Leica has guts

kshapero

kshapero

South Florida Man
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Mar 27, 2006
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Name another company courageous enough to make a pure monochrome camera. Name another company that would make such a pure and fundamental digital camera like the M60. Sure they are expensive, but aren't you glad someone still takes chances. I for one admire that. Please no pro or con Leica trollers.
 
I like both of the cameras you mention, but I would not put them in the same boat.

With the MM Leica produced a camera for "mass" distribution, a unique tool designed for a niche other manufacturers might have been too afraid to touch. But with the M60 I don't see "guts"... it definitely is a very special digi camera , but I saw its launch as a marketing effort playing on the riff of "pure photography" that they know resonates so well with many of their fans, and less of an effort to create a special photographic tool.
 
I dropped by the DC Leica store today while on my way home from work. The staff are always really friendly and are happy to let me handle what ever I want. I was really stunned by the M60, it's a beautiful tool and you really need to see it in person. The new chrome lenses aren't bad either, however, the T cameras were a lot bigger than I expected and I don't really understand why anyone would want one.
 
NeonKnight said:
..the T cameras were a lot bigger than I expected and I don't really understand why anyone would want one.
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my guess is that it is intended for people who buy a Leica as an accessory and who, in case they also would like to take a photo, don't want to bother with manual focus but just push a button
 
NeonKnight said:
I dropped by the DC Leica store today while on my way home from work. The staff are always really friendly and are happy to let me handle what ever I want. I was really stunned by the M60, it's a beautiful tool and you really need to see it in person. The new chrome lenses aren't bad either, however, the T cameras were a lot bigger than I expected and I don't really understand why anyone would want one.
Click to expand...

I attended a Leica Akademie workshop last weekend (Analogue Workshop, had some M5 love) and one of the participants brought his leica T (with 23 Summicron) alongside his M6.

Yes, the T is much bigger than I expected. I didn't particularly care for the touchscreen interface at first touch, though once I figured out where things were, it became more intuitive, though still not particularly satisfying.

What was really interesting though was the image quality. The T with the 23 Summicron was about the same as my X (type 113) with its 23 Summilux, perhaps a bit sharper. I can see the attraction as my travel setup is a small bag with the X 113 and the X Vario. The T with its kit lens and the 23 can do everything my kit can do, ever so slightly better with the prime, almost there with the zoom (the Vario lens is a stunner), but it can also mount M lenses, or the new ultra-wide and long telephoto T lenses. It is a much more versatile system, and this is only the first of hopefully many bodies.

Now if Leica were to take a body like the X and fit it with the T mount, that would be incredible.
 
kshapero said:
Name another company courageous enough to make a pure monochrome camera. Name another company that would make such a pure and fundamental digital camera like the M60. Sure they are expensive, but aren't you glad someone still takes chances. I for one admire that. Please no pro or con Leica trollers.
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I agree with you, at least regarding the MM. I've hoped, for years, that Fuji would come out with a b&w camera. I suppose Leica can be a bit 'braver' than others because they start out knowing they're going to sell their gear to people that can afford it. I doubt that they have many units sitting on the shelf , no matter what the model (well maybe some of the smaller lower-spec'd cameras sit for awhile). So I'd guess that if they decided that they needed to sell 100,000 MMs at x $, they know that the arithmetic will work with their client base. In any case, I'm really glad they did it; at least it shows other manufacturers that it can be done and that there are real niches of buyers looking for this technology.
 
Kodak made a monochrome digital SLR many years ago.

As for Leica's current offerings, I don't care about any of them. I'm not their target customer; I'm a professional documentary photographer. I don't exist to them. My 5DmkII does what I need, and Canon still sees people like me as valued customers.
 
The thing is .... if Nikon or Canon made a dedicated monochrome camera and asked ten grand for it they'd be absolutely pilloried and rightly so.

Leica do it and get applauded for their bravery ... the world's a funny place! :D
 
Keith said:
The thing is .... if Nikon or Canon made a dedicated monochrome camera and asked ten grand for it they'd be absolutely pilloried and rightly so.

Leica do it and get applauded for their bravery ... the world's a funny place! :D
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Keith,
these companies obviously have a very different user base.
Almost none of their "core users" is focussing on black and white only.
That is different for Leica M users;)

I love my MM and I would never spent the money on the M60.
This is super niche, for collectors, I'm not in that target group...
 
icebear said:
Keith,
these companies obviously have a very different user base.
Almost none of their "core users" is focussing on black and white only.
That is different for Leica M users;)

I love my MM and I would never spent the money on the M60.
This is super niche, for collectors, I'm not in that target group...
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I was being a little tongue in cheek ... Nikon wouldn't have the balls to do to and Canon gear is rubbish anyway! :angel:

:D
 
What i like most about Leica is that they are still producing high quality film cameras (MP, MA - not that I could afford one but I would be tempted if I could). Regarding their digital offerings there will always be people who call them courageous and people who call them ridiculous and I can understand both sides.
 
NeonKnight said:
however, the T cameras were a lot bigger than I expected and I don't really understand why anyone would want one.
Click to expand...

I'd use one... I like the way it fits in my hand. That said, it would have to be half the price for me to buy it.
 
I own a Canon 20D I bought in 2004 For 1400.00

120 months later it has cost me $11.66 per month to own.

It has never been back anywhere for service.

Inflation for the last 10 years?

If I bought the new Leica 260 for $7450.00 and it did last for 10 years, then the cost would be $62.00 per month or about $2.00 per day. That per day amount, to me, isn't all that pocket book demanding.

It's a question of the initial cost/shock. But I could use my current Leica lenses so that is a pretty good plus.

Thought I would write my thoughts as it relates to cost.

Someone mentioned to me that a good quick easy way to figure inflation is to look at U.S. first class postage stamp. Compare what it was in the year you look back to and what each stamp costs today. Probably not totally accurate but a start.
 
Forget about digital guts, no bull Leica balls are in the film M-A. Yea, I'm glad of them still taking chances, on this matter.
 
kshapero said:
Name another company courageous enough to make a pure monochrome camera. Name another company that would make such a pure and fundamental digital camera like the M60. Sure they are expensive, but aren't you glad someone still takes chances. I for one admire that. Please no pro or con Leica trollers.
Click to expand...

I don't know about the word "courageous" in this context, but I like what Leica has been doing. Good, solid, relatively simple, usable cameras built to very high quality standards with outstanding lenses. A consistent view on what's important.

Good job, Leica. Keep on going.

G
 
Godfrey said:
I don't know about the word "courageous" in this context.....
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I think it fits.

They have not over burdened the system (and UI) with dozens of fancy features that other manufacturers have. Most of those features can be done externally to the camera with either more control or equal ease depending upon your preference.

The more features you add the less time you have to really test the basic functionality the vast majority of folks who hang out here really use.

B2
 
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