M8.2

[Stuart Richardson]

Jack -- you are forgetting that price of 7700 says "including VAT". VAT is 24% in Norway, nothing to sneeze at. That brings the price down to 5800. Traditionally, Leica prices in Europe are higher than in the US, even before VAT calculation. I would be very surprised if this costs much more than the M8.1 did. 5000 dollars MSRP in the US.

 

[Terry]

The only problem I see on SDHC is the fact that an increasing percentage of cards sold are larger capacity SDHC. I should probably keep a stash of 2gb SD cards in reserve.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Hmmm sounds interesting but I would have liked to seen a lot more to it. Mostly fixes here

just not very compelling to me. I wanted FF and a bigger sensor

 

[Terry]

I really don't think this is all of what you are going to see. I just think this answers the question since the upgrades were announced about how new cameras will be equipped. It really makes no sense to have new M8's have to be disassembled because the buyer wants the upgrades.

 

[simonclivehughes]

I honestly wonder if the M8 isn't going to end up an almost one-off product like the DMR. With all the time that's gone by since it was introduced, and all the issues and feedback Leica have gotten, they have responded is a completely lame manner. If this is the best they have to offer two years on, I don't think they can hope to grow their market share. As much as I enjoyed using them, I'm sure glad I sold my bodies when I did.

If Nikon was to bring out a RF body with the D3/D700 sensor, I think Leica would have to pack up their ditty bag and find some other source of revenue.

Cheers,

 

[TRSmith]

I feel a little let down. I've been thinking about another M body and have been waiting patiently to see if there would be something that could match the excitement generated lately by companies like Nikon. But it feels as if they just lumped the "upgrade" enhancements in with a couple of other minor tweaks and called it a new model. "S" mode? Fugheddaboudit! They must be after an obscure market segment with that.

Alas, I will probably end up with one. Especially if the price is in the $5k range. I love the image quality and for me, nothing else in a less-than-MF compares. So since I've decided to let the MF technology evolve for a couple more years before I jump in, there's likely to be an M8.2 in my future.

 

[jonoslack]

I think it is accurate and the $7500 arena sounds about right for Leica.

I am also pretty sure Simon has read it correctly, you still need the external IR/UV filter to fully suppress IR...

I quite agree

SDHC is partially hardware, as is any SD over 2G --- probably why the original will never get larger via firmware. I suspect *some* of the early readers they bought for the early bodies were limited to 2G...

Maybe you know something I don't? My understanding was that this could be done with firmware on the M8

So basically, you are getting the newer shutter, the coated LCD cover-glass, a basic auto ISO and SDHC. Frankly, does not seem like very much

Isnt' there talk of weather sealing? more resistant coatings?

Also, auto ISO is a useful feature (as long as it's properly implemented) much more useful than auto WB in my opinion.

incentive over a used M8.1 for less than half the price... Heck, it may even drive used M8 prices up!

Cheers,

:ROTFL:
Let's hope so!

Let's hope this isn't the BIG Leica announcement we've all been waiting for though.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Simon and Tim both of your comments will be repeated about a 1000 times if this is announced. Most users of the M8 will feel the same way , not enough meat to fill the roll. i was expecting a lot more meat here , this is not enough after 2 years from the original M8. It's good but good is not enough in this market. You need to kick some serious butt here to get people in the fold of Leica. All this does is serve existing customers to trade up. i actually hope this is just a rumor to be honest and not real. I want to see something that gets my fat arch out of my chair.

 

[Terry]

If I polled people yesterday the thinking the M9 was not for this year but next year.

Kauffman strongly hinted at a cheaper M and still they haven't come out and said no R.

Today, we get news about a mark 2 which makes sense so you don't have to upgrade brand new units but this leak doesn't preclude an M9 next year, doesn't say anything about a lower priced M and doesn't address the R and everyone assumes/thinks this is THE full extent of the announcement. I think not.

 

[Stuart Richardson]

There is always the possibility that they give us this right away (which should not be hard frankly), and then announce the plans for the M9. Of course it might cannibalize the sales of the M8.2, but frankly, they are probably not any different than the M8 in terms of manufacturing -- just a different shutter unit, screen cover and a few different electronic adjustments....not a big deal from an assembly or parts perspective. This could be conceived of as a good move if they are trying to get an M9 done, but don't have it ready yet. Better to give an incremental upgrade now and the word of something else on the horizon than to give nothing at all.

 

[Stuart Richardson]

cross posted with Terry -- great minds think alike. And apparently so do Terry and I

 

[Guy Mancuso]

I am still waiting for a announcement to get my fat arch out of the chair. There is hope and i will wait until all the announcements are made but this one is not good enough. Sorry I love Leica but they need a WOW product this is not it.

 

[matmcdermott]

Is it me or does it seem that the distance for which the frame lines are calibrated has been adjusted from closest focus to 2m?

Image framing: By display of two bright-line frames at a time: for 24 and 35 mm;
or for 28 and 90 mm, or for 50 and 75 mm. Display selection automatically matches
the lens in use. 100% of the sensor format is covered at 0.7 m (LEICA M8.2: 2 m)

Also, has the buffer been increased to 10 frames?

Picture modes
S Single picture, pressing the shutter release once per picture
C Continuous succession of pictures with 2 pictures per second and 10 pictures in
the sequence.

Maybe I'm reading it wrong, but I don't get anywhere near that many frames in sequence now without filling the buffer. Not that I often shoot like that, but still...

If the frames are more accurate, in addition to quieter shutter, etc., and the price is more like Stuart says and not just a straight Kroner-USD conversion I'd consider getting one and using my current M8 as backup (dump my DSLR system which gets very little use).

 

[glenerrolrd]

While this is disappointing and yet not unexpected , it makes sense. Leica needs to continuously improve the M8 and incorporate upgrades periodically to stay competitive. For those of use that depend on our M8s . We have a choice now to buy an upgraded body or have some of the upgrades done as repairs. While nobody likes to take a hit on depreciation , if you can net $3000 for a 2 year old M8 and buy a new m8.2 for $6000..this might actually make sense. So if you assumed that the M9 is really 2 years away ..you have a choice to trade now or in 2 years? Just like a decision on your car and because of the repair option you have a decent alternative . Compare this to the nonsense about the M8 will continue as is and you were required to send a new body back for the new shutter .

 

[scott kirkpatrick]

I thought I saw "variable delay when you lift your finger in S mode" in one page of Terry's post. That sounds like our long standing request to quiet the shutter cocking by being able to hold off until the camera is lowered from your face.

I don't see anything in this list that can't be done as a retrofit to an existing M8, either.

scott

 

[Arne Hvaring]

If this statement was issued by the firm Lars Farnes (as it seems), it is in all probability genuine. Lars Farnes is the official agent/importer of Leica in Norway and has been for years. My guess would be that it was issued prematurely and then pulled when the mistake was realized.

As for the content, well if these incremental improvements are all Leica can come up with after two years, it is disappointing. Useful and desirable, yes, but not to the extent that I feel need to upgrade.
Probably though it is just one announcement of several (from Leica) that will appear before photoKina.

 

[woodyspedden]

Does look like they have fixed the IR problem. From Terry's next to last post-

"...Coverglass thickness 0.5 mm, complete suppression
of infrared light by additional UV / IR filter. Moiré filter: no, ..."

I read this as the same as the M8 which also has a 0.5mm cover glass. I think the other refers to an additional (read lens mounted) IR filter to fully suppress the IR spectrum

Woody

 

[Stuart Richardson]

I agree. If they had solved this issue, it would have received prime marketing space as it is a huge criticism from existing users.

 

[Chris C]

Let's hope this isn't the BIG Leica announcement we've all been waiting for though.

Jono - The really big announcement we're waiting for is:

What happened to the Strawberry Moose? Did he suffer unspeakably? Did you finally eat him?

Best wishes.

........... Chris

 

[Jack]

I agree. Strawberry Moose was THE avatar of the year!!!