I posted my views on the Leica T at another forum yesterday but I reproduce them here.
"I must admit as I was falling asleep last night I was remembering that there would an announcement today.
I had not spent any time speculating about the new Leica or indeed reading any of the rumours.
I will say that deep in my little black heart as I drifted off in my slumbers I wondered if Leica was going to confound us all and launch a mirrorless m43rds camera. I have always found it a bit insulting that Leica offer branded m43rds lenses, via Panasonic but at the same time make decidedly 'sniffy' statements about the m43rds format. A bit like, "well, we'll take your money if you insist but you are a fool to be spending it on m43rds kit!".
When I finally decided to leave the Leica world nearly two years ago, I could not bring myself to immediately sell my PanaLieca 25/1.4 Summilux or my PanaLeica 45/2.8 Elmarit (which I used on a GH-2). I was more emotionally joined to those lenses than (say) my Lux 35/1.4 ASPH or the WATE. The reason was good old fashioned 'value for money'. Their performance was way beyond the price tag. In fact, embarrassingly close as near as dammit as any Leica lens you could buy. I hung on to them for over a year using them occasionally - and not enough to really justify keeping them in the end.
The PanaLeica 45/2.8 was and of course for those who continue to use it is an exceptional lens. Amazingly sharp stopped down and beautifully dreamy - in the best Leica lens mould - when opened up to f3.2. I won a national photography competition with that lens (on a GF1!) as well as having two of the photographs taken with it used in print. The PanaLeica Lux 25, which is designed to 'ape' the 50 Lux proved to be an exceptionally sharp lens in use. I could bore you with the exemplars but even open at f1.4 it was sharp from edge to edge - not something always evident in the Leica lens range.
Anyway, my musings about the 'T' possibly being a m43rds camera did have me nostalgically contemplating the excuse to reaquire these two fantastic lenses.and rebuild a m43rds system.
But then, the announcement of the T.
Ultimately, I agree with Leica, the m43rds format is a bit of technical dead end. It can never really be expanded in terms of the size of the sensor (it is by definition the size it is) and it appears to be proving difficult to compete on megapixels (not that I am saying that is a necessary thing) and maintain image quality. Sadly, I think it is a format which like minidisc and betamax will die out.
So, why am I musing at all?
I am mainly a 35mm urban landscape shooter - so the whole 35mm-Leica-shtick is one that appeals to me. I long ago dismissed the FF vs APS-C argument as largely academic given the quality of modern lens design and the reliance of the digital world on post-processing. Who cares whether your sensor is arbitrarily bigger, smaller or the same as a legacy system like film? So, the key issue for me with any camera is the IQ not the sensor size.
I am a bit surprised that the lens manufacturer is not Panasonic. I am wondering if by any chance it may actually be Sigma? The only reason I say that is that the performance of the lenses on my Sigma DP2 and 3 Merrills is nothing short of ourstanding - especially wide open. Some are saying possibly Sony but I can't see that being the case if their 'brand' of choice is Carl Zeiss. Intriguing. Of course if it turns out they are Panasonic lenses then I can attest to the fact they will be excellent lenses if their m43rds lenses are anything to go by.
I do miss the simplicity of M shooting.
I currently have a Sony A7, Ricoh GR and two Sigma DP Merrills. I would say that out of all four cameras the Ricoh GR gives me the most 'pure' photographic pleasure. It is such a beautifully made and realised photographic instrument - when I shoot with it I put it on TAV mode and I am a lot closer to the simplicity of the a Leica DRF and 35 lens than say the A7 with the excellent Carl Zeiss 35/2.8. However, I do concede that the A7 delivers higher IQ and in fact on pure IQ the Sigma's outdo both.
So, bottom line a cautious 'well done' from me for Leica and the first product I have seen since I departed (and since the M's and X's arrived) that I could actually desire to own.
For purely photographic reasons, of course, you understand.
LouisB"