In any event, my comment stands. This is an upper-market camera, targeted at those that value brand. If it isn't this, then what is it?
HI Robert
I didn't criticise that part of your statement!
It was the ludicrous concept of designing a camera which screams to be used manually . . . .. and then marketing it to people who know nothing about photography!
But I have to say that much usage has rather modified my view of the value of specs - sure, as Roger says - if you want to shoot low light then a slow zoom isn't it (although 12,500 ISO and a built in flash helps). But what if you don't want to shoot low light?
Anyway - enough of that one - I apologise for picking on you!
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Everything has compromises:
Lots of us are willing to use a lovely vintage lens even though it's subject to lots of flare - because it has virtues which we value.
This lens has the virtue of being very very good quality - corner to corner at all apertures (such as they are) and focal lengths - Sean Reid's remark that you can have two of three things in a zoom:
1. small size
2. excellent quality edge to edge
3. wide aperture
is very pertinent - in this case Leica have chosen 1&2 - many manufacturers chose 1&3 (and most users don't notice).
Comparisons between the excellent Panasonic 12-35 and this Leica lens are pertinent - we all know how good the Panasonic is - but I don't think it's as good as the Leica - and it's a bit bigger, even though it's designed for a smaller sensor - and it extends much more than the Leica Lens.
Worth mentioning that in the UK at least, an OMD+12-35 is getting close to the price of the Leica as well. Of course - the OMD combo has lots of other things going for it (I won't go through them) . . . . . but if you don't need/want these other things?
Choose your poison (at least we all agree that zooms are poison
)
If you said that Leica have designed this camera for people who are not photo-geeks then I'd quite agree with you . . . (I've even said it). But it's not the same thing.
All the best