Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/06/26

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Digital Back - I like the first step!
From: Teresa299@aol.com
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 14:50:00 EDT

In a message dated 6/26/03 11:18:15 AM, mvhoward@mac.com writes:

<< Again, you're missing the point: A Ferrari Enzo, or Aston-Martin 
Vanquish offers something that no-one else does: the experience is 
UNIQUE.  If you drop around $1M on an Enzo (should you be one of the 
select few whom Ferrari allows to buy one), it's because it is a 
completely unique product.  The same is true, but to a slightly lesser 
extent, of the Vanquish. >>

Yes, well you seem to be missing the point that this digital back thingie 
fits onto the back of a LEcia R9.   If you appreciate Leica glass then you think 
of it as a ferrari or something germanically exotic.  Or maybe you don't.  

<<What I find bizarre is that Leica as a company 
choose to pursue an overpriced, outdated technology, for a minimal 
market, without actually offering any benefit over competitors of any 
kind -- except, of course, a red roundel.

Or maybe they just consider themselves in a league of their own and 
they don't have competitors.>>

I'm not sure, but I'd hazard a guess that Leica doesn't quite have the RD 
resources that Canon does.  Maybe I'm wrong.  But it seems like all the big 
players are playing catchup to Canon's wrap-up of marketing/advertising/get there 
first strategy.  If the big guys like olympus pentax minolta/konica nikon are 
having a time of it, do you really expect Leica to produce some cutting edge 
stand alone tech that now creates three major lines, the M, the R and the D 
series?  I suspect they decided to employ this strategy hoping that it gives them 
a few years to stay positioned in the SLR/D marketplace, and perhaps even pick 
up some new users who can no longer buy traditional SLR's because some of the 
older camera makers are discontinuing them.   Realistically, who knows how 
long the now major digital players will be putting RD into new traditional 
camera bodies.

Maybe I'm wrong and someone with greater marketing experience and knowledge 
of the camera industry can offer an accurate view of the situation.

- -kim
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Replies: Reply from "Bas" <bas@baswip.com> (Re: [Leica] Digital Back - I like the first step!)