Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/10/05
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on 4/10/00 3:44 AM, Simon Coates at michael@scoates.freeserve.co.uk wrote:
> The R-E was an attempt by Leica to produce a 'cheaper' SLR body, albeit
> still priced at around £900 but it had a number of plastic parts to keep
> costs down;
Same number of plastic parts as the R5 I believe: the economy was a false
one as far as Leica was concerned since disabling a few metering modes did
very little if anything to reduce production costs. That is why they stopped
making these cheaper models, as I understand it.
To have a cheaper SLR or M they simply have to sell more of what they make
right now. Since Solms makes little if any profit they do not have and
cannot raise the capital to develop radically new models, economy or higher
spec in a timely fashion. The capital raised on the flotation seems to have
been pretty much blown on the ill-judged S1 digital adventure and the R8
which has also by their own admission been less than successful. Likewise
the compact camera (P&S) world has not been the money spinner they had hoped
for: I would argue that it is counterproductive for Leica to allow the brand
to be mainly known to the general public as rebadged and only slightly if at
all re-engineered Japanese plastic point and shoots.
Seeing that the M cameras are the main success story in the Leica camera
stable it would seem logical and desirable for the R and compact series to
build on the strengths of the M: obviously the lenses are crucial but beyond
that durability and simplicity, mechanical excellence and above all
compactness. Together with Minox Leica should have all they need in the mix
to develop truly superb, small, tough and marketable SLRs: why not
concentrate on the purely mechanical SLR and make that the flagship instead
of the R8? The R8 just looks like an under-spec EOS or Nikon: clad in
plastic, big, heavy...
Meanwhile, there is no other maker producing a truly pro grade mechanical
SLR anymore: something to take up the legacy of the Nikon F and F2, the SL
and SL2. The FM2 is a nice camera but not built to the standards of the M or
even the pre-R8 R series which are not IMHO in the same league as the top
end Canons and Nikons. The R6.2 is the most usable manual SLR for a working
pro but even that is somewhat unrefined and very out of date. An R6.3 with
high speed motor option, modern flash system, stepless shutter speeds,
quiet, and rock solid traditional build would be a winner. I am sure there
is a market for this.
From what I have heard this is what Solms is working on, more or less. In
the meantime I shall struggle on with my two R8s which are not so bad
actually: after the best part of a year I am finally settling in with them.
- --
Adrian Bradshaw
Corporate and Editorial Photography
Beijing, China
tel/fax +86 10 6532 5112
mobile +86 139 108 22292
e-mail apbbeijing@yahoo.com
OR adrianpeterbradshaw@compuserve.com
website: http://www.apbphoto.com
http://www.liaisonintl.com/bradshaw.htm
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