Leica added a new Steve McCurry look to "Leica Looks" aka creative photo styles to the Leica FOTOS app and the Leica Lux Mobile app:
"The Artist Look by Steve McCurry – STV MCY
Steve McCurry is regarded as one of the most influential photographers of our time. His work represents humanist documentary photography and portrays people with dignity, regardless of their background or language. McCurry approaches his subjects with patience and genuine interest. This creates a sense of trust that is reflected in his portraits. If his work could be distilled into a single concept, it would be color: bold and intense, with clear contrasts, it continues to define his photographs to this day. Steve McCurry’s Leica Artist Look draws on the expressive color palette that characterizes his photography. It uses vibrant colors and natural contrasts to create a timeless visual aesthetic inspired by documentary photography."
Another wrong step, Leica. Gimmick after gimmick, What is wrong with Leica. Sorry, I am brutal honest on this one.
Looks like HCB look is next?
Edit to make it proper to the point.
This is not German engineering. This is German marketing. A magnetic phone handle for 300 is obscene, and it doesn't even include the photo app, just a one-year subscription.
Like they say, heaven is when Germans do the engineering, the French do the cooking, and the Italians do the passion. Hell is when...
I guess, if the audience will drop an extra $1-2k just to have a different color camera body, they might also think photo quality is as simple as a preset.
What would actually be innovative would be if Leica Looks executed tone and color mapping, so that shifts would differ for subjects and situations like relative light within a scene. That is closer to what photographers do in the real world, both in camera and in processing, when they want images to have a similar look.
Grenache wrote:
I guess, if the audience will drop an extra $1-2k just to have a different color camera body, they might also think photo quality is as simple as a preset.
What would actually be innovative would be if Leica Looks executed tone and color mapping, so that shifts would differ for subjects and situations like relative light within a scene. That is closer to what photographers do in the real world, both in camera and in processing, when they want images to have a similar look.
Jim
Current basic control includes the ability increase/decrease the intensity of many of the Leica Looks when applied in the FOTOS (mobile app). See screenshot below:
Additionally, in-camera e.g., the SL3 we can adjust +/- the Leica Look: Intensity, Contrast Highlight, Shadow, Sharpness, and Saturation.
I completely understand the attraction to Leica, especially the M system. I am a big fan of the M series myself and own a few of them. But there is a massive difference between appreciating a tool and acting like a sheep following a brand off a cliff. I am so done with the Leica Hypnotoad !!!
I have never defended Leica when they market their brand in ridiculous, over hyped ways, and their latest gimmick is just another trap set for the gullible. IMO, things like the EV1 prove the point, it’s not a real M, it’s a gimmick designed to cash in on the red dot logo. YEs it takes nice pictures but really, 9k for a stripped down M? And now, The McCurry Look LMAO !!! Too much time at the beer hall in Germany. Who comes up with this crap ?
What’s even more annoying to me is watching the crowd jump as high as Leica tells them to jump. The die hard followers convince themselves that carrying the latest over priced red dot bling makes them look cool, completely blind to how ridiculous the whole thing actually is. It’s a classic case of the emperor’s new clothes, everyone in that circle is standing around applauding the genius of a product, while anyone looking at it objectively can see right through the hype. Vanity clearly operates at a whole different level for some people, and Leica is more than happy to charge them a premium for the illusion.
Well, although it is a rip off (mind you its a coffee or two per month), K loves the Lux app and uses it all the time. She did buy the grip and uses it occasionally but it’s the app that’s the star of the show for her. I know it’s just shoving some Fuji profiles into an iPhone but she’s genuinely enamoured with it and it’s her go to photo app on her phone. OTOH she hasn’t loaded any of the profiles onto her Q’s.
I don’t use the app as I prefer Android but my Leitzphone has something similar and it crushes any other profiles I’ve ever seen. The Leitz phone also has an accessory grip which I do use all the time when travelling. Weirdly it has no standard focal length camera (like most new phones) which shits me, but it makes a fine companion to a Q3-43. Mostly though I use folding phones (Oppo find N6) and only take the Leitz phone out when I’m on a photo tour.
Jorge Torralba wrote:
Does it really surprise anyone at this point?
I completely understand the attraction to Leica, especially the M system. I am a big fan of the M series myself and own a few of them. But there is a massive difference between appreciating a tool and acting like a sheep following a brand off a cliff. I am so done with the Leica Hypnotoad !!!
I have never defended Leica when they market their brand in ridiculous, over hyped ways, and their latest gimmick is just another trap set for the gullible. IMO, things like the EV1 prove the point, it’s not a real M, it’s a gimmick designed to cash in on the red dot logo. YEs it takes nice pictures but really, 9k for a stripped down M? And now, The McCurry Look LMAO !!! Too much time at the beer hall in Germany. Who comes up with this crap ?
What’s even more annoying to me is watching the crowd jump as high as Leica tells them to jump. The die hard followers convince themselves that carrying the latest over priced red dot bling makes them look cool, completely blind to how ridiculous the whole thing actually is. It’s a classic case of the emperor’s new clothes, everyone in that circle is standing around applauding the genius of a product, while anyone looking at it objectively can see right through the hype. Vanity clearly operates at a whole different level for some people, and Leica is more than happy to charge them a premium for the illusion....Show more →
True - but: we have to admit that Leica is quite profitable especially after they changed to the luxury brand marketing. The facts prove that this strategy worked successfully for them - at least until now. Does the regular user of Leica camera gear like to work with continuously rising prices for gear both new and used? Of course no. But we need to realize that the regular user is not the main focus for Leica even marketing pretends that it is. Focus is on Leica brand focused enthusiasts and collectors. This brings in the real money and keeps the company afloat.
This said, all my Leica M digital cameras I am using have no capability to have photos transferred wirelessly nor being compatible with the Leica Photo app. And I am fine with this.
This is not truly free money. it is at cost of losing something much more valuable. The legacy, the brand.
It is a short sighted pleasure paralyze long term bigger problem. either the company is desperate or mis managed.
Let's revisit this thread in 5 years to see where they are.
retrofocus wrote:
True - but: we have to admit that Leica is quite profitable especially after they changed to the luxury brand marketing. The facts prove that this strategy worked successfully for them - at least until now. Does the regular user of Leica camera gear like to work with continuously rising prices for gear both new and used? Of course no. But we need to realize that the regular user is not the main focus for Leica even marketing pretends that it is. Focus is on Leica brand focused enthusiasts and collectors. This brings in the real money and keeps the company afloat.
This said, all my Leica M digital cameras I am using have no capability to have photos transferred wirelessly nor being compatible with the Leica Photo app. And I am fine with this. ...Show more →
It would be difficult to describe how little interest I have in editing on a phone or tablet. This is another very annoying aspect of Leica’s approach here.
While some of the interface aspects for Phocus mobile look very user friendly, at least Hasselblad made a Mac version. It takes a little getting used to, but it is actually a very nice editor.
LBJ2 wrote:
Current basic control includes the ability increase/decrease the intensity of many of the Leica Looks when applied in the FOTOS (mobile app). See screenshot below:
Additionally, in-camera e.g., the SL3 we can adjust +/- the Leica Look: Intensity, Contrast Highlight, Shadow, Sharpness, and Saturation.
