Leica new "O" series

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The Leica new "O" has an no reserve auction on E-bay for $1,999. The price is much lower the the MSRP in the U.S. Is this camera a future collector's item?

James

-- James Lin (sigpe57@yahoo.com), April 18, 2001

Answers

It had better become a collector's item - it's never going to be much of a photographer's item...

I've handled two of them, and while I love the body size, there just ain't enough nostalgia in the world to make me consider putting up with the rest of it.

-- Paul Chefurka (paul_chefurka@pmc-sierra.com), April 18, 2001.


Thank you for the reply.

Any input on the finish and optical quality of the O-series comparing to a M6?

-- James L. (sigpe57@yahoo.com), April 18, 2001.


The finish is immaculate. The optical quality of the new-design Elmar being sold with the camera is supposed to be miles ahead of the original :-)

The shutter wind mechanism and shutter speed selection is straight out of 1926 - I mean, having to cap the lens just to wind the film is a bit too retro even for a diehard Leica bigot. And I just looked in a dictionary, and under the word "quirky" was an illustration of the Leica 0 viewfinder.

As an historical artifact it's a remarkable objet d'art. As a camera, let's just say time has indeed marched on. Kudos to Leica for having the marketing cojones to produce it, but I'll let someone else buy it, thanks.

-- Paul Chefurka (chefurka@home.com), April 18, 2001.


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