Wall Street Journal Article on Leica

[rxmd]

M5: five framelines, built-in meter

The M5 has four framelines, the same four as the M4 in fact. I guess it was called M5 simply because it was the M4's successor model.

M1: M3 for the visoflex and microscope and copying jobs
MD: an M4 for the same purpose as the M1 (correct me in these last two if necessary, please).

Well, the M1 was simplified in that it doesn't have a rangefinder. It does have a viewfinder; the MD doesn't have even that.

I'm not sure about the M4-P's "P" standing for "professional"; it also has six framelines, just like the M6. I think in the end we can only note that the naming scheme is really, really confusing and that it's not worth trying to find logic in there

Philipp

 

[kshapero]

When the choices (digitally speaking) are a $6200 M8 and re badged overpriced Panasonic's, who are we kidding? Leica needs a new paradigm.

 

[Mohan]

I've heard a lot of talk of Leica coming out with a Medium format Digital camera system to take on the Hasselblad H system which to me would make a lot of sense.


Oh, of course they also seem to heading towards making PL mount Cinema lenses to compete with Zeiss and Cooke.

 

[Nh3]

What Leica needs is to be bought by one of the major camera making companies so they could create a new business model for it and use it as a distinct brand.

But then again the question is whether those companies really want Leica or do they see any future in it.

To the rest of the people involved in the world of photography from makers to buyers the Leica is not the center of universe as it is in this forum, so I'm not really optimistic about the future prospects of Leica as a company.

 

[aizan]

When the choices (digitally speaking) are a $6200 M8 and re badged overpriced Panasonic's, who are we kidding? Leica needs a new paradigm.

i think we saw the first clue of that with the g1 announcement. no leica branding on the lenses, suggesting that the middle tier will be occupied by a camera they'll make themselves.