New Mini M?

[Double Negative]

It has been reiterated here in many ways by many that this camera is not for the internet users or anyone from this forum.

May be Leica do not read any of the stuff and perhaps they do not need to either.

Leica will sell plenty of these cameras, I have no doubt.

 

[Vivek]

Yup!

It has no WiFi connectivity so no owner will ever come to know about all this negativity and the baseless thrashing.

 

[OlliL]

I actually find the marketing quite questionable.
They teased a "Mini M" and I can really understand those, that feel cheated on.
"M" is for Messsucher, no question!

...or am I wrong?

 

[Double Negative]

M is for "meh."

 

[Vivek]

I actually find the marketing quite questionable.
They teased a "Mini M" and I can really understand those, that feel cheated on.
"M" is for Messsucher, no question!

...or am I wrong?

They call the Leica badged Olympus EVF as a Visoflex. I was told (elsewhere) by someone that it was named as such in "memory" of the original Visoflex.

That would be great if the M was discontinued and no current camera has any use for the visoflex.

There is a disconnect somewhere.

 

[OlliL]

Forgot about that one...that's bad, too!

 

[patk]

Isnt the rx1 Sonys copy of the x1 4 years after Leica presented the x1?
OK, it is full frame, and one f-stop faster, and sturdier built, but then it is also quite a bit bigger and heavier. (Wasn't the idea to build a pockable camera with a large sensor?)
Comparing the new x vario with the rx1 doesn't make much sense to me, different cameras.
For my part my choice for a pockable large sensor camera is the Coolpix A at the moment.
For me the rx1 is a camera in between the x2 and a Leica M in regards of size and feel/user interface. Too big for some, to small for other , just right for many.
For me too close to the M. (I guess the same could be valid for the x vario)

The nice thing... except the Canon gx1 most large sensor "compacts" are prime cameras. So from now on people who like to use a zoom have an option as well.

i have both. the rx1 and the x1 are not comparable for one reason as far as i'm concerned. i like to shoot longer rather than wider, so the chances of a 35mm focal length camera/lens becoming my weapon of choice are diminished to begin with. the x1 never became my go to camera. the rx1 has and the m9, longer lenses included, are on leave of absence and have been for months.

 

[pophoto]

This camera is clearly not intended for people who participate here. If you are not an enthusiast and you walk into a Leica boutique while on vacation somewhere nice, this camera fills a niche in the wall (so to speak) and might actually sell. Look at it this way, it's cheaper than most of the Leica lenses, so you get a camera for free!

Not for me, but I already have an M.

It's targeted towards the well-heeled, brand-conscious, who know nothing about photography. Those that buy watches or jewelry or artwork on a whim while on a cruise shore excursion. And Leica will probably sell as many as they want to sell; it's not about market share or volume.

I'm surprised how you come to the conclusion who's it exactly for! I get it that the camera may not be for you, and by any standards, at least, it's not a Hasselblad Lunar!

 

[Double Negative]

I'm surprised how you come to the conclusion who's it exactly for! I get it that the camera may not be for you, and by any standards, at least, it's not a Hasselblad Lunar!

QFT!

...consider the Xv as a bargain - it's 1/3 the price of the Lunar!

 

[Vivek]

Po, What standards would that be, now that you invoke the Lunar?

It may not appeal to you but still is a superb Sony camera with 24MP sensor and a kit zoom that has a longer reach and with OIS. Moreover, it does come with a lens hood, nice strap and a hotshoe cover- free no extra cash required!

 

[Vivek]

QFT!

...consider the Xv as a bargain - it's 1/3 the price of the Lunar!

The prices are comparable.

Consider the Sony NEX-5n kit vs that of the Sony NEX-7 kit (with addded appropriate premia, ofcourse).

 

[pophoto]

Po, What standards would that be, now that you invoke the Lunar?

It may not appeal to you but still is a superb Sony camera with 24MP sensor and a kit zoom that has a longer reach and with OIS. Moreover, it does come with a lens hood, nice strap and a hotshoe cover- free no extra cash required!

Just "any."

 

[Double Negative]

No matter how you look at it, it's smaller than the M and has a similar form factor and ergonomics - just like the X2. That's nice that the family is all similar if you have multiple bodies.

Now assuming the M platform had a zoom, let alone such a nice range of "28-70mm" (equivalent), it would be a similar size and bulk as this. You can't make it faster and maintain a small size - which is perhaps even more of a transgression against the "M aesthetic."

"This one goes to 12,500." A decent top-end on ISO means that this zoom lens isn't all that slow anymore - especially if you consider the camera has a built-in flash.

Say what you will, the X2 made nice pictures, as does this camera from what we've seen so far. I'll take an APS-C sized sensor over smaller ones any day. Okay, it's not full frame... You have to draw the line somewhere, and the zoom takes this into account. No harm, no foul.

I dare say this IS a "Mini M" in many ways...

 

[pophoto]

I dare say this IS a "Mini M" in many ways...

D Neg: I agree with most of what you have said, except the last part, let's be honest (more so saying to Leica), it's really a Fat-X, rather than a Mini-M

 

[Vivek]

I dare say this IS a "Mini M" in many ways...

I had been yapping around for a long time.

:worthless:

So, here are my Mini Ms.

(Image snapped with the NEX-7 that I bought from Jono)

24mm, 35mm, 42mm, 64mm Leitz Summars all with a maximum apertures of f/4.5. All infinity corrected (though they were meant as macro lenses to be used on a Leitz Aristophot). All usable on the NEX from infinity to up close. I use them. I have even posted some pictures taken with them though I have not heard a single question about a 35mm Summar or a 24mm Summar.

Absolutely top notch performance on a modern sensor and all are diffraction limited wide open.

On another historical note (that I read somewhere)....the rare 42/4.5 Summar (not this sample!) was the one that was used to assemble the Liliputkamera (Ur-Leica).

 

[peterb]

Dimension check:

Fuji X100s: 5"w x 2.91"h 2.3 Million dot Hybrid EVF

Fuji X-E1: 5.08"w x 2.95"h 2.3 Million dot EVF

NEX-7: 4.72"w x 2.64"h 2.3 Million dot EVF

NEX-6: 4.72"w x 2.64"h 2.3 Million dot EVF

Leica X Vario: 5.25"w x 2.87"h No built-in EVF

And Leica couldn't equip the X Vario couildn't with a built-in EVF because...
(But it has a swell 900K dot LCD!)

 

[wentbackward]

My father-in-law's old panasonic with a 6mp sensor, poor ISO and a leica vario lens still takes really great snaps. I think the lens has more to do with IQ than sensors these days. Some people want a Leica but can't afford an M with 3 lenses or don't want the hassle of a manual camera! It seems a sensible product for Leica to release.

 

[Godfrey]

All this bashing of the X Vario and Leica has become boring.
Please move on and bash something more interesting.

G

 

[lambert]

I couldn't be less interested ...

... in a camera like the M-mini. My only grip with this camera is that the Leica factory in Portugal could have been building more M240's.

The M240 was announced in September last year and over the course of the 9 months that have followed, my Leica dealer (a Leica A dealer) has received 2 (TWO) M bodies.

 

[D&A]

Out of curiosity, how much would have been involved for Leica to have made basically the same exact camera, but had it accept/mount interchangeable M lenses? They still could have developed and offered the same zoom lens but at the same time filled in the gap between the X2 and current full frame M cameras. I assume it would have been the same size and still could have targeted two different sales markets. The one it was originally designed to attract and those that use and prefer to use M mount lenses designed.

Then if this new camera proved successful as a someone more affordable way to get into Leica M photography, Leica could always have the option in the future to market Smaller and possibly less expensive APS sized (only) lenses, although they wouldn't necessarily have to invest in them. I just get the feelings that if they had designed and marketed this new camera this way, they would have possibly had the potential for a longer production run, greater market appeal and sales and the option to continue to develop this entry level M system...not to mention a percentage of users eventually moving up to the full frame "M".

Dave (D&A)