Re: Leica and APS

[Eric Welch <ewelch@gp.magick.net>]

At 09:16 AM 7/7/96 -0600, you wrote:

>I would like to know how Leica has been able to stay in business 
>manufacturing cameras that are old technology and market them at prices
>far greater than the japanese camera makers who are using state of the art
>technology.  The M6, for example, is probably the only rangefinder of its
>type made today.  Several companies made rangefinder cameras approx. thirty
>years ago but abandoned them in search of newer technology.  All of the 
>major camera companies have been making autofocus SLR's for years.  Manual
>SLR's are getting hard to come by.  Leice, to my knowledge, has still not
>made and autofucus SLR camera.

Leica has been experimenting with AF for longer than anyone else (70s), it
would seem. They just haven't figured out how to build their lenses the way
they want, and make AF economical. They're so stiff (not the Germans, the
lenses <g>), they wear batteries down too fast. And they aren't very quick.
That's okay. I'd hate to think of the reaction people would have toward a
Leica lens built like most AF lenses. My Canon EOS 70-200 2.8L would do
Leica proud for its sturdiness, but it's not common to build 'em like that
by Canon or anyone else. Most of their zooms are toys in comparison. Canon's
long glass - esp. the 300 2.8 which is better by a tad than the Leica 280
2.8 - is awesome. But it's very expensive too. You want quality? You pay for
it: Leica, Canon, Nikon, Contax, etc.

As for the rest, the R7 is a very good camera, very up to date. You won't
find the "old" technology you refer to in this camera. It's digital, has
fill flash, etc. It just won't sync at 1/250 or AF. Big deal. And don't give
me the line that it's not a real Leica, or is just a Minolta with Leica
stamped on it, or the lenses aren't as good. It just ain't so.

The M6 has stayed the same because Leica's market research has told them we
would be very upset if they turned it into another G1. So why should they
change? Considering they sell 'em as fast as they can make 'em, I'd say
Leica is doing very good. The London Financial Times had an article a while
back announcing that Leica was going public and was going to raise money to
update equipment and develop new technologies. So maybe they're slow on the
uptake, but they're getting there. I don't want them to become just another
me-too company. We have the five "big ones" to give us competent,
professional quality cameras. 

Let Leica give us most important "true state of the art" - the glass.
 
>of traditional camera lovers?  What will Leica do if APS is to become 
>popular and basically eliminate the 35 MM camera.  Are they planning to
>get into this market or will they stay with their traditional cameras??

APS is a joke, and seroius photograhpers won't buy into it. It is
significantly smaller than traditinoal 35mm. I like the idea of the
cassette. Too bad they can't do that with reg. 35mm. But there is no way
traditional 35mm is going away any time soon, and when it does it will be to
digital. Not some new toy format.

==========================
Eric Welch
Grants Pass Daily Courier
NPPA Job Information Bank Chair 
Region 11

- Craxi e' solo con se stesso
- Quell'uomo continua a circondarsi delle persone sbagliate

                                ElleKappa