there seems to be an assumption that Leica will finally bring out an aperture priority verion of the M6 in the PMA in late February.

Does anyone have any concrete information on this either directly or indirectly from Leica?

-- dave w. (davidswillis@aol.com), December 21, 2001

Answers

Does this mean Leica is giving up on the mechanical shutter?

-- John Chan (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), December 21, 2001.

I'll have a complete, accurate answer for this rumor for everyone...right after the PMA show.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), December 21, 2001.

I had a dream about this last night... I was at the PMA show, only it was in the year 2024. Leica was promoting its new M7 with built-in AE and a 1/250th flash synch, and new SF21 flash with bounce! Attendees were somewhat puzzled however, because Fuji announced that they were discontinuing all of their 35mm emulsions except Velvia IV, and Kodak announced it would offer its remaining 35mm film, Tri-X, for at least two more years...

;-) Cheers,

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), December 21, 2001.

LOL! :-D

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), December 21, 2001.

I heard that Leica was going to bring out a world class 35-70mm f/2.8 zoom that would blow everyone away... oh wait, never mind. ;-)

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), December 21, 2001.

It is the eternal rumor that we have on this site every month. God knows - I doubt it, but they might...or they might not...

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), December 21, 2001.

Sounds great, but it should have a shutter like the Nikon FM3a with mechanical and electronic timing. Let's hope.

-- Johannes Fleischhauer (j.fleischhauer@vsao.ch), December 21, 2001.

The FM3a was described, in a recent otherwise positive review,as having a shutter so noisy you could hear it fire across a noisy stadium. I have heard the M6AE rumour from a reliable source. How reliable we will know in February. They have been working the camera for a long time and a working, who knows how well, prototype is known to exist. Wait and see.

PS: The 35-70/2.8 has been reformulated so that it is not so difficult to produce and will be reintroduced.....soon :-).

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), December 21, 2001.

Jack, I too had a dream last night about the 2024 PMA show. In my dream, after much fanfare and hoopla Leica finally rolled out its long awaited new camera, code-named "Godot":

The new miracle machine? An M6 with a .65 finder, to split the difference between the .58 and the .72.

Collectors were ecstatic; everyone else decided to keep waiting for the M7.

....

-- Terry (tcdvorak@aol.com), December 21, 2001.

I also dream of a M7: brand new M3 with S.S metal or D.S horizontal silk courtains choice of shutter to satisfy different taste$

Happy Seasons, friends !

-Iván

-- Iván Barrientos M (ingenieria@simltda.tie.cl), December 21, 2001.

Well played Jack! Thanks

-- Marke Gilbert (bohdi137@aol.com), December 21, 2001.

I dunno. I'm beginning to dream of a Bronica RF645 and the heck with it...

-- Godfrey (ramarren@bayarea.net), December 21, 2001.

I doubt that the new Leica M camera will be called M7 something unless it has 7 framelines. The number after M is refering the number of the frame lines (more or less).

-- kenny chiu (amchiu@worldnet,att.net), December 21, 2001.

I've heard it will be "M7" because Leica has scruntched the viewfinder to include 24mm frame lines.

Just kidding!

-- Todd Phillips (toddvphillips@webtv.net), December 21, 2001.

I'm looking into my chrystal ball, yes I see an M6AE! The camera will be available for at a cost of $2795 for those who want to be the "field testors" for whatever bugs need to be worked out. After a year or so and a few tweeks, it wil sell for $2195 with a $200 rebate. Wait, I see more! I see a bunch of posters at different web sites complaining that they liked the "old" M6 TTL better, and what was Leica thinking when they brought this new electronic camera out anyway..

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), December 21, 2001.

RE: frameline number/camera number

M3 - 3 framelines M2 - 3 framelines (annnh! (disqualification buzzer sound!)) MP - 3 framelines (annnh! (and how many SHOULD it have??) M1 - 2 framelines (annnh!) M4 - 4 framelines M5 - 4 framelines (annnnh!) M4-2 - 4 framelines M4-P - 6 framelines (annnnh!) M6 - 6 framelines

There is no (none, nada, zip) relationship except coincidence between Leica-M model designations and the number of framelines. It's a myth. Pass the word!

The M6AE (or whatever), on the other hand, is not a myth. Or an assumption. It's a rumor. Like the M7 designated for the 2000 PhotoKina - which turned into a .58 body with a 24 frame - which turned out to be a .58 body WITHOUT a 24 frame.

Last word I got on this from a Leica source was - AE shutter within existing Leica M6 body - in development - intended (but not guaranteed) for 2002 PhotoKina.

Save the anticipation for next Tuesday morning's stockings.

As one Robert A. Heinlein character said about the question of life after death: "Why the huhu? We'll all find out soon enough."

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), December 22, 2001.

I'm looking forward to a new electronic M6 so that the market will be flooded with like-new used M6 TTL's. It's like buying an S-Class Mercedes, the only time you can get a low mileage used one is when a new model comes out.

-- Bud (budcook@attglobal.net), December 22, 2001.

While waiting for PMA, ask yourself this: if Leica DOES ever introduce an M that sets shutter speeds for you, how can/should they indicate the chosen shutter speed in the viewfinder (if at all)?

I didn't much like the Hexar RF's stack of separate discreet illuminating numbers down the side. I would expect (and vote for) a segmented LED readout at the bottom beside a slightly smaller set of > o< indicators - like the Canon A1, e.g.. Whatever they use will increase battery consumption, no doubt.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), December 22, 2001.

Perhaps they'll go the X-Pan route and stick a LCD on the body and forget about shutter speed verification in the finder.

Hmmmm? LCD on the body? Somehow the new AE Leica M is losing its appeal!

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), December 22, 2001.

Andy, As I remember correctly, the 'M' initial is related to a word in Germany language of 'frameline'. I already said loosely speaking (more or less) it is true that the number after M is related for framelines. At least M3, the first one of Leica M, is true. I can see the naming convention like this has no flexibility. For the 'look and feel' sense, I can say M3/M2/M1 are in one class. M4x, M6x, M5 are another classes. Only M5 is an exception and surprise that it did not follow that convention.

-- kenny chiu (amchiu@worldnet.att.net), December 22, 2001.

Kenny:

Yep; at BMW we had the 316, 318 and 320. These were 300 series with 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 liter engines. Except, that in the US, the 320 had a 1.8 liter engine. Want to hear about Volvo. No one really follows their own guidelines. ;o)))

Art

-- Art (AKarr90975@aol.com), December 22, 2001.

Kenny:

I suspect you're right regarding the original M3 designation relating to frameline quantity - at least Erwin thinks so. But he also points out the inconsistencies - that some models were numbered according to the "sophistication" of features: i.e the M2 was a simplfied M3 (simpler exposure counter) while the M4 was more advanced than either the 3 or the 2 (rewind crank, "easy" loading system).

He also points out another anomaly I missed - the M6J has only four frames. Just to emphasize Leica's attention to detail, he points out that the "J" stands for Jubileum, which (in German) is supposed to be a 25th anniversary - but the camera was celebrating the 40th anniversary of the M (?!)

Oh well...

I think it's kinda like the Nikon F serial numbers - which occasionally start with two numbers that match the year of production - except that all the cameras from 1959-63 are numbered 64xxxxxx. A coincidental correlation in other years.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), December 23, 2001.

Andy: Maybe this is the perfect time for a Leica historian and couple mathmatician (to count number of framelines of each model). Anywany the information I got was from a article in a Phototechnique (?) magazine about several years ago(do not have it on hand). I do not claim the reliable of the source. But the clue is that what the M stands for and why they choose '3' (not '1') for the first Leica M camera.

-- kenny chiu (amchiu@worldnet.att.net), December 23, 2001.