Gilbert's points are I think quite valid. Leica have for many years made fine imaging tools to do a job very well. Increasingly, cameras are now being developed to sell to a market. Like a spade or wheelbarrow with a TV on the handle so you can work in the yard and still catch your favourate programme.
However, I must say here that I'm not anti digital it is wonderful technology that works well and efficiently for certain applications, prepress, newspaper photography etc. It is simply a matter of selecting the appropriate tool to do the job well.
The new Epson is not a Leica M, just like a Contax G2, Voiglander or Hexar, or Nikon S3 for that matter, are not Leica Ms. And why insist on putting optics developed for film in front of a digital sensor? If we must have, and the market demands that we do, have digital camera systems based on 35mm camera then Nikon is on the right track. Nikon’s approach with their DX lenses seems to me to be the more logical root. However, if you want really high quality digital imagery then MF is the only way to go.
regards Craig