jeffrey_parnaby

Funny. There's a thread on the Leica Forum where people are fretting about the floor falling out on used prices. So we fret if they're selling for too cheap, and we fret if they're too expensive. I guess that means prices are right where they should be.

 

I'm on the wait list for an M8, but will keep my M7 forever. And when there's an M9, I'll probably keep the M8 as a second digital body.

Thanks for the quote, Neil. Still confusing though, isn't it? The SDHC standard, while only at 4GB today, supposedly allows cards up to 32GB. So is Leica saying they support SDHC, or SDHC only up to 4GB? I'm not an engineer, but it would seem to me if the camera supports the SDHC standard, then it will support any card that is compliant, which in the near future will be well beyond 4GB.

 

Jeff.

I know this isn't an answer to your question, but lots of users stay away from really large cards just because of the "all eggs in one basket" risk. SD cards becoming corrupted is not unheard of, particularly with the larger capacity models. So you may be better off with multiple 1 or 2 GB cards, rather than a single 4 GB (or larger).

 

Also, I assume you shoot RAW? If you shoot jpeg, the compression is such that you can get a couple hundred at the full 10 MB resolution in a 1GB SD card (don't have my DL3 in front of me, or I'd give you an exact number). So if you shoot jpeg, are you ever going to have the need to shoot 1000 images between downloads?

 

As for a more direct answer to your question, if no one has provided a definitive response by tonight, I'll check my user's manual to see if they mention the SD standard supported.

 

Regards,

 

Jeff.

I can't comment on the technical feasability of a digital solution for M lenses, but I doubt Leica is content to continue to rely on the film market and "rake in profits selling facelifted versions of the same old camera...". For starters, they're not raking in profits. Leica Camera AG *hasn't* been profitable in recent quarters (their financials are available on their web site). While I'm sure the second-hand market will continue to florish for quite some time, Leica gets nothing from this. Their survival (and future profitability) will depend on convincing current customers to upgrade to new Leica equipment, and luring new customers into the fold. They certainly won't do the latter without a compelling digital strategy (and I'm not sure the Digilux 2 and/or R digiback counts as "compelling").

 

The other thing I'd worry about if I were Leica is losing a presence in the marketplace. If their overall marketshare continues to decline (which it will if they stick only to high-end film cameras), most dealers won't bother giving them space on the shelves in their stores or on their web site. Inventory costs and shelf-space opportunity costs are very real issues to retailers, and if no one is asking for Leica products, they'll re-allocate the space to Canon/Nikon/Olympus/etc.

Agreed. Little Italy, what there is of it (on and around Mulberry Street), is lame and always crowded with tourists.

Downtown: SoHo, NoLita, Chinatown, TriBeCa. Also, if weather is good, take subway to Brooklyn Heights, walk around the neigborhood (beautiful brownstones), go to the BHeights Promenade (great views of Financial District), and walk back to Manhattan over the Brooklyn Bridge. Grab a pie at Patsy Grimaldi's pizzeria while you're at it (right next to the Brooklyn Bridge) --- best pizza in NYC.

Don't assume that the Panny version and the Leica version are exactly the same (except for red dot and price). This was definitely not true with the D1 or the D-Lux. Different firmware, different design/form factor, different build quality. The Digilux 2 comes with a three year warranty. Will the Panasonic? Doubt it.

 

Also, some of the difference in price is due to the inclusion of Photoshop Elements 2 and SilverFast with the Leica (not included with Panansonic). This is about $400.00 worth of software. And if you plan on working in RAW mode, the SilverFast will be quite necessary (unless you buy Photoshop CS with RAW plugin for 800.00 USD).

 

Jeff.

*Not* the same innards --- the same lens, but the Leica versions are different in terms of design/form factor, different in terms of the firmware, and different in terms of the total outfit. The Leicas typically come with larger capacity SD cards, an extra battery, and a better software bundle (i.e., Photoshop Elements).

 

Leica is sharing development costs with Panansonic (a good thing), and certainly making use of their electronics, but their versions are much better quality and have a great deal of value added which justifies the difference in price.

Frank, Allen, et al.

 

The issues aren't clear-cut --- there is lots to be skeptical about and lots to sort out. However, Allen, I'm not as cynical as you about talking politics. I think the problem in this country (USA) is lack of engagement, lack of debate and discussion. Too many people are disengaged, don't feel that "the system" offers anything for them, and thus don't vote, don't protest, don't call/write their elected representatives, etc. This is not the recipe for an ethical, responsive democracy. This merely allows the system to continue to ignore them, with no consequences! A vicious circle.

 

Any one of us can only do so much. I'm certainly not going to sell my Leicas, give up my life of relative luxury and enlist in the Peace Corps. On the other hand, I refuse to idly watch George W. Bush flush this country down the toilet. As the bumper stickers say, "Regime change starts at home!".

Allen,

 

I think we're on the same page. I wasn't trying to preach, just point out (particularly to some of our EU critics) that the issue isn't merely about American interestes vs EU interests, or American interests vs. developing world interests. Lots of Americans are suffering, lots more (millions) are leveraging themselves to the hilt with debt to try to retain the middle class dream, and meanwhile resources are being diverted overseas. And while I agree that higher taxes are not the answer, to some degree it is a "guns vs. butter" issue. Congress and the administration have diverted billions to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the war on terrorism, and they have countered this by cutting so-called "discretionary" spending in areas like health and human services, aid to states, and education. I mean, this country has been in a recession for christ's sake --- circumstances that call for more public spending, not less. And from what I can see as a well-informed and well-connected citizen, our local government is just as lean as corporate America. Further cuts don't result in eliminating useless bureaucracy (it doesn't exist), they mean less cops on the street, longer wait times for 911, more potholes in the streets, shorter library hours, higher user rates for everything (licenses, court fees, etc.), more litter downtown, less affordable housing, more people without health insurance, and on and on.

 

How I long for the good old days of 5 years ago (Clinton = peace and prosperity)...

I think there are points to be made both for and against the USA's intervention in Iraq, and they've been adequately made above. What I haven't seen anyone comment on is this whole notion of "US interests" being furthered. For the sake of honest dialogue, this should be labeled "US business interests". The American people are among the biggest losers in the current foreign policy. Bush and his cronies have used the Iraq war and the war on terrorism to further slash social programs (not very generous to begin with) and cut grant money to the states. In turn, almost every state in the USA has massive budget problems, and in turn cut services and reduce transfer payments to localities. In my (relatively prosperous) home city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, this has lead to cuts in police, fire, closure of libraries, deferred street and park maintenance, etc. Tuition at state universities has also exploded, taxes have increased, etc.

 

The real "war" in America is a class war, being waged by the upper class on the lower and middle classes, and completely ignored by our corporate media. Poverty and economic inequality, areas in which the USA very closely resembles 3rd world countries, is on the rise after several years of decline. Crime and people's sense of hopelessness is also rising (big surprise). This, to me, is a much greater fear than terrorist attacks. I'm not too worried about religious fanatics, but as a resident of urban America, I'm quite worried about the homelessness, poverty, and desperation I witness every day in my community.

Agreed William. The CM (or any P&S) is not an M, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have a use.

 

I've had a CM on order from Adorama in NYC for almost three weeks now, and it's still sitting in limbo. I'm holding out hope for November availability...