Re: [Leica] Is the Leica an endangered species?

[Alan Ball/LUNA<AlanBall@csi.com>]

To Arturo (and other worried users),

One point must not be forgotten: when digital gets to the level of quality 
and price/quality ratio where it can replace film for all applications, 
this will also mean that the cameras and the CCDs (or whatever digitalizing 
technology used) will require very high quality lenses. The requirements 
could even be tougher than the ones imposed (or permitted) by film. 

This certainly leaves market space for the likes of Leica or Zeiss, even if 
it seems obvious these companies will not be leading suppliers of the 
high-tech active elements of the camera itself (just like today Leica is 
not a leading supplier of shutters, electronic telemetering devices or 
other strategic parts of contemporary cameras).

If Panasonic (for example) is likely to master some or most of these 
elements, that company is not likely to launch itself into high end lenses 
production. There are plenty of complementarities out there and possible 
partnership agreements, somewhere round the lines of the Zeiss/Kyocera 
partnership. What is positively certain, is that any picture taking device 
carrying a "Made in Germany" label will most probably be made out of over 
90 pct of elements produced in the Far East. Which is OK for me but must be 
quite an unromantic perspective for die-hard Leica fans.

Nothing prevents Leica from announcing to the world some kind of roadmap 
for a transition to full digital product lines which would guarantee 
compatibility with today's glass. I believe it would be wise for them to do 
so: Canon is promoting today a new generation of very good digital products 
that use all or part of the EOS system, there have also been previous 
generation not so good offers from Nikon and Minolta. The time seems right 
for Leica to come out of the woods with perspectives closer to 35mm 
photographers requirements than the purely studio S1 concept. I would 
really hate to be stuck in a marginal niche technology (film) because I 
chose to invest in the Leica product lines.

I want a Leica official and public commitment to come out with a digital 
camera compatible with my M lenses, and designed for the same applications 
as the M system is used for today, as soon as the technology meets a fixed 
and published set of requirements.

Alan
Brussels-Belgium





AJSymi@aol.com on 22/06/98 04:57:14
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Subject:        Re: [Leica] Is the Leica an endangered species?


The days of emulsion film are numbered.  When you see an entire photo dept. 
at
a major newspaper or news agency go digital, look out, its here!  News 
footage
used to be done on film until video proved better. 

I wouldn't necessarily look to existing camera manufacturers for the 
future's
digital cameras.  I think the R&D investment would be too great when you're
trying to make digital as good as film is today.  Especially for a small
company like Leica, which is probably (at least by US standards) marginally
profitable to begin with.  Mergers and consolidation (in the camera 
industry)
will be eminent as the filmed camera business goes bye-bye.
MHO
Arturo