M: Worlds First Universal Digital Camera!

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eleskin

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What struck me is this, and Leica beat them all to it. This M is the worlds first truly universal full frame digital camera meaning with adapters, you can use ANY lens EVER made for a 35mm camera. This is huge! This thing should embarrass Nikon, Canon, etc,,, but they have their lens lines to protect. Leica makes astounding lenses so they do not care if you use an adapter for Nikon, Canon, Minolta glass. To them that is stepping down. For me, as an artist, this is GROUNDBREAKING! As we know, many lenses over the yard have their own signature or look. Kind of like all the different paint brushes, canvases, paints, etc,, an artist/painter has in their studio. Next year I will buy the new M. I will also plan to buy more glass. I have many Leica lenses, but that old Minolta 58 f1.2 looks even better now, especially with this new "UNIVERSAL" camera. Well done Leica! You deserve my business as well as many others! Good luck with the new M!
 
Wow someone not complaining about what the new M ilestone has not, compared to the rat pack of market leading brands but what is unique about these new possibilities. Congrats for thinking differently but wait until the bashing starts :rolleyes:.
 
Used lenses could go up? $$$$$$$!

Used lenses could go up? $$$$$$$!

If someone else makes a similar full frame mirrorless, the hidden jewels of certain used lenses could go up in price! Start collecting glass! One of the reasons I like eBay! Think about all the sleepers out there and imagine how this sensor was designed for resolution! Really, I am more excited now than yesterday about the M. This universal camera concept hit me like a bolt of lightning this morning! The pureists will hate this, but actual users of all kinds of beautiful glass (Leica included) will love this! Remember, Leica did it first! Not surprising, they invented the 35mm format camera. Things go full circle eh!
 
(Well let me start...)

(Well let me start...)

Yeah, I am sure they were all in a race to do this...

I in the meanwhile Sony whips out 3 full frame cameras like it's nothing. An SLT hybrid video and photo monster, a pocket size (well... almost) full frame point and shoot, and a dedicated full frame handy-cam taking even more lenses than the Leica. If you buy all 3, you just pay $1000 more then for one Leica M.
Hell, I am surprised they didn't release a full frame cell phone...

Or you could buy the new full frame Canon AND Nikon for half of the Leica M, leaving some leftover money for perhaps a Fuji X pro AND a Blackmagic cinema camera, which can shoot up to 30fps RAW video in which each frame literally is a DNG RAW file.

Surely an exiting camera the new Leica, and I wish you many joyful moments with it, but I think we don't need to start bashing brands, because I am pretty sure they are not TOO embarrassed...

Having said that, I would love to own one :D
 
Excited indeed!

Excited indeed!

Indeed I am excited. Before getting in photography, I mastered painting and sculpture and the idea of using all kinds of lenses like a painter uses brushes is a great dream come true! I see this from the point of view as an artist and shooter, not as a collector or purist. Think about this: One camera to do the job of 2 systems, Rangefinder and DSLR! At $7K that kind of versatility is a tremendous value. Weather sealed too!

It looks like Leica got serious and gave us a real tool to use for many years!
 
zwarte_kat said:
Yeah, I am sure they were all in a race to do this...

I in the meanwhile Sony whips out 3 full frame cameras like it's nothing. An SLT hybrid video and photo monster, a pocket size (well... almost) full frame point and shoot, and a dedicated full frame handy-cam taking even more lenses than the Leica. If you buy all 3, you just pay $1000 more then for one Leica M.
Hell, I am surprised they didn't release a full frame cell phone...

Or you could buy the new full frame Canon AND Nikon for half of the Leica M, leaving some leftover money for perhaps a Fuji X pro AND a Blackmagic cinema camera, which can shoot up to 30fps RAW video in which each frame literally is a DNG RAW file.

Surely an exiting camera the new Leica, and I wish you many joyful moments with it, but I think we don't need to start bashing brands, because I am pretty sure they are not TOO embarrassed...

Having said that, I would love to own one :D
Click to expand...

This was supposed to be the "comfort thread" for Leica fans and you ruined it...
 
eleskin said:
What struck me is this, and Leica beat them all to it. This M is the worlds first truly universal full frame digital camera meaning with adapters, you can use ANY lens EVER made for a 35mm camera. This is huge! This thing should embarrass Nikon, Canon, etc,,, but they have their lens lines to protect. Leica makes astounding lenses so they do not care if you use an adapter for Nikon, Canon, Minolta glass. To them that is stepping down. For me, as an artist, this is GROUNDBREAKING! As we know, many lenses over the yard have their own signature or look. Kind of like all the different paint brushes, canvases, paints, etc,, an artist/painter has in their studio. Next year I will buy the new M. I will also plan to buy more glass. I have many Leica lenses, but that old Minolta 58 f1.2 looks even better now, especially with this new "UNIVERSAL" camera. Well done Leica! You deserve my business as well as many others! Good luck with the new M!
Click to expand...

Nope, you are thinking of large-format style cameras with digital backs, done a long time ago, and those can literally use any lens ever made by anyone EVER, throughout the history of photography or anything related (aerial, microscopic, scientific, x-ray lenses et al), but perhaps this Leica M is the first one that is more practically usable for something that isn't still-life.
 
Why no full frame mirrorless Canon or Nikon?

Why no full frame mirrorless Canon or Nikon?

They (Nikon, Canon) want to sell DSLR bodies and lenses!!!! They have a business model to protect! Leica does not care about that!
 
i'm no fan of the leica 'value' proposition and have expressed that vigorously in many threads and conversations. however, OP is exactly right in this instance. the fact that one can buy other FF high quality digis for a fraction of the price totally misses the point in this specific instance. this is the first FF true rangefinder digi that can also properly utilize virtually any other slr lens ever made. this is a true milestone and one imo leica is entitled to charge whatever the hell they want. unique is a way overused word, but this camera is well within that word's proper definition.
tony
 
Interesting angle eleskin.

I wonder if an adapter for Nikon G lenses (the ones with no aperture rings) is a possibility?
Will be interesting to see how good the evf/lcd focusing experience will be. While this Leica might be the first, I can't help thinking (maybe wishful thinking) it won't be long before it's done better.
 
Yes, thus my motto: "Never sell a Leica Lens", corollary "buy lenses, not cameras".

I'm just a bit saddened that Leica cameras are so expensive.
 
The comment about the old lenses is something to note, however. A number of people have observed that the fantastic old lenses often aren't as impressive on sensors as they are on film. Due to both differences in sensors and film construction-wise, and film's slight edge in "flexibility," sensors often cannot hide imperfections that film can, and often exaggerate them as sensor quality increases/improves. Obviously, with full-frame sensors this would inherently be more of the case, as crop sensors exclude the portion of the imaging circle where defects/imperfections would be more common, thus masking any problems that would be presented, whereas FF does not.
 
To violate the rule on cross-posting:

++++++++++++

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.
 
Benjamin Marks said:
To violate the rule on cross-posing:

++++++++++++

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.
Click to expand...


I think you are going out on a limb here. It has been shown in the past, that adapting non-native lenses to various sensors often leads to issues such as color fringing. There are reasons for different mounts, the meet the demands of the system.

I know PP has progressed to a point to which non-native lenses issues can be resolved, but that just seems like another time consuming step to me to force the use of a different "brush."

Proprietary mounts exist for significant reasons, and they are not going anywhere. Its cool that you can mount anything, but that does not mean all the results will be top notch.
 
Heh. :)

The beginning of the end was actually the Panasonic G1 from 2008, but this would indeed be the first 'full frame' universal.

With the Sony RX1, it's pretty clear what direction Sony will go.

Considering the M won't be available til next year, the question is, does it make sense to spend $7k for the Leica when something much cheaper (without the expense of a coupled RF and Leica branding) will be right behind? And who knows, maybe Leica even won't be first to actually ship...
 
Vickko said:
Yes, thus my motto: "Never sell a Leica Lens", corollary "buy lenses, not cameras".

I'm just a bit saddened that Leica cameras are so expensive.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Which is why this was a good business move by Leica, from a brand standpoint, anyway.
Leica lenses dont lose value, but the cameras do. They know that. So they took it a step further,
b/c they know that they will not lose customers or $$ on universal mounts. They created a win-win scenario for themselves and the consumers.
Probably the first time in several years.
 
What creeps me out is all the focus peaking where it should be peeking shouldn't it? I know Leica used "peaking" in their broshures and advertising material but in a sense of to view / to check, "to peek" makes more sense but I'm not a native English tongue either.
 
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