Re: [Leica] Hexar RF/M7

["A.H.SCHMIDT" <horsts@primus.com.au>]

4season wrote:

> I love the idea of fresh thinking going into the M-system on an ongoing
> basis. But regardless of where the cameras are made, I think the basic M
> formula must not be too diluted.
>
> The M, as I see it is/has:
>
> -Fully-featured, yet uncluttered: A shooter's camera (don't even think
> of taking away my DOF scale!)
> -"Small camera, big negative"
> -Responsive "decisive moment" design
> -Unobtrusive, with great low-light capabilities
> -Offers amenities, but does not attempt to replace craft with computers
> (But I do believe it's possible to have a thinking person's automatic
> camera!)
> -Luxurious look and feel which ages gracefully
> -Within it's limitations, it has some of the best optics going for it,
> and is expensive.
> -Optical focus confirmation, whether the camera's AF or MF
>
> I don't mind polycarbonate, LCDs and control wheels per se, but in the
> end, what matters is that I get my photos the way I want them, faster,
> easier and more consistently than before. Darndest thing about some of
> these fancy multi-spot meters is that sometimes they'll correctly deal
> with tough situations, and sometimes not, and really the only way you
> know is by looking at the fstop/shutter speed setting's it's selecting
> (if the viewfinder display is clear enough that you can pick them out
> from the sea of data) and, by years of experience, realize that it just
> doesn't sound right, in which case, you dial in correction 'till it
> does--sorta like having weather satellites and supercomputers to predict
> weather patterns, but still relying on telltale rings around the moon to
> predict rain tomorrow!
>
> Why I think the M has problems in today's market: Folks have gotten used
> to the notion that they can have it all, and need not make any tough
> decisions ("why yes, this camera has 12 modes, including fully
> manual!"--this is what's known as having "wide appeal") The manual-only
> M with it's limited lens selection and stratospheric pricetag is all
> about knowing EXACTLY what you want, so it's an oddball, but for a
> select few, a beloved one!
>
> Jeff (currently on my 4th M)
> Somewhere in Boulder, Colorado
>
> http://www.boulder.net/~4season

  Jeff, who said anything about discontinuing the M6. Not me. What I said
was to produce some additional types of range finder cameras. A starter pack
and one for the person who wants to have a bit more than the M6 can give
you.

Marc James Small put it correctly: If you don't make a profit, you go bust.
If not today, then tomorrow.
If Leica does not get some more ideas, they will go this way.

The relatively few leica users are are just not enough to feed the share
holders.
No company exists on losses.

Many of my friends or acquaintances know about Leica. If you say to them, I
have a Leica, they think one must be a millionaire. When you convince them,
that you don't have to be a millionaire and they finally have a look at a
Leica, then they are amazed, that cameras without auto anything still exist.
They want the automatic features. They may be not the Leica user you desire,
but they are the people who in the end put the money on the table to buy a
camera.

Now if they had a prestige name camera they could operate and they didn't
need to sell the house, to afford it, I am sure, quite a few would invest in
a Leica. If only to show off.
 Years ago, nobody had automatics. The exception where the Box cameras and
the Instamatics. Everybody knew, the boxes and Instamatic didn't make as
good quality pictures as the normal cameras and they where if they wanted
something slightly better, prepared to by a book and read  how to use a
camera and make decent pictures.
This days have gone. The left over's are the professionals, amateurs and
hobbyists who are prepared to use a manual camera. the normal folks, even
with a few bucks to their name,
want to have high quality pictures every time, without having to make a
drivers license.

I predict: " Either leica goes with the trend, and develops in addition to
the M6 types of cameras, something more electronic and automatic, they will
go under." The few people on the LUG don't keep Leica going. Even if you
have 1/2 a dozen cameras each.

Also no reasonable size company can exist on just not making losses. They'll
have to grow every financial year. Its okay for a 3 man company to just
break even and feed the family, but not for a concern like Leica.

Regards, Horst Schmidt