M8.2 announced by norvegian news service

PATB said:
I have a feeling that the market for 8.2 is the holdouts, i.e., M afficionados that still use a film M because they feel the M8 is a first generation, beta product. The .2 designation makes one hope that all the bugs have been ironed out and fixed in this latest incarnation.
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indeed. this is not for m8 users. I think Leica is done right thing. And we really need try to keep of Canon mentality like that " why no improvements" " I want buy new" and cry after that
 
I think the proposed refinements are fairly marginal interest to me but then I am pretty happy with my M8 as is. I am sure they could still do quite a bit with firmware (if they wanted to).

The next significant jump for me would have to be an advance in sensor specification in terms of either size, resolution or both.


Richard
 
m8.2

m8.2

Now the Norwegian rabbit (at least it's not a blue parrot) is out of the hole so to speak, you can all relax.

The RFD 8.2 is still not what some of us want and with the rest of the news coming down the tube probably before I can get my blog out, one can wonder what on earth is going on in Solms. The only good bit that will lift my spirits for those rare opportunities to document what goes on in a coal hole is probably going to mean a 100% remortgage - anyone know a good 'sub prime' with a broad sense of humour.

For those still hankering to be Ansel Adams or Bradford Washburn, (monumental objects demanding a monumental format), things may be looking up.

regards
Jonathan Eastland
www.ajaxnetphoto.blogspot.com
 
Well, emraphoto, I think I've had enough of this. I don't find whatever the inside joke is funny anymore. I'll go back to lurking.
 
This is exactly what I would expect from Leica. Leica doesn't release new models every 18 months with radically new features. That's Canon and Nikon territory. If you already have an M8, buy the shutter upgrade and download the (likely available) firmware update when the M8.2 comes out: you'll have the equivalent in your hands. The age of digital has brainwashed us into thinking we must chase technology to make good photos. That was true in the era of two megapixel imaging. With the M8 the quality of my photos is limited by my ability, not by the technology capturing them.

I am surprised they called it an "M8.2". I don't recall ever seeing an M6.2 and wasn't there a point where the M6 rangefinder was updated in production? This feels like the same thing.
 
Snapshot mode: “S” setting of shutter speed dial = automatic control of exposure time, ISO speed and white balance. Menus reduced to essential functions, hints on aperture and focus settings are displayed when the Info key is pressed.

So the M8 becomes the worlds most expensive P&S.

No one seems to have picked up on this and for me (if true) points to Leicas thoughts on how to make the M8 more appealing to the mainstream.

Why not tap the market for people who don't really have an interest in photopfraphy but have the money to spend and want to be seen with a Leica M when on holiday.

Now that's a masterstroke and I congratulate Leica if this is true. Marketted correctly it could increase their sales significantly.

Regards

SR.
 
I think you miss the point - They had an empty space on the shutter dial through dropping 1/8000th and filled it with a "streetshooter convenience" Nothing to do with any sinister plan to turn it into a soccer-mum (or hockey-mum nowadays I understand) camera.
 
jaapv said:
I think you miss the point - They had an empty space on the shutter dial through dropping 1/8000th and filled it with a "streetshooter convenience" Nothing to do with any sinister plan to turn it into a soccer-mum (or hockey-mum nowadays I understand) camera.
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Jaap,

Well if I've missed the point, so have Leica. There are thousands of people out their who could afford an M8 but have no interest in photogrpahy other than snapshots. If the camera became easier to use for everyone they could target this market.

Vanity is a powerful marketting area and should be exploited by Leica, especially when they appear to be introducing a modification which makes targetting this market so much easier.

Anyway, if it's just to fill a space, why are they introducing a simplified menu?

That's work they didn't need to do unless they are targetting a different market.

I say good luck to them. They're in business to make money. Why not make it easier to do so by increasing your target market?

SR
 
It seems that Norways photo journal Fotografi had also published the "8.2 news" on their website. As far as I understand they also say today that they removed the news after the official dealer asked them. In their eyes this wasnt something they usually would do, but this were news that weren´t supposed to get out yet (sperrefrist - disclosure). They also say that the news will come 15th of September.
On September 15th there will be Leica´s long term announced press conference
Vi la i går ut en nyhet om et nytt kamera som skal lanseres 15. september. En glipp fra leverandøren førte til at nyheten sprakk på et annet nettsted. Da valgte også vi å publisere saken.

Vi har denne gang – som et rent unntakstilfelle – valgt å etterkomme leverandørens anmodning om å vente til 15. september med å skrive mer om det nye kameraet og har derfor tatt bort saken vi publiserte i går og som vi også sendte ut et nyhetsbrev om.

Det var altså ikke Fotografi.no som brøt sperrefristen. Vi har fått opplyst at det var en glipp som første til at nyheten lå ute på et annet norsk nettsted i noen timer i går ettermiddag, og vi sakset saken derfra.

Normalt ville vi aldri fjernet en sak andre har publisert før oss og som finnes åpent tilgjengelig for alle. Det ligger derfor i sakens natur at leverandøren i dette tilfellet hadde særdeles gode grunner til å anmode oss om å fjerne saken. Normal policy fra vår side er å betrakte åpent tilgjengelig informasjon som "fritt vilt". Om nyheten har sluppet ut i offentligheten ved en glipp er oss uvedkommende, så lenge det ikke er vi som har gjort en feil eller det åpenbart ligger et lovbrudd bak (f.eks. utro tjenere som bryter taushetsløftet sitt). I det siste tilfellet ville jeg naturligvis vurdert hvorvidt det ville være redelig å bruke saken.

Leverandører og presse har forskjellige agendaer. Pressen vil ha nyhetene ut så fort som mulig, og aller helst være først. Leverandørene bruker sperrefrister og NDA (Non Disclosure Agreements) for å regulere nyhetsstrømmen i tråd med rene markedsføringsstrategier.

Fotografi.no holder alltid inngåtte avtaler om publisering og vi har aldri brutt en sperrefrist – heller ikke denne gang.

Morten M. Løberg
Redaktør
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http://www.fotografi.no/wip4/nyheten_som_faar_vente_litt/d.epl?id=155179
 
I know (a little) about this new product. The price will be the same as the current version, maybe $75 more. Big deal.

I think this isn't such bad news. In fact, I see it as all good news.
Some of the things that I really wanted fixed in the M8 have been fixed, or partly address at least. Better frame lines. Quieter shutter. I don't care about the drop in top speed. Some new useful custom setting menus for quick shooting. Weather seals would have been killer, as would a better battery and losing the base plate. But we can't have it all.

Come on guys, it's an improved version of what they had. If you don't like it, go out and buy a used RD1 or sell your lenses to fund a new D700 kit. I'm after a 50mm Lux ASPH, if you're jumping ship and offing one give me a call.
 
jaapv said:
It would be nice if Leica were to introduce lenses with intergrated IR filtering....
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Yeah, that would be nice. I don;t think it would interfere with shooting film, but I may be wrong on that one.

Maybe they can coat the rear element, to reduce the red appearance, when looking at the lens.

Maybe a removable filter could be mounted over the rear element...
 
EmilGil said:
Word!

I could only dream of buying one even if I have a wellpaid job and no family to feed...
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Can someone leak the specs of the 'low-cost' digital CL?

Kaufmann needs to remember that we're not all members of the 'Billionaire's Boys Club'.

I could swing an M8 with the additional sale of some gear that's collecting dust, but I simply can't get myself to drop that sort of cash on the camera... It's just seems a little too nuts for me and my analog full frame M bodies are still doing fine with their 20MP, 12 stop black and white image maker (also by Kodak) ;-)
 
Can someone leak the specs of the 'low-cost' digital CL?
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2009/2010. Dr Kaufmann told us - by interview- that there will be one - but not at Photochina 2008. As reason for the delay he told that the supplier net work has to build up. (My personal opinion in 2009/10 Leica is mouving from Solms to the new Leica centre at Wetzlar, there will be more place for production)
 
BillBlackwell said:
Since digital sensor is where the rubber meets the road, I think I'll just hang on to my M8. Why would I spend over $7,000 for an M8.2 with no improvements where it really counts?
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Richard Marks said:
I think the proposed refinements are fairly marginal interest to me but then I am pretty happy with my M8 as is. I am sure they could still do quite a bit with firmware (if they wanted to).

The next significant jump for me would have to be an advance in sensor specification
Click to expand...

I'm glad I'm not alone in my thinking. I'd go a step further and say that for me the image quality of the M8 is there for me, I don't long for anything better.

If any of the M8.2 features are made available to the M8 in firmware that I can download and self-install, great. A year from now when my warranty is about to expire, I will evaluate whether to upgrade my M8, get a fresh new shutter and a year of warranty, provided it will be cheaper than selling my M8 and buying an M8.2, which I suspect it will.
 
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