Well, not exactly the 70's-tech-produced-in-the-tweens M7 but for those of you who wonder if ever, yup, the Leica Digital is here in the guise of a Panasonic, gulp...

Oi! Digital Leica!!!

-- Erik X (xx@xx.com), January 11, 2002

Answers

Sounds interesting, I wonder if it will really have a solid feel to it. Most of the digital cameras in this price range feel like a cheap piece of crap. I'm anxious to see how good of an image Leica/panisonic can squeeze out of a 4mp chip.

-- Chris Lutz (mesheca@yahoo.com), January 11, 2002.

Leica-Panasonic did pretty well with the Minilux. Maybe the new digitals will be worth a try.

-- Richard Saylor (rlsaylor@ix.netcom.com), January 12, 2002.

I STILL like the sound of VARIO-SUMMICRON! What a mantra! I have a vision of Zippy (from the comic strip) crooning "Vario-Summicron, vario-summicron, vario-summicron."

Forget your Tri-Elmar. I wanna Vario-Summicron-M 35/50/75. (And a separate viewfinder, since it would probably block half the built-in one.)

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), January 12, 2002.

how would you use the telemeter Andy?

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), January 12, 2002.

I agree with Chris:

Most digitals in this price range have a pretty nasty look and feel to them and ( as someone in another thread has said) they ignore many basic ergonomics that have, over the years, been built into the best cameras.

Unfortinately many of the digitals in this price range look to me as if they've been designed especially for a Woolworths store - cheap in look, feel, price and durability. With some extra capital (a lot of it) Leica should forge more of its own way into this field. There's plenty of room for outstanding innovation. Couple that with their fabulous lenses and mechanical/industrial design and they could have a very appealing winner or two.

-- Phil Allsopp (pallsopp42@attbi.com), January 13, 2002.