[Leica] Re: Leica Newsletter and financial report

[drodgers@nextlink.net]

B.D.

You make some excellent points.

However, I don't agree that Leica will abandon the R line. I think it's very
difficult to predict the future. Even short term. Sure Leica competes with
Canon, Nikon, et al. But while the autofocus giants battle it out, Leica has
nice little niche. Even in the R line.

I buy about one new Leica lens each year. And each year that lens is a little
higher up the scale. I'll usually sell or trade in an older lens. For a while I
only used M. I thought I was pretty well set. No new Leica purchases. Now I'm
moving into R.

I consider myself a fairly informed consumer. I read a lot. I listen to advice
from those with more experience. I've been a photographer for 25 years, 5 as a
professional (advertising and in conjunction with editorial work). Now I'm
strictly an amateur. I do some odd jobs now and then. I used Nikon for a number
of years. I use Contax and Leica now.
I've never regretted the purchase of any Leica or Contax lens. I can't say the
same about Nikon. That's not to say than Nikon isn't excellent. I had some Nikon
lenses that I really liked. Some regrets came when I bought low end equipment.
But even that didn't make me leave Nikon. What made me leave was the rapid
antiquation, and size and weight penalty of autofocus technology.

Does Leica really need to have a large share of the Pro market to succeed? How
many non-professionals with disposable income, and an appreciation for the best
equipment, are there out there? I think there may be enough that the R system
will be around for a while. I don't think that Leica can afford to make a
mistake, like spending lots of money to develop something for which there's
little or no demand. The good news is that they've been around long enough to
know their market. They've narrowed their line down. They're upgrading the
remaining lenses for which there's demand. IMO, Contax has a huge hole in their
SLR line from lack of a 35/2.

Leica has one very important thing going for them. When all the dust settles I
think most people agree that Leica lenses are simply the best you can buy, in
terms of optical quality and construction. They're at the top of the heap.
Everyone looks up to them. If you want autofocus, you've got a number of
choices. You want less expensive. You've got a number of choices. You want the
best lenses money can buy, there's only one choice. I've read Leica books from
40-years-ago and that was their mission statement, back then. It really hasn't
changed. As long as they stay the course, I think the R line will be around.

Dave