Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/02/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Felix, As someone has pointed out, if the M7 is much more profitable than previous M models, than it increases the chances of Leica's survival. My personal view has long been that Leica's long-term future is a merger with one of the larger companies; the Hermes thing is just an interlude. Leica does have some assets--chiefly the brand and the optical expertise--which are interesting to the big firms. But then again, there are small companies that focus on a niche and thrive--Porsche, for example. Compared to the rest of the auto industry they are as small as Leica is compared to Canon or Fuji, and yet they are doing just fine. As for being able to have them repaired even if the company were to be liquidated, it all depends on how many old cameras remain in use. As with everything else, if there is a demand the market will meet it. I can have my Rollei 35 repaired here in Zurich even though it has not been manufactured for ages; I can even have my newly purchased Pentacon repaired in Germany, even though the company that made them no longer exists. And so on. Nathan Felix Lopez de Maturana wrote: > Hi Sal > > I don't see the problem in the longevity of the products but in the > future of the firm. In modern times such a tiny market has not in my > personal opinion a clear future. Only Canon, a true giant has some > guarantees of survival. Hasselblad found his way with some kind of > alliance with Fuji, the another photo giant, and even Nikon, owned by > Mitsubishi, has not a clear future. So I don't see the advantage oh > having extraordinary lasting cameras if I cannot get another one or > parts if in the future the manufactures is gone. > > Kind regards > > Felix > > PS Who kept the M6 Classic but bought a M7 too > > > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > - -- Nathan Wajsman Herrliberg (ZH), Switzerland e-mail: nathanw@bluewin.ch mobile: +41 78 732 1430 Photo-A-Week: http://www.wajsman.com/indexpaw2003.htm General photo site: http://www.wajsman.com/index.htm - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html