Originally posted by nickthetasmaniac
There seems to have been the perception that the traditional SLR design was being kept alive because 'serious' photographers still preferred an OVF. Clearly Leica thinks this is no longer the case...
I could be really cynical and claim that Leica realise their core customer base is getting older and older and finding (like me) that rangefinders are becoming almost impossible to use due to poor eyesight.
The "traditional" market for SLRs has been shrinking, so whatever the thinking is about what buyers care about - that thinking isn't working. And that market isn't necessarily the same as Leica's market - who almost by definition are people who are not interested in SLRs.
I would say Leica see Sony as their competitor, and both the T and now the new SL are responses to prevent their user base from switching to Sony, or tempt those that have switched to come back.
Their strategy must be working, because they got me interested, and I thought I will never ever buy a Leica body again.