Re: [Leica] M6TTL desirable?

[InfinityDT@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/1/98 12:14:33 PM EST, jimbrick@photoaccess.com writes:

> I believe Leica will lose TTL sales to current M6 owners who want another
>  body. They will buy a classic. Perhaps a used classic.
>  
>  Would there have been the same enthusiasm over the HM if they had messed
>  with he leds and shutter dial direction on that camera?


                     I tend to agree.  There will of course be sales from
people who always have to trade up to the latest, regardless of need.
Otherwise I don't believe Leica will sell any more new units than if they had
just continued the old M6.  The M is so far removed from high-tech camera
features that it seems outright silly to have messed with it just to include a
couple of 1980's-tech "updates" like TTL flash (@ 1/50 sec) and a bigger
shutter dial (but still no speeds visible in the finder).  As to the HM vs
"LM" finders, given that a goodly proportion of M users probably wear glasses
(or will, soon) it is truly a pity that a redesign of the M6 didn't include a
high-eyepoint finder.  As is, the reason I use a regular M6 is so that I can
see the 35mm frame with my glasses on.  The 28 framelines are useless.  I
tried out a HM...I would need a separate finder for my 35...I wish they had
made the HM with an M3 finder and then it would have made sense for me to get
one.  The sense I get from the M6TTL is that it falls into the same category
as tailfins, portholes and bumper-boobs (a reference to 50's American
automobiles, for our European/UK readers!).  Rather than do a complete
redesign and make an M7, perhaps Leica is going to do it piecemeal, through
several bodies, figuring they'll sell more cameras that way?

Jay