The Photokina show is the place where just about everybody releases their latest and greatest cameras. We already talked about the Fuji X-E1 last week, but there were a couple of other notable announcements as well. Namely:

Leica M – Apparently, there will be no long awaited Leica M10. Instead, we get the “M.” For the first time ever, Leica is using a CMOS sensor in their rangefinder camera that allows live view, HD video, better high ISO performance, and other stuff… Amazingly, they aren’t charging $10,000 for it. In fact, they are only asking about $7000 for the new M. I’d probably own one if I had the dough…

Leica M-E – Essentially, this is just the old Leica M9 with some minor changes and an extreme price break. $5,500 gets you in the game. If I had the dough, I would DEFINITELY own this one.

Sony RX1 – To me, this is the biggest and best surprise of Photokina. Sony has built a jacket-pocket sized FULL FRAME camera with a dedicated Zeiss lens. Typically, I’m not a Sony man as their cameras feel more like computers than cameras to me… BUT, this one is pretty amazing and promises to change many a landscape. Around $3000.

As a user and lover of the Fuji X-Pro 1, I find this new X-E1 a bit intriguing. For one, it’s about $700 less than an X-Pro 1 and while it lacks the gorgeous hybrid viewfinder, it does feature an electronic viewfinder that is reportedly as good as the unit found in the Sony Nex 7. I’m starting to wonder if I “adopted” a bit too early…

In any case, details of this new wonder here.

I don’t care how stupid this thing is… I kind of dig it.

Details here.

How’s about a bluetooth fed portable speaker that you can take in and out of the shit without much wear? It runs $179 and by most accounts, sounds pretty damn good.

Check it out.

A big day at Leica yesterday… The famous German camera maker announced the new Leica M Monochrom ($8,000), the new X2 ($2000), and the new 50mm Summicron ASPH ($7200) along with a whole host of typical and tasteless special editions. As a diehard Leica fan, I find myself incredibly disappointed. It seems as though Leica is quickly becoming more and more focused on fashion and upscale retail rather than art and photography. It’s a shame…

In any case, you can get details on the new products here.

If this works as well as it could… Well then, it’s absolutely brilliant. I use my iPhone/iPod in the car all the time and the dual interface mess it creates often sucks. And even if you do have a car with Sync or something of the like, the car’s interface can never quite live up to that of the iPhone. This little idea kicks the middle man in the ass.

Check it out.

My everyday in-ear headphones are made by Shure and cost me almost $300 a couple of years ago. They are magnificent instruments with sound quality second to no headphone I’ve ever owned. Hell, I might even go as far as to say that they are worth every penny I spent on them.

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