New range of Leica cameras .

[Michael Markey]

This seems like a good move by Leica if it comes to pass.

http://cameratimes.org/leica-will-announce-new-camera-system-september/

 

[FrankS]

"new M camera with AF, EVF and ability of using manual focus M lenses."

Huge! Like Nikon's auto focus bodies did not abandon their MF lenses.

 

[mfogiel]

Nice, perhaps finally some Mandler's lenses will drop in price.

 

[rbelyell]

does anyone think this will have the ability to autofocus M lenses, like the old Contax AX film camera brought autofocus to manual focus contax zeiss lenses?

 

[ian_watts]

does anyone think this will have the ability to autofocus M lenses, like the old Contax AX film camera brought autofocus to manual focus contax zeiss lenses?

I doubt it but even if that technology was copied, such a focussing system (that moved the film plane rather than the lens elements) would not take advantage of the floating lens elements which many of the latest M lenses employ to achieve their current excellence.

 

[xayraa33]

Jumping Jehoshaphat, this is exciting news !

 

[DougFord]

Full speed ahead. Apparently the 'new' head cheese wants to move things along at a reasonable pace.
This model/design/camera was a foregone conclusion, only its release date was in question. It seems as though a turning point has been reached at Leica, meaning someone standing in the way of progress has been pushed aside. Installing the 'bat phone' to access the engineering resources at Panasonic was paramount, coupled with Leica's lens/camera/UI design chops makes for a promising future for this manufacturer.

 

[jsrockit]

I hope it is true...and this makes me feel a lot better about canceling my Q order.

 

[Harry Lime]

I can't imagine Leica dropping the traditional mechanical RF M model. They would be cutting their own throat.

If anything this probably is an additional line. They should drop the T and stick with the Q, M and whatever this new model is.

 

[FrankS]

does anyone think this will have the ability to autofocus M lenses, like the old Contax AX film camera brought autofocus to manual focus contax zeiss lenses?

No. I think it will be like what Nikon did. New autofocus capable body with autofocus lenses, and manual focus with existing manual focus lenses. Like my beloved F4.

 

[zuiko85]

Not really interested in Leica cameras but this news is strangely comforting. It would be hard to see a great name associated with so much of photographic history to waste away like EK did. More power to them!

 

[taemo]

sounds exciting however, i highly doubt this new camera will autofocus with the existing M lenses so get ready to spend your hard earned money to also buy these new AF lenses.

curious to see how it will look like though and whether it will be OVF, EVF or hybrid like Fuji

 

[Michael Markey]

I must admit to being somewhat suspicious of these sort of rumours myself but it seemed to me to be an obvious direction for Leica to take.

 

[ferider]

The "Interchangeable Lens Q", aka iQ.

RIP, optical RF. Long live focus peaking.

 

[tightsqueez]

EVF... bring it. I am completely on board with it since working with M lenses and the A7s. It can focus in absolute dark when a RF struggles. Besting the A7s high ISOs? Wow, now that's a tall order.

 

[danielsterno]

I can't imagine Leica dropping the traditional mechanical RF M model. They would be cutting their own throat.


If anything this probably is an additional line. They should drop the T and stick with the Q, M and whatever this new model is.

Harry Lime: ⇧ agreed…. they would be adding another line of revenue generating products… also interesting that the article claims into the stores by Xmas which would be usual for Leica to announce AND have in stores x months later- side note, funny that it could be ready to buy BEFORE the infamous Fuji XProII!

 

[bobby_novatron]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing this link / post. Looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

 

[ornate_wrasse]

This is good news for those of us with ancient eyes, i.e. eyes that can no longer manually focus very well. I do hope that Leica's first venture into Autofocus will do better than Nikon's first venture into Autofocus. The first F3 to autofocus did not do it very well.

 

[judsonzhao]

wondering how pricing/ positioning M will be in the future. Still considered to be traditional top of the line, signature of Leica?

Still, size matters. Adding AF motor to current M lenses design won't be hard at all up to today's technology, size!

And how fast/usable/low light focus ability of the AF system.

But I'm so glad Leica is making this huge step forward.

 

[Ronald M]

Replace $25,000 of lenses with more expensive ones ! I don`t think so.

Yes I just added the price of what I have now. All are what I call very low mileage