Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/10/16

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Future R Plan (Stephen Gandy)
From: fmaturana at euskalnet.net (Félix López de Maturana)
Date: Sat Oct 16 03:56:41 2004
References: <200410160438.i9G4XsYs084822@server1.waverley.reid.org>

>1) Leica R glass is probably the best SLR glass available overall.  About 
>60% of
>the independent manuf SLR lens sales are Nikon AIS.  to make profit on R 
>glass,
>Leica needs to sell that glass in Nikon AIS mount
>
>2) Leica is rumored to have a large quantity of unsold R9 bodies.  Leica 
>needs to
>turn that inventory into cash. The way to do that is to announce that R SLR 
>bodies
>are discontinued.  This would turn a slow seller into a hot seller as 
>people go
>for the last German R body.
>
>3) Staying with lenses in R mount and Nikon mount, Leica needs to license 
>the R
>body mount, allowing other manuf to make R cameras.   This is a fast,  no 
>cost way
>for Leica to offer their fans digital R bodies, while at the same time 
>making a
>license fee off each body without investment.   Imagine a Kodak 14MP or 
>Sigma or
>the latest 12 MP Fujica digitals in Leica R mount.  Of course those digital 
>bodies
>would would also sell more a hell of a lot of  Leica made R lenses.
>
>I believe these three plans would result in a big R system profit.

With all due respect, Stephen, I think not. There are other lenses up to the 
level of "some" R lenses. The news of a R line production stopping will 
leave in total indifference most of amateurs and pros all over the world. I 
do not see the point of producing other manufacturers R cameras. If the R 
digital back is a failure I cannot see the future of Leica. I wonder what is 
actually thinking about Herm?s!

Kind regards

Felix



Replies: Reply from DouglasMSharp at netscape.net (Douglas M. Sharp) ([Leica] Re: Future R Plan (Stephen Gandy+Felix))