Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/09/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I have been a fan, admirer, fanatic , collector, lover and user of Leica products for over 20 years now, but now I've seen what's being announced for the coming Photokina I think Leica has now just about completely lost touch with what is going on. Unless they really pull the cat out of the bag with something fantastic, surprising and affordable I think this will be the beginning of the end.. What with the resurrection of Zeiss Ikon, the new Nikon F6, the Bessa R2A and R3A, RD-1 Fuji with their four thirds and all the other developments like ever cheaper Pro-sumer and Pro DSLRs, it begins to seem that Leica has now totally missed the boat, and that it was the last boat too. Maybe Zeiss/Cosina have been working together on their project for a couple of years, but they at least didn't keep saying when it would be introduced and then postponing it for a year or so. And they have thrown down what appears to be a gauntlet aimed to challenge Leicas last ditch defence, quality. The digital M and R could have been out years ago the M7 too, none of this is new technology. Is Zeiss/Cosina going to become a new standard for quality and innovation? They've got the money, the technology and obviously the people too, to get things moving. What they don't have is the complacency and arrogance which still governs Leicas policies. Ok they still make excellent lenses, at a price. But other people can do it too and nearly as good for half the price. What could the others do for prices in the rarified regions of Leica glass prices?. I think Cosina has proved that they can at relatively reasonable prices. Are we really going to put up with paying a 50% higher price for a red dot or a couple of lpm more. Everyone says " well of course you see the difference when you project slides taken with Leica lenses" or " Enlarging to such and such a size is only possible from Leica negs" but just how many people are still projecting and enlarging these days. Scanning, printing, internet galleries - all digital - we all know that this is where most of us are, where we are going, or at least being led by other, also serious, manufacturers. Why won't those peoplein Solms climb down from their Ivory Tower and start looking reality (and survival) in the face. Or are they just waiting until the right buyer comes along to pull them out of their lethargy and make them competitive. And I do not mean another handbag factory. It may, hopefully, be too soon to say this, but I will miss them all the same. Douglas eric schrieb: > How much faith do we all have in a R digital back to fufill our > digital needs? > Or are most planning to go canon/nikon digital route? > > Eric _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > -- Ihre bevorzugten Shops, hilfreiche Einkaufs-Hilfen und gro?artige Geschenk Ideen. Erleben Sie das Vergn?gen online einzukaufen mit Shop@Netscape! http://shopping.netscape.de/shopping/