Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/02/08

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Subject: [Leica] Leica M10
From: photo.forrest at earthlink.net (Phil Forrest)
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 04:21:05 -0500
References: <20120208022354.2a0af35c@linux-pfy5.site> <CB579BE8.1A06B%mark@rabinergroup.com>

The crucial term here is "could" but they won't. 
Leica lost as soon as the Nikon F hit the market. They have found their
niche and will exploit that to the best of their ability, hopefully. 
But realistically, there is no reason that working pro photographers
should switch to Leica when the big two are ubiquitous. If a
lens breaks down at an event and you're a Nikon or Canon
shooter, there is almost certainly either another shooter who "could"
lend a lens or there is almost certainly a retail outlet where you can
get a replacement which will work. Sure, carry a spare but sometimes
even that doesn't work out.
For studio and commercial photographers, why abandon half a century of
fantastic lenses from Zeiss, used on Hasselblads with digital backs
that are second to none, only to go to the more expensive and more
limited Leica system? Same goes for Mamiya RZ system goodies. Excellent
lenses, the same amazing digital backs. What does the Leica S2 system
offer aside from an eye level prism? Hell, for the cost of "only" an
M9-P I can buy a Hassy 501CM with two lenses AND a Leaf 33MP back then
still have cash left over. 
For the journalists out there, who wants to shoot with Leica for
serious moving work? (I do but I'm talking about newspaper folks, not
what I'm doing) It can be done but anything closer than 20" or needing a
lens longer than 135mm takes a bit more equipment and that is just a
hassle. Besides, no working news folks would ever use a visoflex if a
DSLR of almost any grade was available. 
So what can Leica do to grab more professional market share? 
They can throw red dots on Nikon and Canon bodies but that's basically
it. They would have to even keep the F and EOS mounts the same.

This conjecture is almost like saying that digital will blow over like
a fad and we'll go back to shooting Kodachrome for glossys.

Phil Forrest



On Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:26:32 -0500
Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com> wrote:

> They don't  use M9's but the words still out on M9.5's or M10's.
> I cant see any reason why they cant get a competitive sensor with what
> people are used to in today's DSLR'S. Are they going to refuse to
> sell them to them?
> They next generation M's could get the Magnum kind of people working
> with them again.
> 



Replies: Reply from tgray at 125px.com (Tim Gray) ([Leica] Leica M10)
In reply to: Message from photo.forrest at earthlink.net (Phil Forrest) ([Leica] Leica M10)
Message from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] Leica M10)