Steve Huff's M type 240 review is up

[semilog]

I rather see it as mankind's accomplishment. There will always be rich and poor; the creation, development, and manufacture of products serves to help people at all levels.

Dr. Pangloss, I presume?

 

[swoop]

If auto manufacturers took the same approach to development that Leica demonstrates we'd be driving cars with no crumple zones, side valve engines with carburetors, points and coil ignition, drum brakes ... and a computer to manage it all! 😀

I laughed. 🙂

 

[airfrogusmc]

That's kind of interesting. Of all the pro photographers i've known, worked with, or read about, only a few use(d) Leicas, and never for professional work. But, those guys were mainly in fashion and commercial work, not journalism.

I still think it's 'rare' to find a pro using a Leica. Canon and Nikon and Hasselblad H dominate pro work in just about all fields. Which is odd, if Leicas really do present a significant and/or valid advantage.

Back in the film days, Leicas were used by the sort of 'nomadic storyteller' — the guy who could spend a month in a location on a story. Or the random street photographer — the guy who put a book or exhibition together after a few years of wandering around. But, not by people who actually had to get the (specific) shot on that day, in that instant.

Different types of pro work have different types of demands. I haven't really seen a major change in Leica's direction with digital, but maybe i'm looking in the wrong places. I'm sure someone here can list a few pros who use the M9 as a primary tool, but what percentage does that make?

I shoot advertising/commercial and I use my MM to shoot when B&W is the end goal for say an annual report. I use it exclusively for my personal work because its the right tool. The only folks I know that own digital Leicas are other commercial photographers. They like me have other equipment but they to use their Leicas on commercial assignments if its right for the assignment. And they all to use it for their personal work.

 

[MCTuomey]

Leica as a brand and as a photographic tool is seductive. Both the bodies and the glass. Trying to convince the seduced to give it up is futile. Money will be spent and, if needed, sacrifices are made to afford such expensive gear. And for the unseduced, well, more power to their resistance.

Jon said it: it would be a fine thing for Leica to produce a sub $2K digi RF. But odds are they won't.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Leica as a brand and as a photographic tool is seductive. Both the bodies and the glass. Trying to convince the seduced to give it up is futile. Money will be spent and, if needed, sacrifices are made to afford such expensive gear. And for the unseduced, well, more power to their resistance.

Jon said it: it would be a fine thing for Leica to produce a sub $2K digi RF. But odds are they won't.

Why would they? I remember a time with Leicas were at least double the top of the line Nikon and Canons. Now they're about equal.

Heres a great piece by Meyerowitz and a great reason to choose a rangefinder among many other reasons.
I would say watch the entire piece but the point is about 1:30 in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xumo7_JUeMo

 

[noimmunity]

All Huff and Puff and a lot of GAS!!!

All Huff and Puff and a lot of GAS!!!

Heres a great piece by Meyerowitz and a great reason to choose a rangefinder among many other reasons.

Thanks for the link.

The view and the mechanical focus mechanism. We get it. Sean Reid came out arguing for that big time.

Meyerowitz's take is a little bit different from Reid's, since he emphasizes two-eyed shooting, while Reid emphasizes being able to see outside the frame but within the VF.

Note that Meyerowitz's emphasis puts left-handed shooters and people with glasses at a disadvantage. Would also seem to favor 1:1 VFs like the Bessa R3* and the RD-1.

Also note that since he doesn't make a reference to the mechanical RF, he could just as easily be talking about a Fuji X-Pro1.

With the rise of mirrorless digicams, form factor is not the privilege of the Leica. But that VF/RF experience, if you like it and know a little bit about how to use it, is really to die for.

Too bad there is no competition in this market segment and the prices as a result are so exorbitant.

If you want FF DSLR, $2K gets you there. So RF is a niche market, add a 50% premium--but you're still only half way to being able to buy a new FF dRF under guarantee and all that.

Anyway, this is all way off topic. Thanks for the link. I enjoyed it, especially the part on photographing relations rather than objects. I enjoyed it a lot more, BTW, than reading Huff's review. That man is all huff and puff and a lot of GAS 😛 !

 

[airfrogusmc]

Thanks for the link.

The view and the mechanical focus mechanism. We get it. Sean Reid came out arguing for that big time.

Meyerowitz's take is a little bit different from Reid's, since he emphasizes two-eyed shooting, while Reid emphasizes being able to see outside the frame but within the VF.

Note that Meyerowitz's emphasis puts left-handed shooters and people with glasses at a disadvantage. Would also seem to favor 1:1 VFs like the Bessa R3* and the RD-1.

Also note that since he doesn't make a reference to the mechanical RF, he could just as easily be talking about a Fuji X-Pro1.

With the rise of mirrorless digicams, form factor is not the privilege of the Leica. But that VF/RF experience, if you like it and know a little bit about how to use it, is really to die for.

Too bad there is no competition in this market segment and the prices as a result are so exorbitant.

If you want FF DSLR, $2K gets you there. So RF is a niche market, add a 50% premium--but you're still only half way to being able to buy a new FF dRF under guarantee and all that.

Anyway, this is all way off topic. Thanks for the link. I enjoyed it, especially the part on photographing relations rather than objects. I enjoyed it a lot more, BTW, than reading Huff's review. That man is all huff and puff and a lot of GAS 😛 !

I have shot with the fuji and didn't like it was well as the Leica. FF was a big reason for me. My bud that has the fuji also prefers his M9.

 

[noimmunity]

I have shot with the fuji and didn't like it was well as the Leica. FF was a big reason for me. My bud that has the fuji also prefers his M9.

I have the Fuji and love its polyvalent flexibility. The M-E is cool, too, but it is less polyvalent. Sometimes that's good; sometimes that's bad. But the point is that the Fuji OVF/EVF combination achieves the view that Meyerowitz is talking about, AND it adds an extra trick in the ability to toggle over to TTL EVF.

 

[airfrogusmc]

I have the Fuji and love its polyvalent flexibility. The M-E is cool, too, but it is less polyvalent. Sometimes that's good; sometimes that's bad. But the point is that the Fuji OVF/EVF combination achieves the view that Meyerowitz is talking about, AND it adds an extra trick in the ability to toggle over to TTL EVF.

Well I'm in love with my MM. Don't like a lot gadgets. I like to keep it simple. If Leica comes out with an M-E with the new M sensor I might have to grab one of those. I find the MM and 35 lux get out of my way and have, with some practice, become a real extension of my vision. Shooting for the moment has become effortless for me.

 

[frank-grumman]

Polyvalent???? Excuse my stupidity, but I'd appreciate knowing in photographic terms what that means. 🙂

 

[airfrogusmc]

I think he means having muti purposes, kinda one size fits all. If thats what he is meaning those are reasons I don't like it. I have DSLRs that try real hard to do that.

 

[aizan]

epic lol

--

It’s no secret I was one of the worlds biggest fans of the M9 and I was not shy about saying so. Millions of people have read my “Big Bad Ass Leica M9 Review” and hundreds if not thousands have purchased the M9 due to me pouring out my love for such a machine over the past few years. I am not tooting my own horn but it is a fact! The words I write on these pages seem to be heavily influential just as a movie reviewer influences the publics movie choices, which is why I always keep it real and am always honest and let my heart do the talking, even if I get grump-o’s attacking me for being overly enthusiastic. That is just who I am and when I am excited about something…you guys will know it.

The fact is that myself and Thorsten Overgaard (the original Leica web presence) have done more for the M9 than anyone else has due to us oozing our passion for that camera over the past few years.

this must be the part of the movie where steve lets his internet fame go to his head. i can just see him fondling huge piles of freshly unboxed cameras.

 

[MCTuomey]

Why would they [produce a sub-$2K digital RF]? I remember a time with Leicas were at least double the top of the line Nikon and Canons. Now they're about equal.

Good point. My egalitarian side wishes for more accessible Leica dRfs, so more people can enjoy them, that's all, and I don't mean being able to buy 6-7 year-old digital Ms that may or may not be serviceable. My wishing will not have any effect whatsoever on Leica's marketing and production, that much is certain.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Good point. My egalitarian side wishes for more accessible Leica dRfs, so more people can enjoy them, that's all, and I don't mean being able to buy 6-7 year-old digital Ms that may or may not be serviceable. My wishing will not have any effect whatsoever on Leica's marketing and production, that much is certain.

I wish both their cameras and their great glass didn't cost so much. But they do. 🙁

 

[noimmunity]

Polyvalent???? Excuse my stupidity, but I'd appreciate knowing in photographic terms what that means. 🙂

In relation to the Meyerowitz youtube video, it means having BOTH the brightline OVF off-center on the body (typical of Leica and other RFs) that allows you to see outside the frame while composing the shot AND having the EVF that gives you instant TTL view on demand (typical of today's mirrorless cameras).

In terms of compositional viewing process, no other camera offers that combination. Pretty cool, huh?!

 

[airfrogusmc]

In relation to the Meyerowitz youtube video, it means having BOTH the brightline OVF off-center on the body (typical of Leica and other RFs) that allows you to see outside the frame while composing the shot AND having the EVF that gives you instant TTL view on demand (typical of today's mirrorless cameras).

In terms of compositional viewing process, no other camera offers that combination. Pretty cool, huh?!

For you, I actually prefer my MM by a lot. Nice to have choices and the MM and M9 and new M are all FF.