[Leica] Speculation on the M8/M8.2/M9 timeline

[mark at whitedogs.co.uk (Mark Pope)]

Vick,

sounds highly plausible.  If you are right, then I'm glad Leica did it 
this way.  I would have probably sold my rangefinder equipment and 
bought more Canon digital hardware.  As it happened, I bought the M8 and 
consequently, my Canon equipment is largely unused by me.

I have mixed feelings about your views on lens prices.  I suspect you 
are right, especially with regard to used lenses.  I think the 28-35-50 
tri-elmar will become even more expensive, which is a shame as it's a 
lens I would like to own one day.  Who knows perhaps Leica will produce 
another version of this lens now that they have a full-frame digital 
product.

I am very happy with the M8 and would like the M9 not least to be able 
to use my 18 as an 18 rather than a '24'.

Unlike Steve, I know where my piggy bank is, but it's somewhat empty at 
the moment and no means of topping it up... :-(  I'm not complaining 
though as I have some very nice gear to show for it and I'm happy with 
the results.

Maybe I'll be able to afford an ex-demo model in a year or two's time. 
That's how I bought my M8s and have no regrets.

Best wishes


Mark


Vick Ko wrote:
> So, the full frame M9 is out.  Interesting that only Tony at Popflash 
> has listed them.   B&H and Photovillage doesn't show the camera yet.
> 
> I was thinking, how close to reality was this:
> 
> - Leica embarks on making the digital M, and joins up with Kodak for the 
> sensor, a number of years ago. - the pre-prototype works like crap.  
> Lens flange distance is too short, oblique rays are causing havoc.  Not 
> issue with making a 24x36mm sensor size, just major issue with getting 
> it to work
> - Kodak says "We can solve the sensor problem - ETA June 2009".  In the 
> meantime, we can do the 2/3rd size 10 Meg sensor of the M8 for when you 
> want to launch the M8 (two, threee? years ago).
> - what does Leica do?  Choice of hold off to now (2009) for FF, or 
> introduce the interim camera M8, at when they did?
> 
> History shows what happened, but I anticipate that behind the doors at 
> Solms, and Kodak, the FF camera was in work all the time.  And in that 
> time, they were applying the learnings and errors from the M8 to be 
> fixed in the M9.
> 
> I hope the M9 is all that is hoped for.  The price of all those Leica 
> lenses might rocket up again.  Glad I didn't sell any of them.  I'm much 
> more willing to sell bodies than lenses.
> 
> ...Vick
> 
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-- 



Mark Pope,
Swindon, Wilts
UK

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