, a 1DX or D4s - cameras which cost about the same as the Leica - don't offer what the M does.

The 'T' fills no niche at all. It looks nice, and it's built well. That's it. At $1500 for the body and $750 for the 23/2, it's good value. At $1850 and a whopping $2000 for the lens?!?? This is almost a bigger joke than the ridiculous X-Vario.

 

[Godfrey]

I believe Leica is moving along an arc that they defined for themselves as this camera has certainly been in development since long before the A7/A7r was public knowledge. This is a new line, a direction for Leica like the S series has been.

From what I've seen so far, the design is stunning, the lens line (both announced and TBD) looks eminently sensible and super-quality. The sample images I've seen are outstanding, and the firmware/features driven by software are still pre-release. A good bit can still change in that department before release.

The question which niggles at me is: Why would Leica design such a large lens mounting flange into a small camera if they didn't intend to develop a model in this chassis with a larger sensor?

I'm not in the market right at the moment, but if Leica develops a FF T model that I can adapt my Leica R lenses to, I'll be on it very quickly. The only reason I bought a Sony A7 was to have a FF digital capture body to use with my Leica R lenses. I bet a Leica T FF body like this one would do an even better job.

G

 

[rscheffler]

The T's position relative to the a7/a7R and various APS-C CSC, m43, etc. is currently somewhat irrelevant if you picture how Leica cameras are sold in the Leica retail experience of a Leica store.

Many customers go into the store because it's Leica and they want to buy a Leica. Specs and comparisons to other camera brands are fairly irrelevant, because they're not Leica.

It's like Apple stores.

Most of us on these forums approach camera shopping from a researched, details and specifications point of view. We compare brands based on these parameters. Lifestyle considerations often are not major factors, if at all. But that's how some shop and it's a reason Leica has Leica stores, rather than continuing to just rely on typical photo retailers, whose shelves are packed with competing brands, in environments where a potential Leica shopper may not feel at ease, or want to be talked into buying something else by the sales staff based on technical specifications...

I believe Leica designed the T with the possibility of full frame. The lens mount certainly implies this. But first they have to establish the model. An APS-C sensor is perfect for many uses and types of customers. And it keeps lens size reasonable. Photokina will likely be too soon for a full frame T, but I imagine it will eventually happen.

 

[danielsterno]

I'm not in the market right at the moment, but if Leica develops a FF T model that I can adapt my Leica lenses to, I'll be on it very quickly.

G

+1 on above ⇧. This can become something interesting.

 

[aizan]

just because sony does something doesn't mean leica will. just think about it....

 

[aeturnum]

I like the T. The body seems like it's a modern take on the classic Leica build. I also applaud Leica for going in a new direction when it comes to controls. We have great interfaces for analog cameras, but I expect we can do better with digital. I hope they keep trying things.

What I don't get is the Leica T system. The camera is wonderful, but why would I buy into the system? Is their lens mount "better" than other mirrorless options? Will this be a better "back" for my M-lenses? What about my X-Pan / ltm / EF lenses?

If this was a ultra-high-quality body for a common lens mount (Sony, M4/3, Fuji all come to mind), then I would be much more enthusiastic. I'm very skeptical about "buying in" to a new system from a manufacturer not known for their ability to deliver timely updates or support.

The question which niggles at me is: Why would Leica design such a large lens mounting flange into a small camera if they didn't intend to develop a model in this chassis with a larger sensor?

I'm no optics expert, but would a smaller lens mount interfere with M lenses?

 

[bwcolor]

Photokina 2016

Photokina 2016

This new design will give them the feedback that they need going into 2016 when the next 'M' is introduced. I suspect that the UI and maybe even the mount just might migrate to a new 'M'. Leica needs to make sure that they don't spend their time looking back, but are planning for the future. It looks like this 'T' is the test mule for the future. The 240 is already a hybrid EVF/rangefinder camera, so the 'T' technology will take this one step further into the future. Maybe global shutter will be ready by 2016... will see..

 

[Emile de Leon]

T is the new M3..

 

[Freakscene]

I would most likely give in if they ever did a Leica T monochrom 😛

And here I was thinking I have my own special brand of obsession. That was exactly what I thought...

 

[Godfrey]

...
I believe Leica designed the T with the possibility of full frame. The lens mount certainly implies this. ...

I suspect a FF T in 18 months as a reasonable run up ... Hopefully, most of the T series lenses are being designed for both formats, although I imagine that there will be a couple that are APS-C only to keep them small and light. That 23/2 is a lovely 35mm equivalent, but as someone else mentioned there's likely not enough entrance pupil to illuminate a FF sensor appropriately. The two zooms mentioned for Photokina time look like they might be dual format capable.

The future will let us know. 🙂

G

 

[bushwick1234]

The T looks like my D-Lux 5.