Makes sense...someone might accidentally buy a $10,000 Leica rangefinder camera thinking they are buying a hammer and use it to pound a nail into a wall! . Even with electronics and optics, these markets are pretty far apart that consumer confusion would not exist. With the legacy of Leica M sequential numbering, I'm a little surprised that Leica did not pursue using "M12". I guess they should have registered "M1 through M100" in 1954.
Fred Miranda wrote:
It looks like Leica ran into trademark problems with the "M12" name in the US. This camera will be released after the M11-V.
Milwaukee already holds the M12 trademark for a wide range of products, including some that overlap with electronics and optics. Leica even filed for the M12 trademark but the application was refused and later abandoned. That probably means we won't see an "M12" here, so they'll either skip the number altogether or come up with a variation.
Tariq Gibran wrote:
Makes sense...someone might accidentally buy a $10,000 Leica rangefinder camera thinking they are buying a hammer and use it to pound a nail into a wall! . Even with electronics and optics, these markets are pretty far apart that consumer confusion would not exist. With the legacy of Leica M sequential numbering, I'm a little surprised that Leica did not pursue using "M12". I guess they should have registered "M1 through M100" in 1954.
Or they could switch to roman numerals, like Leica MXII, though it does feel a bit unnatural.
Fred Miranda wrote:
Or they could switch to roman numerals, like Leica MXII, though it does feel a bit unnatural.
Nope, they would be sued by Lomography who actually have a toy camera named the Capital MXII! Leica can't win! edit - I guess Lomography did not make this as it's older.
Fred Miranda wrote:
It looks like Leica ran into trademark problems with the "M12" name in the US. This camera will be released after the M11-V.
Milwaukee already holds the M12 trademark for a wide range of products, including some that overlap with electronics and optics. Leica even filed for the M12 trademark but the application was refused and later abandoned. That probably means we won't see an "M12" here, so they'll either skip the number altogether or come up with a variation.
This is an excellent time for me to point out that they should have gone back to the start with the digitals. M1D, M2D, M3D, etc. They'd be on the M5D right now and just about to release the M6D.
Desmolicious wrote:
I’m just used to using my M5 - the manliest Leica ever made.
I own M3, M4-2, M6, and M7 - but skipped M2 and M5. Not because I don't like them - I just didn't have a good buying opportunity for them years ago as I did with the others. Friend of mine also has a M5 - I like it's unique meter display for example.
. Even with electronics and optics, these markets are pretty far apart that consumer confusion would not exist. With the legacy of Leica M sequential numbering, I'm a little surprised that Leica did not pursue using "M12". I guess they should have registered "M1 through M100" in 1954. 
