Leica M( ) and M-E: first impressions

[nobbylon]

It looks great on paper and in the video. I wonder how much Leica are going to charge for that R adapter.
Size with the v/f and grip plus the flash can't be far off of any pro Dslr!
I'd probably get a D4 over this but it certainly seems to be a nice camera.
I really dislike the M on the body, far too pretentious. Wait another 6 months after release, add 500 quid to the price and get the BP plain front version 🙂

 

[raid]

Next year's "New M" will offer a better camera.
I will have to accept the lousy M9 for a while.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

one more thing:

Gabriel ... Reading your poll questions indicates that to you the biggest issue is that the M is expensive.

Yeah, it's an expensive camera. But it's no more expensive than the M9 and delivers a lot more. That's a good thing.

G

Actually, this is not what I think (that it's the biggest issue). My point of the poll is to underline the all-too-common reactions on Leica product releases. Opinions are formed before fact, and depending on how strong that opinion is, it filters and cherry-picks available info to frame it.

Once I have tried one out, I'll perhaps have issues. But deciding on which those issues are before I know whether or not they exist, simply limits me and my possibilities.

As I stated elsewhere: I should have put a "tongue-in-cheek" disclaimer. 😱

 

[tic]

I like the M. Don't have much to say about it yet though, would like to see some hires images taken with it.

 

[uhoh7]

Leica are a tiny, boutique company. For that reason, the cameras are too pricey for me to justify.

But I think the M is a real achievement; 'cmon, even the new Fujis, from a company who produce millions of digital cameras, don't have focus peaking!

Obviously we have to see the quality of the files it produces - as far the the digital 'look', that will all be in the processing.

Good for Leica, this is a real achievement from a small company, I hope it works really well for them.

+1

just a note: this tiny boutique company has been outperforming Sony for 3 or 4 years.

 

[bugmenot]

Some very nice images of the Leica M and Leica M-E here:

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/0925098629/photokina-2012-leica-stand-report

One thing to note, it doesn't appear AS BIG as it seemed in the video demonstration. Perhaps somebody just had small hands. lol

In one image with the R-M adapter attached, the sensor seems exposed 😱

http://4.static.img-dpreview.com/files/articles/0925098629/P9180026.JPG?v=1584

TheVerge article also has some hands on images. Also doesn't look that bad in terms of size. Certainly dwarfs the M3 I owned, but not by that much.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/18/3351126/leica-m-photos-video-preview

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

That certainly doesn't seem big. The M8 as it is fits perfectly in my hands, and that M is either smaller or for some reason those hands are bigger than mine.

 

[jamato8]

Before ANYBODY passes judgment without usage, I HIGHLY suggest you go ahead and watch this video if you haven't done so already.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_4xHIqU4t8

It makes a world of difference to see it under natural, changing light, in the hands of somebody actually using it. Please watch.

Also, this poll is stupid.

Thanks, I wish I hadn't seen it. Ignorance is sometimes bliss, so to speak. :^)

 

[enero]

Disagree. It is a universal FF lens platform that will be more versatile in terms of lenses that can be used and degree of customization than any current FF camera. Let me go out on a limb here: After Leica proves the concept works, I predict we will see a similar FF mirrorless platform from either or all of Sony, Canon or Nikon in the next 18 months.

It is not tedious. It is revolutionary. It is the beginning of the end of proprietary lens mounts.

Am I far out enough on a limb here?

Ben.

I totally agree with this, whether the M is a die hard Leica users dream or nightmare, it's a HUGE deal for the industry. I for one am impressed with the M. Though I do whole heartedly agree that its far from as pretty as the M9 or M9-P 😀

 

[swoop]

Things I just noticed from the video. The new M has built in copyright info. Very nice touch. I love this feature in my 5D mk2. Whenever my work ends up on facebook it's automatically credited and links to my site.

Also there's a menu setting for the frameline color. In the video it's set to "White" I wonder what other options are there.

It also has a "film mode" I wonder what emulsions are included. HP5 mode? Portra?

 

[netzspannung]

Un-freaking-belieavable, methinks.
A new M that's an upgrade in every single aspect over the predecessor, does not cost more, is actually weather-sealed and offers new creative ways of shooting. Video with M lenses is going to be uber cool.

If this were reported unofficially, I would dismiss the news as fake. Too often in the last past 10 years it has been all special editions and red dot reglueing over Panasonic stuff.

And you are still looking for faults & making a stupid poll? This thing is going to be a smash hit that's going to put Leica back in the pro world. At last.

Rejoice & drink, everyone!

 

[jaapv]

The other option is red.

 

[bugmenot]

Also there's a menu setting for the frameline color. In the video it's set to "White" I wonder what other options are there.

The other option is red.

Man, I always wanted to change my frameline colours ... 😱

Unfortunately, it doesn't have "orange" as an option ... 😡

So no buy for me ... 🙁

... 😀

 

[hteasley]

The new M looks nice, but I don't like that it's half a centimeter thicker. The M9 is thick enough as it is.

 

[hteasley]

Right. I wasn't intending to say M9 will remain in production. Do you think Leica is using lots of different components inside of M-E and M9 won't be serviceable long before M-E goes out of production?

No, but with only one camera using that tech, and it being the budget camera at that, I wouldn't be surprised if they found it economical to transfer the low-end M to CMOS, too.

 

[Godfrey]

The new M looks nice, but I don't like that it's half a centimeter thicker. The M9 is thick enough as it is.

I'm almost positive that the half centimeter you're talking about is just the thumb rest sticking proud of the rear surface of the camera.

 

[swoop]

I'm almost positive that the half centimeter you're talking about is just the thumb rest sticking proud of the rear surface of the camera.

I really hope that's the case. I'd like to see M9 and "new M" side by side. Even with that protrusion though I'd feel more comfortable with a Thumbs Up on it. I wonder if the current model will fit or if there's going to be a new Thumbs Up just for the "new M"

 

[coelacanth]

No, but with only one camera using that tech, and it being the budget camera at that, I wouldn't be surprised if they found it economical to transfer the low-end M to CMOS, too.

My guess is that Leica wants to make sure the M stays as THE M at any given time and the M-E sales won't eat into the M's too much. So I assume when the M gets far away enough from M-E/M9 (1 or 2 iterations?), the new gen M-E gets the CMOS sensor. Maybe M-E line is designed/destined to take the hand-me-down sensors from the M line in a few years cycle from this point on...

 

[coelacanth]

Oh one more thing.

What will they call it when they make the "Press" version of the M? MP, which is taken already? M-P?

 

[bugmenot]

Oh one more thing.

What will they call it when they make the "Press" version of the M? MP, which is taken already? M-P?

They could take a page out of Fuji's book and call it "M-Pro" ... 😀