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A Leica T Review

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Re: A Leica T Review

#31

Post by bane »

dammitcoetzee wrote: post #26

I think there's too much focus these days on what you can get for the money, and not what you can get. You have one life, why fill it with particle board and Chinese plastic smell? Why not save up and buy things that last. That bring joy to your life and enrich it. Why buy a three dollar Chinese screwdriver with an imprecisely cut point that strips every fifth screw, when for ten dollars you can get a precision cut,…

I don't disagree with your main premise - in fact I very much agree with it. Beautiful tools are inspiring to work with.

But this doesn't actually seem to be that good of camera no matter how you look at it and looking at other serious reviews it doesn't seem to be all that well crafted either.

There's a difference between good, but sometimes funky, craftsmanship and gimmicks. The T seems to be more on the gimmick side of things.

Re: A Leica T Review

#32

Post by dammitcoetzee »

bane wrote: post #31
dammitcoetzee wrote: post #26

I think there's too much focus these days on what you can get for the money, and not what you can get. You have one life, why fill it with particle board and Chinese plastic smell? Why not save up and buy things that last. That bring joy to your life and enrich it. Why buy a three dollar Chinese screwdriver with an imprecisely cut point that strips every fifth screw, when for ten dollars you can get a precision cut,…

I don't disagree with your main premise - in fact I very much agree with it. Beautiful tools are inspiring to work with. But this doesn't actually seem to be that good of camera no matter how you look at it and looking at other serious reviews it doesn't seem to be all that well crafted either. There's a difference between good, but sometimes funky, craftsmanship and gimmicks. The T seems to be more on the gimmick si…

I agree, but, have you looked at the cars today? I can honestly not tell the difference in silhouette between a mustang and an acura these days. You can stick as much chrome on the outside of the thing you want in different patterns, but they are the same car.

It's not that I don't know that the Leica isn't a super great camera, but the fact that they tried to make something to a higher design goal than, "it should just work" carries some weight. Just working is very important, but you can go past it. There were tons of mp3 players that just worked before the ipod. Arguably my rio mp3 player worked and sounded better than the ipod. however, the ipod was something that resonated with people. When you put soul into something your soul responds. I hate saying metaphysical junk like that, but anyone who has experienced a truly well designed object or seen a to a perfectly executed musical performance knows this feeling.

I mean, design these days is boring and unenriching. Go to amazon and search for water filtering pitchers. Do any of those inspire you? Are any of them beautiful? Are any of them even nice to use? If you read the reviews they are full of, "it filters water alright, but": the lid is awkward, the handle cracks off after a few months, the old version had more thought in it, the edges of the plastic are sharp, etc.

Something can fully and completely fulfill it's primary purpose and still be poorly designed. Still be a joyless disposable object.

Re: A Leica T Review

#33

Post by SonicSoul »

bane wrote: post #29

I dunno, I've thought about getting a Leica every once in a while, then I see reviews like this with pictures from the camera and I'm always so "meh" about how they look. Everything looks like there's a 2-5% grey filter on it, and anything with any kind of luminescence always looks blown out. Most of the sample galleries I've seen on the have the added minus of all looking just slightly out of focus. There's a defini…

the review was nicely written, but after seeing the sample photos it steered me more towards the Sony RX1

Re: A Leica T Review

#34

Post by ams6110 »

bane wrote: post #29

I dunno, I've thought about getting a Leica every once in a while, then I see reviews like this with pictures from the camera and I'm always so "meh" about how they look. Everything looks like there's a 2-5% grey filter on it, and anything with any kind of luminescence always looks blown out. Most of the sample galleries I've seen on the have the added minus of all looking just slightly out of focus. There's a defini…

If money were no object and I were to buy a Leica for B&W it would be the M Monochrom. A true monochrome sensor and a lot more choice in lenses.

http://en.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-M/Leica-M-Monoc...

Re: A Leica T Review

#35

Post by milsorgen »

SonicSoul wrote: post #33
bane wrote: post #29

I dunno, I've thought about getting a Leica every once in a while, then I see reviews like this with pictures from the camera and I'm always so "meh" about how they look. Everything looks like there's a 2-5% grey filter on it, and anything with any kind of luminescence always looks blown out. Most of the sample galleries I've seen on the have the added minus of all looking just slightly out of focus. There's a defini…

the review was nicely written, but after seeing the sample photos it steered me more towards the Sony RX1

I'm really not trying to be negative but it was very poorly written and more of a love letter than anything else.

"...the most hyped and anticipated camera I’ve ever seen" "...Leica partnered with Audi Design and the result is inarguably stunning." "...typical Leica. Simple and elegant."

Simply put Leica digital cameras are not representative of value and are luxury goods, if that is what your after well you found your camera. Otherwise there is a whole world of choices that offer better quality, function and price.

Re: A Leica T Review

#36

Post by caycep »

BuffaloSmoe wrote: post #28

The Leica T is simply a rebranded Sony in a tighter package. If you look around at these guys, you'll see its even a Sony sensor and guts. Hassleblad does the same thing - simply look at the Lunar series. It's basically a Sony RX100 and NEX-7 w/ a wood handle. ( http://www.hasselblad-lunar.com/ ). Don't be impressed by this, from a technology perspective. Be impressed by its machining and "re"-design of the Sony cons…

I think this is a function of how dependent cameras are on semiconductor and sensor design, and in this day and age, the pillars of expertise have shifted first to Japan, and now to Taiwan/Korea...and possibly in the future to China.

Leica was amazing when machining and optical precision were the key factors in how good your camera is; but in this day and age, that's a solved problem...anyone can set up a factory that equals that sort of precision. But I think Canon, Sony, Samsung and others saw where things were headed strategically a decade or so ago, and dumped money into the R&D needed for chip fabs and EE design teams.

Re: A Leica T Review

#38

Post by bane »

dammitcoetzee wrote: post #32
bane wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't disagree with your main premise - in fact I very much agree with it. Beautiful tools are inspiring to work with. But this doesn't actually seem to be that good of camera no matter how you look at it and looking at other serious reviews it doesn't seem to be all that well crafted either. There's a difference between good, but sometimes funky, craftsmanship and gimmicks. The T seems to be more on the gimmick si…

I agree, but, have you looked at the cars today? I can honestly not tell the difference in silhouette between a mustang and an acura these days. You can stick as much chrome on the outside of the thing you want in different patterns, but they are the same car. It's not that I don't know that the Leica isn't a super great camera, but the fact that they tried to make something to a higher design goal than, "it should j…

Yeah, I know what you're saying. It's like getting into an old MG Roadster. Not very fast, unreliable, noisy. But damn if it isn't fun and beautiful to get around in. It's inspiring and it does what it's designed to do, give you a dramatic, noisy, wind blown time out in the country.

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/mg/b/1673922.html

But this camera seems more like something people buy who want to be seen with it, a fashion-vanity item. And I think that's an important distinction to make.

Re: A Leica T Review

#39

Post by caycep »

dammitcoetzee wrote: post #26

I think there's too much focus these days on what you can get for the money, and not what you can get. You have one life, why fill it with particle board and Chinese plastic smell? Why not save up and buy things that last. That bring joy to your life and enrich it. Why buy a three dollar Chinese screwdriver with an imprecisely cut point that strips every fifth screw, when for ten dollars you can get a precision cut,…

At this rate, beautiful things are also made in China...the expertise is there, you just have to put together the right specs in your order...

With all the manufacturing experience over there, one can argue the best craftsmanship and knowhow are located in Shenzhen at this time.

"Are you kidding, Doc? All the best stuff is 'Made in Japan'!" "Astounding!"

Re: A Leica T Review

#40

Post by caycep »

milsorgen wrote: post #35
SonicSoul wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the review was nicely written, but after seeing the sample photos it steered me more towards the Sony RX1

I'm really not trying to be negative but it was very poorly written and more of a love letter than anything else. "...the most hyped and anticipated camera I’ve ever seen" "...Leica partnered with Audi Design and the result is inarguably stunning." "...typical Leica. Simple and elegant." Simply put Leica digital cameras are not representative of value and are luxury goods, if that is what your after well you found yo…

If they dumped money into paying Audi for the design rather than improving the function of the camera, guess what you, the consumer, are paying for in its purchase price....
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