Will the M240's successor have an optical rangefinder?

[CameraQuest]

Will Leica continue with tradition's optical rangefinder,

or enter the brave new world of digital EVF rangefinders?

 

[Darthfeeble]

Who knows? Who cares? They are becoming good enough that I don't think it will matter. Certainly the advantages are great, DOF preview, exposure verification and so on.

 

[pechelman]

i might go out on a limb here to say that a camera without an optical viewfinder AND framelines could never be considered a true successor to the M line of cameras. To me, that's what an M camera is. It is part of its DNA.

 

[jsrockit]

Yes, it will. Now that the SL exists, they can even go back to not including an EVF option / video on the M. 😉

 

[Tijmendal]

I've only used a couple electronic viewfinders over the years, most recently of the Sony A7 II, a camera that was released in the last year. I think (but correct me if I'm wrong) it has one of the most advanced EVF's out there and I thought it was severely lacking. It will be another couple years before they're good enough.

 

[taemo]

sorry for sounding ignorant here but is there such a thing as electronic rangefinder?
how does it differ to an optical RF?
laser for measuring distance or something like what Fuji offers with the X100T?
at that point would it still be considered a rangefinder or basically a mirrorless camera?

 

[traveler_101]

I've only used a couple electronic viewfinders over the years, most recently of the Sony A7 II, a camera that was released in the last year. I think (but correct me if I'm wrong) it has one of the most advanced EVF's out there and I thought it was severely lacking. It will be another couple years before they're good enough.

I wouldn't call SONY one of the best out there. Try Panasonic or Olympus.

 

[sevo]

sorry for sounding ignorant here but is there such a thing as electronic rangefinder?
how does it differ to an optical RF?

Yes - indeed every AF point-and-shoot camera employed one. There are (or were) quite a few different systems - active (UV, laser and IR projecting) as well as passive. A few (most notably the Contax G series ones) among the latter even came pretty close to replicating a superimposed image rangefinder as common in RF cameras, with a PD sensor replacing the eye.

And then there is the opposite - simulated superimposed image rangefinders in a electronic viewfinder.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

The Sony EVF is indeed pretty nice, but it sounds like the SL's is better still.

I suspect Leica will eventually release an M-inspired EVF camera based on the innards of the SL and the style of the Q, and will also continue to offer optical-rangefinder M cameras. A hybrid viewfinder could be interesting too...

 

[Keith]

I think it will but I also think there will be a much better EVF available for it and electronics in the camera to support it. I have the Oly vesrsion for my 240 and while I'm happy with the optical quality the blackout lag after each exposure is a right PITA.

The 240 isn't far off being the perfect camera for me ... a slight improvement in sensor technology to broaden the ISO range and address the EVF blackout and I see a perfect camera provided it retains the optical rangefinder.

 

[ferider]

Will Leica continue with tradition's optical rangefinder ?

Yes. Leica will avoid competing with the SL.

They only need to upgrade the 240 sensor to be BSI, improve the external EVF, and it will sell for > 10k US with waiting lists. Maybe they'll call it Typ 750.

Roland.

 

[Dante_Stella]

Is anyone even putting BSI in FX bodies? I thought that Sony said at some point that there was little benefit to that.

Dante

 

[krötenblender]

If it has no optical finder and mechanical RF, it is not the successor of the M, but another camera. I wouldn't care about it.

 

[sevo]

Is anyone even putting BSI in FX bodies? I thought that Sony said at some point that there was little benefit to that.

Dante

Sony does it, in the A7RII.

 

[willie_901]

There is no reason for Leica to abandon the mechanical, optical RF.

• Leica is very good at manufacturing and servicing their RFs
• People who purchase new Leica RF bodies are not detered by the cost now and won't be detered in the future should the cost increase
• The cost probably will increase since demand for mechanical RF bodies will slowly, but surely, decrease. As time goes by more and more people will accept EVF technologies because the technology will improve and because they use EVFs for everything else This does not imply the EVF will ever become completely equal to OVFs in function. Rather it suggests people won't care about the differences and there will be a supply of used OVF bodies for those who do.

 

[Rob-F]

i might go out on a limb here to say that a camera without an optical viewfinder AND framelines could never be considered a true successor to the M line of cameras. To me, that's what an M camera is. It is part of its DNA.

What pechelman said. A Leica M without an optical finder is like a Stradivarius without a bow.

 

[jsrockit]

A Leica M without an optical finder is like a Stradivarius without a bow.

They will both still look nice on the shelf though... 😉

 

[Mcary]

Both!

M240's sucessor will have a traditional optical rangefinder while a model with some type of electronic rangefinder EVF that mimics a traditional RF will be introduced as the successor to the M-E.

Mimics: mean it works/focus like a traditional M style rangefinder camera rather then just looking like one.

JMO 🙂

 

[jaapv]

Interesting - where did you get that information?

The latest patent filed by Leica, however, is an optical-digital hybrid rangefinder system.

 

[Mcary]

Interesting - where did you get that information?

The latest patent filed by Leica, however, is an optical-digital hybrid rangefinder system.

LOL JMO 🙂