Leica to announce a new M-mount M6 film camera in Oct 2022

[Miles.]

As others have suggested my money is on an M6 or M7 re-fresh. Cost wise I think it'll be within +/- $500 of the current offerings.

I bought a new M-A from Tamarkin last year and would be happy to shoot it for the rest of my life. Only thing that'd make me reconsider would be an M-A with a rangefinder that magically never goes out of alignment... and that's not going to happen.

 

[astrosecret]

They should take all of that R&D money and put it into QC instead

worry about launching new cameras when they’ve fixed their current issues

Absolutely. It is really pathetic the lenses they charge $5k for need to be serviced after a couple years and i have lenses made in japan/germany from 60 years ago that have never seen the work bench.

 

[ptpdprinter]

The number one limitation for all Leica Ms is the top shutter speed of 1/1000, prompting the necessity to use neutral density filters if you want to shoot wide open in daylight. Today, 400 speed film is popular because it allows you to shoot in different lighting conditions on the same roll and works well for the enthusiast or advanced amateur. This was not an issue in the 1950s when these cameras were designed -- as good luck finding 35mm film with a speed over 100. Pros are definitely not going back to 35mm film when they can use the SL2 and photoshop the hell out of the RAW file to produce the desired effect.

Tri-X in 35mm format was introduced in 1954 as a 200 ASA film. The ASA increased to 400 when the safety factor was removed in 1960.

 

[the_hunter]

I didn't buy their story two years ago that they 'can't keep up with demand' , and don't believe it now. Unless the demand was 10/month and their part time assembly team (of 1) couldn't make them that fast. 😎

I think a big part of Leicas marketing strategy is an idea of luxury and rarety. Think of all the "special limited edition" cameras that are tacky repaints of the M6, MP, M9 or M10 that have been spat out over the years. There was no demand for a Lenny Kravits cameras kit let alone two such kits.

 

[steveyork]

As others have suggested my money is on an M6 or M7 re-fresh. Cost wise I think it'll be within +/- $500 of the current offerings....

Even read it'll be a replacement for the MP. Wonder if they'll outsource production.

 

[boojum]

It'll cost more. How boutiquie can you get than a new Leica film camera? Be the first on your block. It's perfect, film is rare and expensive so why not a camera the same? Leica sees the market is there.

 

[jsrockit]

There was no demand for a Lenny Kravits cameras kit let alone two such kits.

While I do not like them, are you trying to say Leica made the same mistake twice even though it could not sell the first ones?

 

[fireblade]

At a guess, i would say that the Chinese market would be enough for Leica to make another film camera to "keep up with demand" .......China are 21% of the global luxury market.

 

[Miles.]

Even read it'll be a replacement for the MP. Wonder if they'll outsource production.

That would surprise me. The R&D of a total redesign doesn’t make a whole lot of sense given how small the market is (even with how in demand MP/MAs are).

 

[jsrockit]

An article...with speculation and dreams: https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/...urce=email&utm_content=&utm_campaign=campaign

 

[das]

Tri-X in 35mm format was introduced in 1954 as a 200 ASA film. The ASA increased to 400 when the safety factor was removed in 1960.

Yeah, but in the 1950s Tri-X was often sold in 35mm rolls of 20 for about $7.00 in today's money. My point is that is not the way (most) people shoot film anymore as many want a film to work in a variety of lighting situations. That's why a camera with a 1/4000 top speed is ideal, in many ways. Leica decided to stick with cloth shutters and is probably further constrained by the 1950s architecture of the body. The M7 was neat by having an electronically controlled cloth shutter, something that the world had not really seen since the 1970s in cameras like the Contax RTS. But why add AE and not up the shutter speed? Why not just use a metal shutter? Even the Bessas could eke out 1/2000 out of their relatively simple metal shutters.

 

[gavinlg]

Yeah, but in the 1950s Tri-X was often sold in 35mm rolls of 20 for about $7.00 in today's money. My point is that is not the way (most) people shoot film anymore as many want a film to work in a variety of lighting situations. That's why a camera with a 1/4000 top speed is ideal, in many ways. Leica decided to stick with cloth shutters and is probably further constrained by the 1950s architecture of the body. The M7 was neat by having an electronically controlled cloth shutter, something that the world had not really seen since the 1970s in cameras like the Contax RTS. But why add AE and not up the shutter speed? Why not just use a metal shutter? Even the Bessas could eke out 1/2000 out of their relatively simple metal shutters.

Simply, the leica cloth shutter is both quieter and makes a nicer noise than metal shutters. Bladed metal shutters can be finicky with alignment or issues too, cloth shutters are pretty bombproof.

Personally, I prefer the cloth.

 

[JeffS7444]

It looks to me like Minolta CLE, Leitz-Minolta CL, Leica M5 and Konica Hexar RF are all still relatively affordable, so there *are* options out there. If you need service, you might ask Fototech in Poland if he/they want to take them in.

 

[JeffS7444]

Meanwhile, this is Leica's answer for younger and more fashion-conscious buyers:

https://leica-camera.com/en-US/photography/cameras/d-lux/d-lux-7-bathing-ape-x-stash

Maybe the real problem with M-camera prices is that all of us old farts are still clinging to yesteryear's notions of what things "should" cost 😛 Adjusted for inflation, the factory refurbished M6 that I purchased in the mid/late 1990s for 1500 USD would cost nearly 3000 today. Yes, today's camera actually is more expensive, but it's also got fancier detailing, and I wonder if current production is even 10% of what it was back in 1997.

 

[Halftrack]

All cameras are getting more expensive. Smartphones have pretty much wiped out the low-end market, so camera manufacturers are concentrating on the relatively small market of enthusiasts who are willing to spend thousands of dollars on cameras and lenses. For the general public, digital cameras are as obsolete as film cameras. I wouldn't be surprised someday if Canon, Nikon, and Sony stop making cameras altogether and Leica is the last survivor. Wouldn't that be funny?

 

[WJJ3]

Yeah, but in the 1950s Tri-X was often sold in 35mm rolls of 20 for about $7.00 in today's money. My point is that is not the way (most) people shoot film anymore as many want a film to work in a variety of lighting situations. That's why a camera with a 1/4000 top speed is ideal, in many ways. Leica decided to stick with cloth shutters and is probably further constrained by the 1950s architecture of the body. The M7 was neat by having an electronically controlled cloth shutter, something that the world had not really seen since the 1970s in cameras like the Contax RTS. But why add AE and not up the shutter speed? Why not just use a metal shutter? Even the Bessas could eke out 1/2000 out of their relatively simple metal shutters.

The electronically timed cloth shutter has a wonderful action and sound. My Minolta X-500 is so smooth and nice. I would like to try an M7 someday.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

The electronically timed cloth shutter has a wonderful action and sound. My Minolta X-500 is so smooth and nice. I would like to try an M7 someday.

You are quite correct! The Minolta CLE has the quietest and smoothest focal plane shutter that I've ever experienced. Could Leica incorporate such a shutter in a new M camera? The technology has been around for 40 years, so it ain't rocket science. Unfortunately the Leica purists might not bite for any electronics beyond a meter.

 

[Freakscene]

It really is coming.

 

[das]

The electronically timed cloth shutter has a wonderful action and sound. My Minolta X-500 is so smooth and nice. I would like to try an M7 someday.

I agree that cloth is pleasant. But no one seems to complain about the metal shutters in all digital Leica Ms and the higher shutter speeds the later ones offer.

 

[robert blu]

The sound of the shutter of my M7 is beautiful.
The ability to shoot at speed higher than 1/1000 sec. in my M10 is very useful.

I'm afraid we cannot have both in the same body 🙂