RE: [Leica] Hexar RF...Good News...Bad News

["B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

DR. BLACKTAPE RAISES A HERETICAL QUESTION AFTER READING BILL ERFURTH'S
THOUGHTFUL POST...

Assuming that the rangefinder world grows exponentially as is now being
rumored; assuming that Nikon comes out with an updated version of the SP -
whose features and lens quality were ahead of Leica's at the time...

Why stay with Leica? And I ask this as a serious photo/philosophical
question.

I know this is the Leica list. I know, we all have substantial investments,
both emotion and financial, in Leica.

However, if the reason we use Leica M equipment is because we want to shoot
with rangefinders and Leica is the best/only real rangefinder around, and
has magnificent glass...If someone else, say Nikon, comes out with a quiet,
reliable, rangefinder with features beyond those of the M - also with
magnificent glass - does one stick with Leica simply because it is Leica and
HCB used it, or does one say, 'it's sad, but the day of the Leica has come
and gone'?

DR. BLACKTAPE IS NOT WEARING HIS ASBESTOS BRIEFS TODAY...So if this question
doesn't engender a serious discussion, to hell with it. ;-)



> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Bill
> Erfurth
> Sent: Thursday, November 11, 1999 5:30 AM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: [Leica] Hexar RF...Good News...Bad News
>
>
>
> So, this guy walks into Herr Cohn's office and says,
> "Herr Cohn, I have bad news for you".
>
> Herr Cohn looks at him and says, "So, what's new"?
> ..........................................
>
> Without going into detail, the introduction of the
> Hexar RF is going to have a dramatic impact on Leica
> Camera.
>
> First of all, Leica no longer has "the only game in
> town".  For the first time in maybe 20 years,
> consumers now will have a choice of quality
> rangefinder cameras. This is going to significantly
> effect sales.  On the bright side, it will hopefully
> cause a change in attitude within the Leica
> organization.
>
> Second, the Hexar is sold as a kit with one body and
> three lenses.  Now when Joe Photographer buys one of
> these kits, in many cases Joe will sell off the Konica
> lenses on e-bay and use the Leica lenses that he
> already has.  This will put a glut of inexpensive
> 28mm, 50mm, and 90mm lenses in the market place, and
> thus cut into Leica's lens sales of these products.
> On the Bright side, this will bring down the price of
> all Leica compatible lenses in the secondary market.
>
> Third, if Joe Photographer likes his new Hexar, he
> will in many cases sell off his Leica M6 (or what
> ever) thus adding a lot of good used Leica's to the
> marketplace.  Here again this will negatively effect
> Leica's M body sales.  On the Bright side, this will
> lower the price of most M cameras because of the
> increased supply.
>
> Now, if the rumored report from the British Photo
> magazine about a Nikon rangefinder is correct (I'm
> betting that it is) Leica could easily end up being
> third in a three man race.
>
> Is Leica, as we know it,  doomed?  Well, maybe...maybe
> not.  It all depends on Herr Cohn's leadership.
>
> My background was in the electronic parts business
> (transistors, IC's, resistors, etc).  As such, I hung
> around with the guys in Silly-Cone-Valley, where 12 to
> 15 hour days, six day weeks, and cold pizza were the
> norm.  I know countless people who started with
> nothing, worked their BUNNS off to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN,
> and became very wealthy because of it.
>
> That is exactly what Herr Cohn is going to have to do,
> MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.  And, mark my words, he can't do
> it by himself.  He needs to bring in someone who can
> produce SHORT TERM RESULTS in sales, marketing and
> product development.  Money (in the form of increased
> sales) talks, and that's what the people in the
> investment community want to hear in order to give
> Leica's stock the boost that it needs.
>
> In reality, this is probably Herr Cohns last chance to
> turn this thing around.  The longer he waits, the
> harder it is to do...and make no mistake about it,
> there is a point of no return.  The best indicator of
> how well Herr Cohn is doing will be the price of
> Leica's stock.  If the stock continues to fall...the
> fat lady will sing...guaranteed.
>
> As much as I have followed this, and as interested as
> I am in Leica, I have no idea of which way it will go.
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Bill Erfurth
> m6rf@yahoo.com
>
>
>
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com
>