Has anyone an idea what to expect (or hope for) from Leica in September?

-- mark (mramra@qwest.net), August 21, 2001

Answers

Hope for: long-awaited recall/retrofit cure for M6 rangefinder flare, updated design of the 50mm Summilux-M, electronic/hybrid shutter M-compatible body, hybrid shutter replacement body for the R6.2, 90mm APO-ASPH Summicron-R, 28mm Summicron-R (least likely).

Expect: nothing.

-- Robert Schneider (rolopix@yahoo.com), August 21, 2001.

Leica's been pretty up-front about what's in the (immediate) works - but even these may not be ready for prime time by September.

21-35 Vario-Elmar-R zoom 15 Elmar-R (in-house design) possibly 90 APO-Summicron-R

Is there a Photokina this year? It used to be every TWO years, and there was one in 2000.

If the next one is 2002, I'd expect the M/R digital backs to be shown then, also small R body (?), 0-series 50 3.5 Anastigmat lens in screw mount AND M-mount (a no-brainer and cheap to do), digital cameras from Panasonic. Plus the 3 R lenses already mentioned. And maybe a tiny f/ 2.8 75 or 90 APO-Tele-Elmarit, unless they feel V'lander already's filled that niche.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), August 22, 2001.

(more of a dream-on wish list):
1) Updated compact Minilux with manual aperture and shutter settings, like a Contax T3 /Olympus XA / M6 hybrid.
2) 75mm f/2.8- M!
3) New Voigtlander-style 90-degree + swivel viewfinder

-- JM Woo (wooismyid@yahoo.com), August 22, 2001.

I agree:

R w/a zoom and 15mm R lens (a white elephant I think...),possibly a 90mm Summ-Apo-R lens, but think a 135 f2 APO would be a much better fit in the R range.

M - probably not much unless they have revamped the 50mm 'lux (no rumors of this though). Maybe a 75/2.8-M?? New M-camera seems unlikely but a new compact camera might be there.

Some new digital stuff (compacts) perhaps...

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), August 22, 2001.

My predictions (just pure opinion) are an additional M body with some silly feature of little practical advantage, and if the 21-35 R zoom shows up at all it will be a buy-in from a Japanese manufacturer of aftermarket lenses, repackaged in a Leica-lookalike mount. A new 15mm-R might be possible, it would likely be similar to the Zeiss lens computation, manufactured by Leica or an outsourced supplier. If there is a new fast 90, it will probably be a re-mount of the 90 AA M lens. I believe Leica is not putting any R&D funds into the R system, and as little as possible into the M. I think time has proven to Leica that the R system is a loss-leader no matter what truly substantive goodies they cook up, and that the M market will buy pretty much whatever they cook up, even if it's just a new paint job or a small engraving.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), August 22, 2001.

I don't share that view that Leica puts as little R&D into the M system as possible. Of course, relative to C***n and N***n there is much less happening at Leica because the relative market size differences. It seems to me that Leica has been hard a work cost reducing the product line to enhance profitability (and at the same time doing some 'collectible' work with the same goal) and at the same time improving optical performance. The ASPH products all result in reduced cost and increased perfromance vis-a-vis the prior versions. Then there is the Motor-M, the finder magnification options, TTL flash, and vario-finder thang-a-ma-bob. Small steps relative to the market leaders, but forward steps at a steady pace none-the-less.

Anyway, my votes go for a 75/2.8 lens (about the size of the current 50 'cron), a replacement for the 50 'lux (I'll be the first in line for that one), and I love the Idea of the Leica 'O' Series 50/3.5 Anistigmat in an M-mount version that collapses to the size of a body cover. Cool, very cool. I guess, next, I'd like to see a CL sized M body (all mechanical) with some use of plastics to make it light as a feather, but still of supreme quality.

-- Dan Brown (brpatent@swbell.net), August 22, 2001.

Well this really falls more into the dreams pile. But since I have switched 98% to digital other than using my CL. All I want to see from Leica is some sort of a digital M in the 5-6mpix range. It can be a back or a new camera, as long as it's quiet, not giant sized, and works.

Although I admit, a new CL type body would be cool.

-- Josh Root (rootj@att.net), August 22, 2001.

dear boys

there is no photokina in 2001

roland

-- roland schmid (schmidfoto@bluewin.ch), August 27, 2001.