Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/02/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]The handwriting was on the wall when Leica released the MP and *guaranteed* parts & service for 30 years. Since there are no longer any other Leica divisions to fund each other, Leica Camera as a stand alone company in a dwindling high end film camera market always is very susceptable to any hiccup in both the German & worldwide economy. By not releasing a beta M digital, they would have had a consumer camera on the market while waiting for the slower than snails R&D to bring a professional Digital M or R to market already years behind the competition. With releasing beta cameras, they could follow a page out of the software industry, Start with a non changeable body style from the beginning (Leica already has lots of experience in that already LOL!) & release a product & charge a nominal upgrade price for modifications. Send your camera in for upgrades, your dealer gives you a loaner until you get yours back. That would keep everyone happy, especially consumers who won't be without a camera for months waiting for repairs. Another senario, is that since Kodak makes digital bodies for Canon & Nikon lenses, could an R version be in the skunkworks? Like many niche market products, Leica could survive via an employee buyout and be around for many years. People are the core value of Leica, not the Hermes backing & high priced marketing stratigies. They could also set up a Leica Design subsidiary & do R&D for all camera manufacturers for their lenses like Cosworth did for all automobile companies. This could be Leica's future as outside projects could fund the company through patents & licensing agreements. just my 2? denik