Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/06/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I'll take a scanner outfitted with a leica optic any day over a digital R or M body, at least for now. If I recall correctly, almost 90% of consumer enlargers are unused and/or stored away. A white light darkroom, as is already a reality, has probably made more people come back to the practise of printing. No reason for Leica not take advantage of an industry switch created by the innovations in printer and scanner technologies. A partnership with Epson, wouldn't that make sense? Epson has already entered the neg. scanner market with their flat tops through the back door, so to say. I bet that other configurations aren't that far away. As Leica has been a leading voice in past darkroom practise, why quit now. I'd be very surprised if they don't have a working design somewhere being applied industrially. A lens cells refitting in a mount to suite current scanners wouldn't take that much. Slobodan Dimitrov Darrell Jennings wrote: > > Leica (like any company) doesn't have limitless funds > for product development. Given the quality of the > scanners on the market (even low cost ones like the > very fine Epson 2450) why would Leica move into that > market. It is about making choices. Want more lenses, > more features, or a digital R or M? Then don't ask for > a Leica scanner because I doubt they could afford > both. > > I think Leica is a company that has done a good job of > focus (no pun intended for those 75mm f1.4 users) by > evolving the M, and aiming at a niche where they can > be successful. There is simply not a mass market to > support a German made F5 or EOS IV due to the cost > structure in Germany. The this market focus, Leica has > found a way to be a fairly successful small company > rather than a failed large one. > > - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html