[Leica] Last man standing

[Mike Johnston <michaeljohnston@ameritech.net>]

This may sound strange coming from me, but as I've thought about this, I
think that maybe the "O product" and the Hermes connection could be great
things for Leica. The fact is, Leica is _not_ primarily a nuts-and-bolts
company keeping up with the latest trends and catering mainly to
professionals. History and heritage and fine hand craftsmanship are an
important part of its identity as well. I think that as time goes on, the
thing I'd _least_ like to see would be for Leica to blindly follow the
market whatever the hell the market's doing, whether it's to
point-and-shoots this month or scanners or consumer digicams next month or
whatever. The fact is, there's a place for niche manufacturing, and there's
going to be a place in the brave new digital world for 35mm cameras.

If any of us could have _one_ traditional 35mm camera manufacturer survive
into the digital age, which one would it be? Leica, of course.

The antiquarian reproduction O actually makes a lot of sense along these
lines. Why not? It's backward-looking, but hey, Leica doesn't have the R&D
muscle and the financial might to be really forward-looking and compete with
the Canons and Matsushitas and Sonys of the world, and it also has a lot
more to look back on than any other camera maker. Why not a boutique brand
of fine 35mm cameras, appreciated for their craftsmanship and heritage and
an ineffable panache, that certain savoir-faire? It makes sense to me.

I remember what Ian Brightman, CEO of Beseler, the enlarger manufacturer,
said to me a few years ago: "In a down market, the last man standing makes
out like a bandit." I hope that Leica aims to be "the last man standing" in
the classic, traditional 35mm camera market.

It could do worse. And so could we do worse.

- --Mike