Poll: Will Leica make good its promise for a full frame M8 upgrade?

[BillBingham2]

All full frame really gives you is the ability to reuse the glass you already have. If say Nikon came out with a lower cost M mount DRF and some reasonably priced glass a lot of folks would dump and jump. Unfortunately the impact of the 1.5x factor messes with wide angle lenses as there are not a lot of choices in the 16-19 range. It seems once again, Pres K knew this issue but few were interested in the 18mm he showed a few years back.

As I'm migrating to a digital space I've given up on the hope to have a really good wide (24-28mm) without spending an arm and a leg. I've made some very nice tasting lemonade and am using a GR-D1 (28mm) as both my wide and backup camera. All my old Nikkors (and new CV) fit nicely now.

We are focusing on the wrong answer. FF in RF just to save our glass, silly. Let's focus on what glass we would want to buy and get that going. This will stimulate the sales of new lenses and more bodies that people know how to build.

B2 (;->

 

[pvdhaar]

We are focusing on the wrong answer. FF in RF just to save our glass, silly. Let's focus on what glass we would want to buy and get that going. This will stimulate the sales of new lenses and more bodies that people know how to build.

Sensible answer, and that's the way Nikon intended to go with their DSLRs. And look what they've done; FF D3..

 

[Rob-F]

It would have been more reasonable for Mr. Lee to point out that Leica's history has always been one of ongoing evolutionary improvement. It should be remembered that not so long ago, a digital Leica M was thought to be impossible at all! Thus a 1.33 factor is really quite impressive already! Given the evolutionary history of the company, it is not unreasonable that an M9, or an M8b, for example, may improve on this already low crop factor by a matter of some degrees. Improvements in technology might allow a factor of 1.25, for example. But as to whether there will ever be a full frame digital M, it is too soon to say.

And that, I think, is a more reasonable thing for us to expect. Incremental improvements from time to time, as the state of the art progresses.

 

[infocusf8@earthlink.]

Axxessories

Axxessories

Leica has bought the Holga factory and will use that body for FF. The first prototype of that camera will be used to take the wedding photographs.. The camera will need a filter in front of the lens that blocks all light in order to avoid image quality that is not up to Leica standard.

Rolls of black electricians tape will be added as an accessory to prevent light leaks.😀

 

[Wang Chung]

Will Leica make good its promise for a full frame M8 upgrade?

I suppose this poll will show the public preception over Leica, and its competence.

There is a difference, you know, between a 'promise' and a rumor.

 

[chikne]

The M8's next upgrade!!!

The M8's next upgrade!!!

Guys I've had some extraordinary leaked information from the Leica factory.

The next upgrade to come might be the following:

Simply send your camera back back to Leica and they will put a new skin on it, that's right your old vulcanite will be removed and replaced by a new skin made with 2 layers of smoked salmon and stuffed with fertilized cod roe.

This is only for the first one, for the next one all you have to do is to send your camera to Leica (via Alaskan salmon express this time) and Leica will replace the stuffing with caviar and also rehydrate your salmon skin. The last one is only at the condition that after each use you have marinated your camera in salt water and that the cod roe hasn't hatched, otherwise your skin will also need to be resmoked with oakwood for 3 days.

$2000(+vat) only for each upgrade.

 

[DelDavis]

The last one is only at the condition that after each use you have marinated your camera in salt water and that the cod roe hasn't hatched, otherwise your skin will also need to be resmoked with oakwood for 3 days.

$2000(+vat) only for each upgrade.

I might buy the M8 to take advantage of this. Sounds like a great source of Omega-3.

 

[pizzahut88]

There is a difference, you know, between a 'promise' and a rumor.

A promise is not a rumour,
a hint is not a promise.

It was a hint that was later refuted,

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

A promise is not a rumour,
a hint is not a promise.

It was a hint that was later refuted,

So the question is "will Leica make good its (noncommittal) hint I thought was a promise?"

 

[jaapv]

A promise is not a rumour,
a hint is not a promise.

It was a hint that was later refuted,

And the hinter fired.....🙄

 

[yanidel]

Fitting a full frame and alongside software programming is a huge investment in R&D for Leica that will have to be recouped at some point. Given a simple shutter upgrade is already close to €1000 euros, I can imagine the sensor upgrade to be significantly more. Given the generally wealthy customer base of Leica, wouldn't it be just more common sense to introduce it as a M9 with full options ?
Many would be pissed but well, look at current prices of the first pro digital models of Canon of Nikon, they are basically less than 20% of original price, so it would not be inconsiderate to just drop the M8 and move on to new technology.

 

[jaapv]

The camera throat is too narrow to fit a full frame sensor, due to the battery. The only parts usable for such an operation would be the camera top and bottom.

 

[Ben Z]

The Leica product/service head for USA was the after dinner speaker at the LHSA event last week. The upgrades were discussed and to the subject of a FF sensor upgrade his response was something like (not an exact quote but as close as I can remember) "certain things which sound to some people like they should be simple, are not always so simple. Putting a full frame sensor into the M8 as an upgrade is one of those things, that in fact may never happen."

 

[kuzano]

Necessity or Cosmetic Bling....

Necessity or Cosmetic Bling....

Is it conceivable that Canon, Nikon and any other FF sensor manufacturers are making their FF cameras monstrously huge just to use up excess materials and charge prices by the gram? Or, is it possible the FF sensor necessitates such a large camera body? Perhaps the FF guys think Professional photographers need the extra weight for stability?

Technology will change, but I'd put my buck on faster development of the crop sensors, down to 2X over increased image quality out of the FF sensor in a smaller exterior housing.

The 4/3rds sensor, while reviled by many, is showing excellent promise in image quality approaching current FF sensors. The previous Olympus E1 and the current Olympus E3 are pounding at the door of FF sensor image quality. In addition, the new 420 Olympus and 28mm prime lens are a tighter package than that available from Leica, even if not up to the standards perceived as superior in the overpriced market.

 

[kbg32]

Didn't you read the interview with the Leica CEO recently??? No full frame. They are commited to updating the M8 as much as possible.

 

[dougiec29]

Zeiss wins

Zeiss wins

Zeiss will beat them to FF because they have been eyeing that product while Leica concentrates on development and upgrades for the M8. Zeiss has stated that digital is an important part of the future of photography, but that the technology is not yet advanced enough to introduce a FF dRF. When it is, they will sell it.

 

[JohnL]

I don't believe I've ever seen such an inconclusive poll on RFF - split almost evenly four ways at the moment ... now what does that tell us?

 

[kuzano]

Heretical, methinks not....

Heretical, methinks not....

I understand the inherent heresy of implying that maybe a digital Leica (a TRUE Leica) be made in conjunction with Panasonic - but I think that's a relationship that Leica can leverage.

IIRC... Leica brought an economical film rangefinder to the masses with the knowledge and assistance of Minolta, including some pretty fantastic Minolta glass. Furthermore, Minolta led the way for Leica to develop a truly nice and advanced SLR.

Obviously Leica did not share the income stream well with Minolta, contributing to their demise.

 

[dee]

I read somewhere that , due to the closeness of the lense elements to the sensor on a rangefinder , that the angle of the light means that Leica adopted the max size of sensor to work within these restrictions . Can anyone shed some light on this thought ?

 

[Keith]

I couldn't have cared less about a full frame sensor a while ago but now that I've worked out what a great tool the M8 is in tight dark shooting environments I would like to be able to use my 35mm Nokton as a 35 and not the 46mm that the crop forces it to become. This is where the camera does fall down a little in my opinion ... to gain an equivalent focal length to 35mm I would need a 25mm Biogon or similar and f2.8 doesn't cut it in a lot of the situations I'm using my camera in currently.

If they do come out with a new camera in the near future that has a full frame sensor it will be hellishly expensive for sure and certainly out of my league ... I still haven't recovered from having to pay $6500.00 Aust for what I have now!