Re: A Leica M camera with an EVF is expected by the end of 2025
philip_pj wrote:
I have the sense that potentially the best EVF camera for MF lenses was deliberately handicapped in its EVF implementation - the a7rc. I doubt any of them will pursue MF capable bodies with any zeal. They exist in an AF world. All the others are too heavy, large, computers with shutter releases. They even experience problems adapting each others' lenses, E to Z for example. Is there even a single thread about Voigtlander in the Canon forum? M-mount is manual focus central. They all know it, Cosina and DZO/Thypoch produce lenses there first..
I don't think the Sony A7Cr was deliberately handicapped in its EVF implementation. I think they just kept the camera small and the EVF small because of that. I think Sony will likely redesign that camera a bit with the next version (they usually do with every two versions or so) and I would not be surprised at all to see a better EVF. Even a 5.7 million dot EVF would not be surprising to me and would be a nice EVF even if short of their top EVF we see in the A1 II, A9 III, an A7r V.
I don't think Sony is building this camera for MF lenses (from Sony's perspective I imagine it is built for their small G lenses and their ethos to keep camera gear small), but a good EVF is of course useful for AF lenses too, so I don't see Sony holding back this feature for anything other than keeping the size small. I too doubt Sony will build camera with much if any thought about MF lenses, but I don't think that means what Sony builds (an other manufacturers build) won't compete with a small Leica rangefinder style camera with an EVF. They will, and I expect them to be compelling alternatives and make the sale of the rumored camera a struggle.
With regard to lens I think you have to look at each company individually. Cosina clearly cares about making lenses for Leica M mount, but they obviously care about making lenses for other mounts too. They have always built great lenses for other mounts than Leica M and I cannot see them abandoning that approach. They even develop some lenses for other mounts first and then port those developed lenses to Leica M mount (the 35 & 50 f/2 APO Lanthars are examples), and they have some lenses that are only developed for other mounts (e.g., the 58 f/1.4 for Nikon F, the 65 and 110 APO Lanthar macro lenses).
I also don't think DZO/Thypoch thinks Leica M first. They clearly, as you know and have shown us, are video centric and Leica M cameras don't fit that goal well at all. They do like the Leica M mount, but it appears a lot of that appreciation is because Leica M mount lenses have a longer register distance and can be adapted to all the mirrorless mounts. It certainly isn't to shoot video on Leica M cameras. I don't see DZO/Thypoch developing a ton of lenses for stills shooting on Leica M cameras. They may develop some along the way, but I expect they will be primarily developing cine lenses and may adopt the Leica M mount for those cine lenses but Leica M lenses with stills cameras will never be their primary thing.
With regard to the Laowa, TT Artisans, 7 Artisans crowd, it seems they develop for mirrorless mounts first and only Leica M mount later. They do not make Leica M a priority although they will likely continue to make some Leica M mount lenses.
I think at this point only Leica and Cosina are building stills lenses primarily thinking about lenses for Leica M cameras. I think they will provide a lot of compelling lenses. More than enough for Leica M shooters, but I also think that several other mounts will have more than enough lenses designed for them through Cosina and other manufacturers that MF lenses will be a compelling option on those mounts too and that means competition for any Leica EVF rangefinder style camera.
Feb 16, 2025 at 09:16 AM
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