Wishes to LEICA: What camera you would buy NEW if exists

[Calzone]

I read that it will be a M240 sized body, then it will be a dead birth.

I still don't believe it. To omit RF and display will reduce room, weight and costs. The CL is now much smaller than a M10.

And why not add a model with LTM/M39 - good idea, it will improve sales - as well as a Titanium, crocodile leather edition...

Smaller flange-to-sensor distance of the CL will give some room for close-focus adaptors, either manual, or alike the Techart, which works not bad on SONY.

Sonnar,

How bout a FF CL? In a ways a true "Digital Barnack."

Cal

 

[oldwino]

Sonnar,

How bout a FF CL? In a ways a true "Digital Barnack."

Cal

I would absolutely buy a CL -sized FF fixed lens (manually collapsible Elmarit 50/2.8) Leica. They could even put an OVF in it.

 

[Calzone]

I would absolutely buy a CL -sized FF fixed lens (manually collapsible Elmarit 50/2.8) Leica. They could even put an OVF in it.

OW,

A small FF that is pocketable would be cool. The idea of a collapsible lens is also cool.

"Digital Barnack."

Smaller than a M.

Cal

 

[DC1030]

A M10 with a Foveon sensor. Never understood why the sharpest sensor and the best lenses never got together.
Limited to ISO 400 or even lower, a real Leica experience...

 

[zuiko85]

Since the back unclips from Leica M cameras and the baseplate is removeable how about a digital back for your film M?
The back holds the digital sensor (which may need to be a wee bit smaller than 24X36).
The base plate is 1 inch thick and holds battery, processor and ISO dial and interfaces with the digital back via a series of gold plated contacts.
And, if desired you can still go back to film. Shutter sync with the digital back is via a sensor eye that turns on the digital back as the first curtain just clears the edge of the film gate.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Allen,

As a working pro know that Pete Souza, President Obama's White House Photographer, decided to use Canon's for those 8 years. His reason for selecting a Canon DSLR was because it had the quietest shutter.

I attended a show at a 600-700 seat auditorium to hear a presentation that was sponsored by Photoville where Pete described the 8 year experience. He shot over 2 million images over this 8 year period. I imagine he wore out a few shutters and destroyed some gear along the ways.

BTW he always carried two cameras, and over the eight years he said he only took one week's vacation and was only used one sick day.

The presentation involved describing certain shots that I would deem not only historic, but also iconic. I do not use the word iconic lightly, and to me iconic means you can see an image once and you will remember it the rest of your life.

One image was in the situation room when SEAL Team 6 took out Bin Laden. A detail was revealed and discussion about the open lap top in that shot because it had classified information.

Also he had a book coming out and talked about how he culled and edited from that library of 2 million pictures.

At the end of the presentation someone asked what his life is like now. He spoke of being mighty tired.

Another iconic shot is with Bono playin the beatles song "Norwegan Wood" with Alica Keys in the background. President Obama had turned to Pete and said, "Can you believe this?"

Bono previously asked where he should sit, and President Obama said, "Anywhere," and that is when Bono picked up the guitar and started playing.

So all these concentrated anadotes...

About half a year later the book was available.

I have a Nikon F5 and as a badge of honor one day I jammed the shutter. Pretty much even though the camera is clean, the shutter I would say is likely worn out.

Cal

Hi Cal,
Great stories and yes they are all going to fail at some point. All of them. I was saying I have had less issues with my Leicas than I had with my Canons. I still have these two from the film days. They still both work. Hundreds of thousands of frames through each.

 

[Pete B]

Leica MP3 Black Paint. I'm assuming normal retail price of a standard MP or M-A, of course, not the price of an MP3 nowadays. Sadly, I know I'll never own one.
Pete

 

[jawarden]

Like it or not...Japan never made the Leica M replacement..
China..on the other hand...
There's gotta be someone over there..that has thought about this..
As in..
For that Summicron replica everyone is waiting for..
I'm sure there will be a RF camera to stick it on soon enough..
Natural progression of events..

That's certainly possible, and if the lens they made is well received and good quality I'm sure there will be people willing to pay for, I don't know, a new Chinese M3 instead of repairing or purchasing a German one. Interesting.

 

[giganova]

SL2 Monochrom I would buy in a heartbeat.

 

[Pál_K]

Any wish to Leica? Ok:

Remake the Leica M5, no plastic bits, and with M6 style meter technique rather than "meter on a stick".

 

[Huss]

Any wish to Leica? Ok:

Remake the Leica M5, no plastic bits, and with M6 style meter technique rather than "meter on a stick".

With a 1/4000 sec shutter.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Black paint M2 with steel rim 35 (equiv) black paint Summilux...that runs 120 film

 

[Sonnar2]

OW,

A small FF that is pocketable would be cool. The idea of a collapsible lens is also cool.

"Digital Barnack."

Smaller than a M.

Cal

That's what I mean.

Collapsible lenses would be kind of difficult due to lack of empty space in the short bodies.

35 or 50 Summarit-M are small enough. Like that newer Leica lenses "Barnack" size...

Cheers,

 

[WoodallP]

They just made my next camera. M 10 M,

I liked the M 10 so much I bought another. I prefer rangefinders. They fit the way I see and work.

...........

I think with all those that like EVF maybe Leica could offer an M sized body with that but please keep it off my Ms. I think cameras like the MM and the M D show Leica is a company that continues to make camera's that no one else will make. And that is a good thing. Because the rest are pretty much the same. And Leica M is a real choice. Nice to have that. I to wish Leica M were cheaper but it is what it is.

I will second this, an M is an M and anything else is something else. Future M's should just add more to the M experience without fundamentally changing it. This could be in terms of higher iso, stabilisation, increased resolution etc. A good quality metal EVF should be available as an extra (no inbuilt GPS in the EVF please thus forcing it to be made of plastic). A good GPS could be made available as a properly functioning add on with its own battery and memory (see Solmeta GPS units for Nikon and Canon as a good example). Dual card slots would be nice.



Of course D, P and Monochroms would improve on it in the way we expect.

 

[Calzone]

That's what I mean.

Collapsible lenses would be kind of difficult due to lack of empty space in the short bodies. But a 35 or 50 Summarit-M is small enough. Many of the newer Leica lenses are of that "Barnack" size. I like that.

Cheers,

Sonnar,

Lens does not have to be fast either. Just keep it tiny/small.

Some of my favorite lenses lenses are small. Black Canon 28/3.5 LTM, 35/1.8 Nikkor in LTM. A collapsible 50/2.8 Elmar would be about as big as I would want to get of course with hood.

Use the controls and layout of the CL, but strip down the camera and remove video. Keep it a minimalist still camera smaller than an "M."

How retro would it be if Leica made modern LTM glass or just issue some of the smaller lenses in LTM? Mucho cool.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Hi Cal,
Great stories and yes they are all going to fail at some point. All of them. I was saying I have had less issues with my Leicas than I had with my Canons. I still have these two from the film days. They still both work. Hundreds of thousands of frames through each.

Allen,

Thanks for the shot.

Another iconic shot that was discussed was when President Obama was departing Air Force One and out of nowhere a rainbow appeared.

Then there was this shot of Donald Trump lurking into a tiny closet space that President Obama used as a secondary office in the White House.

You have to realize that this presentation happened over 3 years ago, but the images remain etched in my mind. That's what I mean by iconic.

Also know that only about a dozen images were discussed in about an hour before the question and answer session. It was me who asked Pete why he used Canon DSLR's.

Cal

 

[WJJ3]

Wishes to Leica? I have one and one only: bring back the 0.58x finder. This was the best thing they ever made (after creating M cameras). Just make it a standard option again, in film and digital bodies.

 

[Ambro51]

After using the Leitz UR Replicas that are modified to use the correct lenses and advance film properly I think as a “camera” it is a delight to use. I think if Leica redone and remarketed the UR Replica as a working camera....it would attract much attention.

 

[pushto1600]

I'd like a black M4 with a hotshoe. Basically an M-A with a M4 rewind and advance. Or an M4-P without all of the badges.

 

[Calzone]

SL2 Monochrom I would buy in a heartbeat.

G,

My dream too.

I have owned a SL2 for a little longer than two weeks.

Last night I shot an event shooting the square with my APO 35 Cron. I figure the crop is about 31.5 MP. This ends up being great for my gal's Instagram, and know she has 725K followers. EZ-PZ.

Pretty much I use it like a Leica Q2.

I figure a 47.3 MP SL2 Monochrom effectively would have the resolution of a 60-75 MP sensor. APO wides is a big deal. No need to limit the MP count to 41 MP like in the M10M. The Maestro 3 processor speeds up everything, and the layout is so streamlined.

I hope Leica is lurking on this thread.

I secured my 50 Lux-SL and APO 35 Cron at Pre-Trump tariffs and saved $1.2K.

Cal