It's weird that people who have been complaining and clamoring for a lower priced Leica M9 now seem to be saying that a rumored model with a less expensive sensor, facilitating a lower price, is irrelevant and uninteresting.
Huh?
I think it all depends how a lower priced Leica M digital is implemented will determine how interesting it is. If its simply a stripped down M, thats going to temper some enthusiam. If it's something akin to a Leica CL in digital form, smaller/lighter than a M9, maybe with some form of cropped CMOS sensor to keep costs down (and priced significantly below an M9) yet due to having CMOS sensor it incorporates good higher ISO performance...then this is something that even current M9 users could envision as a second alternative body as well as attracting those that want an interchangeable M body digital camera but find the cost of an M9 too high financialy.
Yes used M8's are available at a fraction of their original price, but this smaller more compact and lower cost body will have better high ISO performance, lighter weight and priced somewhere between an M9 and X2. No UVIR filters needed either! It might even have a 1.5x crop factor, which will alloow Leica considerable latitude in keeping the price down. Sort of what the original Leica film CL body was supposed to do, marketing wise.
I wonder is they incorporated a shutter that would intergrate with a film like advance lever on the body to recock the shutter (similar to a RD-1) instead of a built the motor ala M9, which would then allow complete silent operation, this camera would have all sorts of innovations for a Leica digital, but with much of the technology that has long existed even in budget midned camera..hence ability to keep the price down. I believe two markets would exist for this camera and relative volume sales will make it profitable.
Lastly I'm sure it would be debatable whether such a camera should have live view and/or EVF etc....but that might change the equation to being able to keep it at an entry level price point, as well as the target audience...traditionalists vs. those that want these modern technologies in such a camera.
Dave (D&A)