I just wondered when the next Photokina is? Is it every year or is it a bi annual type thing. Because I presume that is when Leica and all the other makers will release all their new products. If I can hold off until Leica release their new stuff I will. I wonder if they will release an M7 with a faster shutter speed, built in winder, digital back?

-- Sparkie (sparkie@mailcity.com), September 10, 2001

Answers

I wouldn't miss too many shots waiting.

-- Tim Gee (twg@optushome.com.au), September 10, 2001.

Sparkie:

Faster shutter and winder?--->Konica Hexar.

Digital back: for what it will likely cost, you will likely be able to buy 2 Fuji Finepix cameras and Nikon lenses for what it will cost and the image quality will still be limited by the CCD/CMOS chip and not the lens.

A bird in the lens is worth two at Photokina.

Cheers

-- RICHARD ILOMAKI (richardjx@hotmail.com), September 10, 2001.

Well you are going to have to wait for one more year ;) Photokina is every 2 years...

-- Xavier Colmant (xcolmant@powerir.com), September 10, 2001.

Richard, yes I did consider the Hexar but I would rather stick to the M. Its ergonomics are not the same as the M, but it is a good deal for the features. I have the M60.85TTl already and would like another so I dont have to switch operational styles/handling when swapping between the two bodies. Yes, digital back dream will likely cost both my arms, and a leg. So, if it comes to that, I'll just buy a good scanner. Slower but will have a similar end result. Thanks all for your feedback. Well, have one more year to wait. Don't know if I can hoild out that long!

-- Sparkie (Sparkie@mailcity.com), September 10, 2001.

"I have the M60.85TTl already and would like another so I dont have to switch operational styles/handling when swapping between the two bodies" There is no guarantee if an M7 body is made it will be designed to operate like what you are used to on the M6TTL. Look how the TTL model spins the shutter speed dial the other way from the original M6.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), September 10, 2001.

In fact, without one or more significant changes, it wouldn't rate the new model designation. With only slight evolutionary changes, it would more likely just be the M6k (or whatever).

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), September 10, 2001.