Photokina 2004 Dreams

Since we were having some fun with the thoughts of some new lenses

this fall, what are the dreams/hopes for Photokina 2004?

 

Given that it is the 50th anniversary of the M#, I expect a special

edition MP with a .85 finder and three matched lens (35-50-90).

Right!<p>

� A special super deluxe version with a body made from gold plated titanium and with a leather wrap made from unborn squid.<br>

� The lenses will all be diamond coated.<br>

� Lens and body caps with be made of platinum.<br>

� The will be no neck strap because no one will dare use it.<br>

� It'll come in a presentation box made of some rare exotic wood, most likely the very last tree of its kind in existance.<br>

� The (n)ever-ready case will be made from fossilized dinosaur skin.<br>

� Of course only a very limited amount will be made.<p>

 

List price still to be determined, but will be three level structured:<br>

� List plus a 200% "add on fee" for those who just love to look at it and drool(notice I didn't use the<i>'W' & 'F' words</i>)<br>

� List minus a 25% discount forreal users<br>

� List minus a 75% discount for students<p>

...by some strange coincidence enrollment in any and every accredited school in the world increases a thousandfold and stimulates the world economy.<p>

S'cuse me, I forgot to take my meds. :-)

How about the Leica Custom Shop.

 

For some cost comparable to selling one's soul, you can order a Leica with any type of RF (even .93), masking, rewind, body covering, metal finish, metal part finish, top plate material, film gate size (ie 24x34 or 24x32), metered or meterless, ribbed or unribbed top cover, any winding lever, and any type of engraving in any color you desire.

No model numbers, just the LCS serial number and logo, denoting a custom shop creation, with matching holographic certificate of authentisity, listing all the custom features requested for its original owner, to be kept for posterity.

>a special edition MP with a .85 finder

 

I believe Solms will be more generous than that - they will call it M3J or something similar, throw in the M6J top plate and even cut the (hopefully matching) body coverings accordingly. ;o)

>For some cost comparable to selling one's soul

 

It's been done for some years now - here's one of the latest:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=005rQo

<<what are the dreams/hopes for Photokina 2004>>

 

Either that Leica suddenly finds a way to make a digital back or conversion for the M bodies, or else announces it has bought out Agfa and will begin manufacturing its own line of film, with processing to be available through the Leica distrubutors (such as NJ) worldwide. Sadly unless one or the other materializes I will not be buying any more Leica equipment, new or used.

A new, revamped, 24-60mm f2.8-f4 Minilux Zoom with a great viewfinder TTL metering and interchangeable film/5 meg digital back and a thread for filters.

How about a "Ho-ah Bush special" made of chobham armour, kevlar wrap and depleted uranium rangefinder. Paired with a x-tra sensitive IR version of the tri-elmar. All in a NBC protected ready case of course. And don´t forget the optional hot-shoe fitted GPS... Tally HO!

Variable mag finder like those 40-yr-old Canons?

 

Nah. "Usability doesn't mix with bottom line", says Solms.