Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/11/29

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Why R sales down...
From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
Date: Sun, 29 Nov 1998 13:08:11 -0500

 It's amazing Leica
>  survives at all considering it's never going to be profitable as
> a company
>  that makes essentially disposable cameras in comparison. >>
>
>
...It might well be argued that the only reason Leica survives in the
photographic realm is that it does continue to produce an anachronistic
product - the M - but a product that enough customers highly value and are
willing to pay a premium to obtain. I don't claim to be either a business
analyst or an historian of photography, but I'd be willing to bet that the
day Leica eliminates the M to concentrate on a manual R and P&S cameras
marks the true beginning of its end. While the R may be a terrific camera
with high quality optics, it is hardly a unique product, while the M is.
Even if Leica were to go to full automation and autofocus with the R, and
try to compete head-to-head with Nikon and Canon, it is probably far too
late to make a real dent in that market, given the investment so many pros
have in the other equipment brands, and the service they receive from the
companies.

And as for capitalism...it is what makes the world go round...and makes
Leica produce the M....it sells...