"SOFORT" simply means "instant" or "instantly" in German. That is all.
But when it's after the word Leica and in all capital letters, it looks like a codeword. Although it really should be 5 letters.... They should change it to SOFOT.
"SOFORT" simply means "instant" or "instantly" in German. That is all.
We had a customer who used one. Not sure of the age, but it was a very nice camera and produced really nice images. Certainly not the costly camera it now is, though. I think they are great but not many multiples of thousands great.
Bob
I bought my Leica M4 and wife’s M5 cameras new when they were introduced. Always felt comfortable using them and never considered changing. When M6 was introduced I was having a serious bad problem with vision, and felt that M6 viewfinder fell short compared with M3, 4, or 5. Also, not a fan of diodes. Amortization over 50+ years is not a bad deal. But as I read many threads on APUG, I sense that many have spent a bundle searching for that wonderful budget camera.
I bought my Hassy 2000FCM new around 1981-82. Even as I reluctantly await its destined unrepairable demise, over 40 years use is not a bad deal. Better than jumping from one MF SLR to another hoping to save a few dollars. And with 2000, able to use many Zeiss, Nikon, and Leitz lenses that I already owned. (The Zeiss Olympic Sonnars and Nikon clone also build strong muscles.)
I would rather spend more money and get EX or EX+ or higher so I can enjoy the equipment sooner. That is what I did with my Hasselblad 503CX and Hasselblad 903 SWC and lenses. I also buy from known people onAPUGPhotrio, KEH or Samy's Camera who will stand behind the equipment and help me work out a problem.
It's gonna happen and already has over and over again. I can't afford it, but that doesn't matterThe affordable Leica will never happen. But a new film Leica may come out.
Didn't Leica have a "budget" line a decade or so ago. I think they were all called Elmarit, but I'm going on vague recollection here. They got criticized for not being up to normal Leica quality levels and are now gone.
Seems like a couple of years ago, they manufactured a few lenses in Portugal and sold them a little bit cheaper. I just checked the Tamarkin web site. They seem to be gone also.
I don't expect them to try the budget thing again very soon.
The Made in Portugal lenses were a reaction to the Trump-era tariffs on German made lenses. Leica claimed they were the same quality as the German made lenses just made in the Portugal factory instead of at Wetzlar, Germany. Some people claim that the lenses were always made in Portugal anyway so there never was a difference, but who knows...
I think you're thinking of the Summarit line of lenses. They were discontinued a few years ago.
The Made in Portugal lenses were a reaction to the Trump-era tariffs on German made lenses. Leica claimed they were the same quality as the German made lenses just made in the Portugal factory instead of at Wetzlar, Germany. Some people claim that the lenses were always made in Portugal anyway so there never was a difference, but who knows...
They would make Leica lenses - in 2022?
Ok, it is real and it is coming. How do I know? I spoke to a Leica shop - who I will not name to protect their innocence - and they said they could not speak about it because it is still under embargo.
Porsche going from one cheap to cheaper shop over and over for service. Turns out none ever changed his oil filter
at this point the entire Internet is aware of the M6 remake
The "entire internet" is probably more interested in a Kardashian remake than anything Leica is doing.
Which automatically means it's going to be an M6 flavor because Leica is not capable of making anything else. Everything they sell is various M6 tweaks. Even the M6 itself is just an M4 with a meter.edit: they did not confirm if it was an M6…. Just a film camera.
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