THE NEW LEICA M Press Release

[Shashin]

WRT old R glass I am VERY sceptic, as most of these lenses are easily 20 year old designs and simply will not be up to this demanding 24MP sensor without AA filter.

???? The sensor pixel pitch is only about 83 lines/mm. I think your R lenses can keep up with that.

 

[ptomsu]

???? The sensor pixel pitch is only about 83 lines/mm. I think your R lenses can keep up with that.

Maybe, but there are also other parameters like resolution ....

 

[Shashin]

Maybe, but there are also other parameters like resolution ....

???? Lines per mm is resolution. From what I understand, people are converting their R lenses to Nikon mount to use with the D800 and are very pleased with them.

 

[Godfrey]

The R adapter is quite interesting. I guess I wonder why now and not before ...

It's just an R to M mount adapter. Leica didn't offer it before (although others do) because there was no sensible way to properly focus an SLR lens on an M rangefinder camera. Now that they have an imaging system that provides the TTL focusing/framing tools, they offer the mount adapter.

... Anyway the other issue is some of them are old designs and how they will hold up, great on a 10 mpx fat pixel DMR but times have changed to a more demanding smaller micron sensor. My bet they will be fine but something to think about and now need to go find them in the deep corners of shops. LOL ...

I'm sure, just as with all adaptations of film era lenses to digital capture bodies, that some will work beautifully and some will be less desirable. People will pick and choose the ones which work the way they want ... nothing new in that.

SLR lenses in general perform better on digital sensors than RF lenses, due to the basic design constraints of the SLR mirror and deeper lens mount registration, so I expect most will do reasonably well. I'm eager to see how well my favorite Nikkors do once I have the new M; they work very well on Olympus FourThirds, Panasonic Micro-FourThirds, and Ricoh GXR-M APS-C bodies so far. Pixel density of the 24x36 @ 24Mpixel format is a little bit lower than 16x24 @ 12Mpixel (36 mm^2 @ Mpixel vs 32 mm^2 @ Mpixel) and both the GXR-M and new M are without AA filter, so the geometry factors of the larger format are the most important influence.

 

[Vivek]

It's just an R to M mount adapter. Leica didn't offer it before (although others do) because there was no sensible way to properly focus an SLR lens on an M rangefinder camera. Now that they have an imaging system that provides the TTL focusing/framing tools, they offer the mount adapter.

They did (made for Leicina). It is in Leica history books.

Adapter 22228

 

[Godfrey]

They did (made for Leicina). It is in Leica history books.

Adapter 22228

That's neat ... hadn't seen that one before. Long time ago.. Leica's made about a bazillion little widgets over the course of their history.

 

[gerald.d]

Woah.

Anyone else notice that the CMOSIS chaps also produce a 70 megapixel 35mm sensor? :O

Love the M. Never considered myself to be a Leica guy, but I'll definitely be checking it out in Cologne.

 

[overgaarcom]

As for the AA filter, it is not mentioned and not shown in the brochure. I forgot to ask directly but should be doing a video interview with Stefan Daniel tomorrow and will find out there.

 

[Godfrey]

Okay. It is knd of cool. Big big question I have is how GOOD is that EVF as that is a huge key for me since I don't really like them. Live view I do like though

The EVF is the exactly same unit that Olympus is using*(Olympus VF-2), and is cross compatible. Just has the Leica logo and model number on it. It's a state of the art EVF, very crisp and clean imaging.

I bought and have been using the Olympus version with the X2 ... same piece. Very nice.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Have to get to a store and try it. I really need to get this whole thing in my hands. I'll send Leica a note for press demo so I can do a review on it.

 

[edwardkaraa]

As for the AA filter, it is not mentioned and not shown in the brochure. I forgot to ask directly but should be doing a video interview with Stefan Daniel tomorrow and will find out there.

That would be greatly appreciated! Looking forward to watching the interview!

 

[rondeb]

I'm very disappointed that the size has increased(again) vs. a film M or M9. My guess is this is due to the EVF which(being external) is a no go. I'd like to see a hybrid finder without an add on OR, better yet, a CMOS sensor M with the same ol' beautiful rangefinder we've enjoyed all these years. Just keep the size down. My M9 is a little chunky vs. the MP, and this new M - it's creeping up on the Digilux 2 brick in size.

 

[FrozenInTime]

They did (made for Leicina). It is in Leica history books.

Adapter 22228

I've had one of these for about 10 years - originally to mount a fisheye on my M6.

Just a minor warning on this adapter :
To mount 3 cam i.e. modern lenses, it is necessary to modify the adapter by filing a way about 1mm of the left edge of the R mount at 120degrees from the release lever.

Recently I've been using it with a Apo Telyt 180/3.4 on the 2x crop OM-D with good results. IBIS really becomes essential when using magnified EVF focus.
Using it on the GXR is a lot harder - no IBIS and poorer EVF.
I hope the M10 edge peaking works as a better alternative.

 

[Biglou]

The R adapter is quite interesting.

By chance (or technique) do you know if this adapter close the iris of lenses when you take the picture ?

 

[rich_]

Maybe it will mean I can nearly afford a second hand M9-P!

 

[jonoslack]

I'm very disappointed that the size has increased(again) vs. a film M or M9. My guess is this is due to the EVF which(being external) is a no go. I'd like to see a hybrid finder without an add on OR, better yet, a CMOS sensor M with the same ol' beautiful rangefinder we've enjoyed all these years. Just keep the size down. My M9 is a little chunky vs. the MP, and this new M - it's creeping up on the Digilux 2 brick in size.

Hi There
As I understand it (and on the basis of other reports) the size of the body itself is so close to that of the M9 as to make no difference. The 5mm difference in width on the specs is due to the thumbgrip on the back - this isn't direct information from Leica, but I'm almost certain that this isn't a bigger camera (it looks like it IS slightly heavier though).

Perhaps Thorsten could enlighten us on this matter as well?

all the best
Jono

 

[jonoslack]

The R adapter is quite interesting.

By chance (or technique) do you know if this adapter close the iris of lenses when you take the picture ?

Hi There
No (at least, I imagine not). Why should it? you set your aperture and focus at the correct aperture just like any mirrorless camera with a 3rd party lens. Stop down metering is then a thing of the past. The EVF will gain up to the brightness you have set whatever the actual Exposure value.

all the best

 

[Biglou]

Hi Jono,
Set the distance with closed aperture is not so easy if you do macro, for instance, or even portraits.
All the best

 

[edwardkaraa]

Hi Jono,
Set the distance with closed aperture is not so easy if you do macro, for instance, or even portraits.
All the best

In the contrary, I have been shooting all kinds of portraits and landscapes stopped down to f/8 on my GXR-M with LV, peaking, and 8x magnification when needed, without any problems. It is in fact very easy.

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

What a gorgeous modern camera as seen in the video. I just wish I could imagine that the FF Sony Nex won't just make so much more sense when it comes out (as it must).