Well, Woody, last weekend the guys in Solms insisted there will be an R10 in the not too distant future, info at Photokina. Stephan Daniel said litterally: "I'm not selling my R lenses". My guess would be halfway next year..... The reinstatement of the cooperation with Jenoptik/Sinar might well speed things up.
Jaap
I certainly hope so because MFDB is just not for everyone. But the main reason why is price! DSLR's have tradionally been much, much less expensive than MFDB and that is changing. If you look at the price of the R/DMR system including the magnificent R lenses you are in the same (stratosphere) as the MFDB. One would only guess at the price of the R10 (and any new AF lenses that would be part of it) and conclude that it will be right in the sweet price spot of the MFDB systems, be they Mamiya, Sinar, or Hasselblad. Difference is the quality and availability of longer and Macro lenses in addition to the usual lenses.
I am very pleased I went with the Hasselblad H3DII-39. I also wish that Leica would have made clear their plans for the continuation of the R system so I could have made a clearer choice based on data rather than opinion!!!
I am now getting absolutely wonderful files from my Hasselblad system in addition to being able to effectively use all of my V lenses as well. Would, or will the R system be so good as to make me feel that I jumped too soon and should have kept lenses like the 35-70 Elmarit, 70-210 Elmarit etc and waited for the R10. Perhaps and probably. But life goes on and who knows what the next generation brings.
I will probably always feel that the Leica R glass stands at the top of the mountain. But we have jobs to do today and the stodgy slow approach of Leica, coupled with the fantastically poor communications about plans to the loyal following of Leica owners makes long term planning difficult at least. Most of the bitching from the Leica community to the head guys at Leica is justifiable and leica could eliminate or at least minimize it in a heartbeat.
I will always be a Leica "junky" and the M8 will probably be in my bag until I pass on. (Now 71 and counting! LOL) But the R system is now out of my "system" but I hope that it will be all that you younger guys and girls want and will be happy with for years to come.
This is not a rant..........this is a hope for the future generation of Leica shooters.
Woody