Those two images were sent to me anonymously with the following text:
- Mirrorless APSC camera with movable screen
- iM mount
- Noctilux iM 0.95/35
- Compactness and simplicity for endless creativity
My guess is that those are just designer's concept renderings not related to Leica Camera AG.
Here is another Leica p&s design concept.
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33 Comments
Bullshots surely?
Those concept pics peaked my interest but a Leica price tag will quickly fix that.
Leica generally does a leatherette coating around the full camera for grip. They don’t make leicafied Sony NEX copies. Also I moveable screen is doubtful.
and you can see they have been rendered via some piece of 3D/CG software…
and not to mention I doubt they would use “i” in one of their products.
all IMHO
iMac
iPod
iPad
iPix
iDrive
What’s next? iLeica and iOskar iBarnack iSpecial iEdition? Dislike those synthetic names.
Same here. Sounds like some kind of ‘i’mperialism. Some values must remain old school.
iPuke is next.
iMoney (def. Big money). Anything with an “i” is overpriced. Now put the red dot on it, and sit down.
I guess the assumption with this concept is that Leica would create a whole new lens range–which I do not see happening.
Honestly, the more I think about it, the more difficult it becomes to see how an EVIL makes sense for Leica.
It just doesn’t make sense–I don’t think Leica’s working on anything new other than a replacement M9 (M10). If they are working on something, I bet it’s another fixed lens camera….a non-interchangeable lens design.
tja, what canic say.
I can say, that this is a fake. you probably must be german to understood this, but leica will never name a produkt iM. IM (Inoffizieller Mitarbeiter) is very very negativ, like gestapo, adolf hitler, stasi, and so on.
have a nice da
I’m hoping Leica does go forward with a design of this sort…otherwise, I’m going to have to consider the Lumix GF2
A year late IMO. I’d say a dollar short, but that’s not usually the case with Leicas.
Like the design. While I agree with Longjon, iM is very poor choice of name, it seems like the logical next step: the X1 with a interchangeable lens mount and an adpater for R-lenses…. and hopefully and EVF port, probably for $3495 or so
…. and weren’t there some rumors about a Sony-Leica partnership?
Hi Ben, hi All, I agree with the naming issue. But what would be your suggestions for such a camera? Mi, Mc (compact) ……. ?
I call bull. Photoshop and elegant at that, but bull.
For your information, I am the designer of this camera and I am NOT working for Leica. Using various new and older M lenses with Lumix G Series and Sony NEX cameras – the main highlight for me is the MOVABLE monitor. I love direct image control for more creative freedom. Crop factor provides very unusual equipment like 0.95/100mm or 1.4/150 etc. Combining a Nocti 0.95 with an old Leitz close-up ring makes a sensational macro lens!!!!!! Macro with the M9? No chance!!! So what you see is just my personal dream combi. Everybody of you who likes my philosophy is welcome to bring in his suggestions. At the end we could have the Ueber Leica designed with the help of the community
!?
!!?
images with an Ueber Leica. Designed by a web-community
did u read the comments? u can´t name a german camera iM!
interesting. love to see more images of it.
Why don’t you try an Über-Voigtländer as well?
There is something to your ideas and Voigtländer is definitely lacking a digital solution für … er, for their classic collection lenses.
P.S.
Nice renderings BTW.
When Chinon can build superb lenses like the Voigtlaenders and Zeisses, why can’t they build a proper Bessa M10 to go along? Their flock of 35mm RF’s wil not stir big crowds…
BTW the design of this camera looks a bit like the APS retro Rollei: not a true Leica-vulcanite wrapped instrument. Too much O-product here.
Calling a camera iM would not be clever for a German camera manufacturer. IM is the abbreviation for GDR spies – unless they want to market a spy camera or call it iStupid.
We just need to wait for the official release, may it be a Canon or a Leica.
Any suggestions for a more meaningful name?
Leica is a high priced company. they will not use cheap apple consumer product names.
“M” standes for “Messsucher” so they will probably use again a logic name.
“E” for electonic viewfinder, or
“K” for kompakt
or “A” for Leica Afrika (google it
)
on the top left, there will be a epson ultimicron, like the panasonic lc-1
the cam will be all black.
show us your new render
Got it. Thanks a lot for your suggestions!!
I doubt very much that these are just designer’s concept renderings. Designers wouldn’t bother to draw warnings behind the moveable screen.
Doesn’t matter who designs it Community or Leica as long as;
a) it is full frame (36 x 24mm)
b) have some sort of viewfinder
c) regardless of dedicated optics accepts both M & R lenses..
not too much to ask.
isint that the M9 almost… other then the R lenses really. It probably wont be full frame and probably wont have a viewfinder.
It would not be difficult to create an adaptor for R lenses for the M9. The problem is that Leica does not have liveview-capable sensor and thus there would be no way to focus R-lenses on a M9 (or M10).
True, most R lenses are impossible to focus on M camera (Visoflex crossed my mind) except for extra wide lenses like R15mm & R19mm, fisheye, would work. I have already done this with film M camera and R19mm
Focus is not really an issue, there are Leica and 3rd party external finders. Only issue perhaps is in camera adjustment on M9, didn’t try this as no M9 to play with.
Anything is possible. It’s nice and clean like a Leica design, but with it’s spec’s one would think that the X1 would be a dead item or it could be kept in the line-up as a more entry level camera.
With lens interchangeability, it would be a nice camera. But it wouldn’t be any type of a real R solution with with the crop factor. Even so, the design is the closest to a Leica that has come around in a while. With the Leica news/non-news of last week, the timing is a bit peculiar, and the name is doubtful.
Trying to figure out Leica brass decision making is at best a conundrum.
R lens capability seems to be overrated any way. If they do decide to come out with an R solution, it will instantly double the price on the 2nd hand market.
Furthermore, it is unlikely that they will name it iM, because Apple will probably sue them.
I agree about the Apple-esque name.
The R lens solution/compatibilty or adaptability will slowly fade away with time as Leica seems to want. Yes, the second-hand market would go up, but they wouldn’t give a diddly about that.