Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/08/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Commitment 'towards' is a little late, Pascal. If I remember correctly sales of the R line were reported down some 18 percent last year. While there are those who will go to their graves with their Rs clutched in their "cold, dead fingers," most people who want SLRs voted with their feet a long time ago. Meanwhile, we have Nikon and Canon with 6 meg. digital bodies in the $2000 range, and whether people here want to acknowledge it or not, glass good enough for most of the world's leading photographers. For Leica to come out in 18 months, two years, with a digital SLR at we well know how high a price, that is either still a manual focus, or an auto focus that requires an investment in all new lenses, would be a doomed effort. After all, who's going to buy it? Obviously the comparative handful of dedicated R8 users, and that's not going to support the R line. I would suggest that, ironically, if Leica wants to keep it's SLR line alive, it needs to stop thinking about 'Leica quality' - peeling rubber, etc. etc. ;-) - and make a quick deal with Fuji to put out a rebadged version of the new $2440? Fuji digital body with it's 6/12 meg CCD, reconfigured with a Leica R lens mount. Now THAT might sell to the R lens owners who want to try digital, and to other photographers who want to use Leica glass, but don't want to invest in an entire new system But of course all of this speculation is just that, as we know full well Solms dances to the tune of some gnome drummer somewhere in the Black Forest, rather than to the rhythms of the modern photo world.;-) B. D. - -----Original Message----- From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Steve Barbour Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2002 8:12 AM To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us Subject: [Leica] R9 scoop...digital > So, if all that will be happening at Photokina appears to be a cut-down R8, > without any clear indication of a true R9 (not an AF but rather as described > above) and without clear commitment towards a digital R body, I fear the > worst for the R line in a couple of years. > > Pascal > NO ARCHIVE what the R9 needs is a digital back... and continued use of the front and the lenses... if a digital back is to be made, will it be based on the current R8 build....or on some new smaller build..... I think the former...Steve - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html