Cool Sunday Links for April 24th 2011 – HAPPY EASTER!
Happy Easter Sunday! Hope everyone is having a great day. Me? I slept in, ate breakfast, watched some TV and decided to sit down at my desk and post some cool links that I have gathered up during the last few days 🙂
First off, check out this article written by Nikon Guru Thom Hogan over at Luminous Landscape. He outlines his wishes for a Leica M10. What he says makes sense but my crystal ball does not see a B&W digital M in the future. Hmmmm….maybe I should dust off the old crystal ball and see what it shows me for a future M10…then again, it may be too soon to divulge any predictions.
One area where I disagree with what Thom said is where mentioned than the M9 did not bring any new people to Leica. That is 100% untrue. The M9 has brought TONS of new people to Leica. I know because I have spoken with thousands of them via e-mail over the past 2 years! There are MANY Leica 1st timers due to the M9, and even the X1. IMO, they did get the M9 right! Even after 2+ years, it is my camera of choice and the camera I use to judge all others by. Is Leica working on an M10 as I write this? Of course they are, just as Canon and Nikon are hard at work designing their next DSLR and other surprises.
Im guessing we will see an M10 by 2012, maybe hear about it earlier. I don’t know this to be fact, just my personal guess. Until then, the M9 is doing a fine job for me.
–
Check out these nifty film canister USB flash drives. Cute.
–
OK, it is Easter so you have to see these camera covers/cases. Would anyone actually buy one of these?
–
Pinhole cameras made with Photo Paper courtesy of PetaPixel
–
Miss using Layers in Lightroom? If so, this software may be for you!
–
I stumbled upon this page one day and loved the photos. A must see…
–
Ace photographer Felix Kunze has posted a new photo essay with gorgeous photos on glass making. I know he shoots with a D700 and the photos here are really beautiful. I met Felix in NYC during my last meet up and he was a great guy who was FULL of passion for photography. I should have an interview with him up in the near future…
–
An article on concert photographer Jim Marshall and his photos of Johnny Cash. Jim always shot with a film Leica M. Awesome.
–
I received an e-mail from a Mr. Marius Rustad who posted an e-book of 52 images shot with his Leica M6 from various places across the world. If you want to see it, just click here!
–
How about taking a look at a disassembled Fuji X100?
–
The 50 greatest photographs of National Geographic!
–
Interesting photo set “Remembering The Past”
[ad#Adsense Blog Sq Embed Image]
With you on M9 bringing customers as one of them. To echo other sentiments, I was going to snag a used M8 when the M10 brought more of them to eBay at an affordable price, but got lucky when some funds became available and got the M9.
Also agree that an M10 could be better (better LCD for start). But I can’t name a camera that can’t get better.
And two tips to new Lieca folk having troubl getting new glass: 1) old glass is great, and 2) when all the online stuff shows unavailable, try your local dealer. When every site showed none available, I walked into Glazers and walked out with a new 35 cron ASPH. Paid only tax extra over online price (and I don’t mind paying more to keep local guys in business). Also my local guy has given me same great old glass at fair prices, with a try it and see, bring it back arrangement that you rarely get on eBay.
Go local! A good Leica dealer can be a friend indeed!
Thanks for the links! Mmm, Thom Hogan ALMOST gets the idea – and simultaneously (but inadvertently) shows which boat Fuji have missed with their X100. Hogan suggests an M10 with a hybrid viewfinder: an optical rangefinder which can switch to electronic finder ..which could be used with longer lenses than the old Leica optical-only finder system can cope with ..ring any bells..? Doesn’t that sound like a Fuji X100, but upgraded from its fixed 23mm (35mm-equivalent) lens?
Put a Leica bayonet throat on a Fuji X100, and a slightly larger sensor (36x24mm instead of APS) and what have you got? A Leica-alike which works like a Leica, but – with the switchable finder – can (a) focus with lenses beyond 135mm, (b) shows depth-of-field with aperture, (c) costs less than an M9.
Fuji missed the boat with their hybrid finder X100: instead of concentrating on just a fixed-lens camera, they should – like Cosina before them, with the ‘Epson’ R-D1 – have offered a model with a Leica bayonet, and offered three M-fit lenses, too. Look at all that M-fit glass that’s available from Leica and Cosina (‘Voigtländer’, ‘Zeiss’) and eBay. Look at all those adaptors for Leica R-fit lenses. Look how you’d be able to use Leica zooms on a ‘hybrid-finder’ Leica-style camera.
Thom ALMOST gets the idea, but hasn’t quite escaped the blinkered view that Leica lenses fit only on Leica cameras, or that Leitz also made zooms which are crying out for a new body now that they’ve killed the Leica R reflex series.
Of course he wrote that back in January 2010 ..but why didn’t the folks at Fuji read it?
Whilst the M9 may have had the effect of introducing Leica to many people, their subsequent revelation to the fact that lenses are almost impossible to get, will disenfranchise many. This will not help sales of the M10 the same way it did the M9. Why launch new bodies and attact new customers when you cannot provide them with even a 50mm lens?
I bought every lens (except one) of mine on eBay. Eight out of nine are magnificent ..only one slight dud.
Hi Steve – just to say that I’ve found your website so inspiring that I’ve decided to take the plunge and buy an M9 – also after being a 5D user for many years. Keep up the good work! I’ll send you some shots soon.
Hmmm…I have followed bythom.com for years, cause I am a NIKON Pro and most times he wrote like what my thoughts would have been too BUT according the M9 not bringing new customers he is clearly wrong. M9 and X1 really did gave Leica a turning point in their financial troubles cause new people have joined them, me included.
😉
And personally I don’t have any needs for a M10 earlier then 2013…
Awesome links!!
Happy Easter, my friend!
Steve, I want to add to your point about M9’s effect of introducing more people to Leica. The most significant effect IMO is that M9 brought down the M8 price and made it an easy(digital) and affordable(used market) transition to Leica.
the last link was very interesting. one of the most creative sets of photos ive seen.
I’m new to Leica. I got my M9 2 weeks ago after several years shooting with a Canon 5D, I’m SO delighted! 🙂