[Leica] A rant on Leica marketing

[Bryant <tbryant@wizard.net>]

Hi Luggers,

    <Warning: Rant follows:>

    Jim Brick wrote:

> The problem with designers and manufacturers, and especially the marketing
> staff, is that they don't use their own equipment in any manner other than
> as a very casual user. Happysnaps.

    Bingo.  A .58 M, a digital camera, and an APS?  The latter 2 are just
relabels of Fuji stuff, right?  Not to knock Fuji.  Their binoculars are
second to none!

    One of the things I like about Leica Ms is their extremely "snappy"
focusing, as opposed to an SLR's  "least fuzz".  The 0.58 gives the least
snappy focusing of any Leica M to date, about the same as an LTM Leica.  I
find the M3 easiest to use of all the Ms, because of it's almost life sized
viewing.

    I'll wait for a 4000x6000 digital back for my M, thank you.

    APS?  Another expensive flop.  Phil Greenspun has a good rant about it:

    www.photo.net/photo/aps

    Leica apparently hires expensive MBAs who know lots about sales and nothing
about photography.  The MBAs commission market surveys and the surveyors
wander out to shopping malls across the world and talk to housewives who want
everything done for them in any endeavor you mention.  Thus APS and digital
cameras.  Something that I won't even think of buying.

    It should be remembered that Oscar Barnack was an enthusiastic
photographer as well as being a brilliant designer.  Herr Cohn would do well
to staff his organization with enthusiastic photographers.  He could even try to
read the LUG, although this is asking a log of a CEO, imagine, actually using a
computer as opposed to chairing a meeting?

   He's learn lots more of what's on the minds of real Leica owners!

   <End of Rant>


   Tom

Statistics in the hands of a marketing executive are like a lamppost to
a drunk: they're used more for support than illumination.