New head of Product Development nominated by Board today

[jack_matlock]

I'll second Douglas Herr's suggestion. Who besides Jay could resist an SL-3?

[henry_ting2]

Leicaflex SL3. Tens of thousands of SL and SL2 users who were turned off by the R bodies but want to use any of the latest lenses will snap this up and retire their old Leicaflexes. Will also solve the repair parts problem 'cuz nobody will need to keep the old 'flexes working any more. All we need to do is remove the cobwebs from SL2's production tooling, replace the CdS meter cell with a modern cell, replace the mercury battery with a 76 silver cell, drop an SL shutter into it, change to the R metering cam and flange, and offer them in every color in the Pantone charts.

 

 

 

Douglas, knowing Leica, they would name it as Leicaflex RP, paint it "black" and price it way above the current "R" line. I agree, Leica just can't do it right with their R8s and R9s and force us to hang on to our SL, but then it cannot use the newer ROM lens.

[feli]

a) SL3 with Doug Herr as project lead, so they don't screw it up.

 

b) 50/1.4 Summilux-ASPH

 

c) 90/2.8 Tele-Elmarit ASPH-M

 

d) 75/2 Summicron-M

 

e) Digital M with a 16MP FOVEON chip and a new set of 35/50/90 lenses

 

f) 35-70/2.8 ASPH in Leica R mount for less than the price of a compact car and

smaller than a loaf of bread.

 

g) Lower prices on everything...

 

Feli

[watts]

<i>c) 90/2.8 Tele-Elmarit ASPH-M</i><br><br>Why? The present

90/2.8 is one of the finest lenses in the range. Beautiful

combination of sharpness and bokeh and (by Leica standards)

exceptionally good value for money.

[al_kaplan1]

Elcan, formerly E. Leitz Canada before the breakup of the company, announced that they are bringing out newly manufactured versions of both the Leica M4 (for real photographers) and the M2-R (knob rewind for nostalgia nuts). "All the original patents have expired" according to a company spokesman, " and we are also exploring the possibility of marketing them under the Leica name in countries where the trade mark isn't registered. Elsewhere they will appear under the Elcan banner. They will be bench made cameras, with all the internal adjustments and quality of the originals. If the Bush administration succeeds in doing away with burdensome overtime rules and other anti-business relics of previous Democratic administrations we may in the future move production to the United States to take advantage of cheaper labor costs."

[feli]

>Why? The present 90/2.8 is one of the finest lenses in the range. >Beautiful combination of sharpness and bokeh and (by Leica standards) >exceptionally good value for money. -Ian

 

I'm talking about a ASPH remake of the compact 90/2.8 Tele-Elmar that went out of production a few years ago. They are very compact and great for travel.

 

Cheers,

 

feli

[gary_pinkerton1]

Could I please have that SL3 with the metering sensitivity and shutter speed range of the R8? It would need a modest sized winder also.

[doug herr]

I'm not sure whether the SL2 or R8 has greater meter sensetivity, I'd make the SL3 meter at least as sensetive as either the SL2 or R8/R9. Top shutter speed may be limited by the type of shutter chosen. The SL's horizontal cloth shutter is among the most reliable ever made and is a very big part of my thinking behind the SL3. Compact winder - gladly!