Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/01/24

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Subject: [Leica] Doomed: Leica MP 0.58x
From: sethrosner at nycap.rr.com (Seth Rosner)
Date: Mon Jan 24 08:37:45 2005
References: <NEBBJDFBIKOBILIKPPBNCEDKBCAB.red735i@earthlink.net>

Frank Fillipone wrote:

> Someone hears something really
> stupid that Leica is going to do.....Suddenly there is a correction of the 
> "erroneous" data........
>I am never sure about stories like this..........
> I get the feeling that the Boss really does not know what is happening as
> his managers make stupendous blunders, then HE has to fix the situation.
> Time to fire some managers, me thinks.

> I just do not know.......

Stow it, Frank. I've already written that this was entirely my 
misunderstanding. The whole thread was my fault. That's the straight skinny, 
no b.s. Do you want more?

You said a mouthful with: "I just do not know."

Conspiracy-theorists need to take a deep breath.

I do not  know the source of the anger at Leica that is on this list every 
day and whatever the source, I do not understand it. This is a company that 
has delivered absolutely world-class products to photographers for 80 years, 
is under financial pressure because its design, development and product 
policies - make the best product you can with the greatest quality, 
longevity, flexibility and continuity and price it to make a fair profit - 
are inconsistent with today's business mode - make a cheap, "good-enough" 
product, design into the product immediate obsolescence so that buyers are 
compelled in one or two years to throw away the product and replace it with 
another based upon the same premise.

Is Leica struggling with this scenario? Of course. Today's commercial world 
is not consistent with the philosophy that has enabled us to have 50 + 
year-old cameras and lenses that today continue to function as they did when 
they were new and to produce world-class images.

If you divide the cost of my new M4 & DR Summicron outfit in 1967 ($400.) by 
the number of years it has worked wonderfully for me and given me great 
pleasure in its use, the annual cost is a hair over $10. If you divide the 
cost of the obsolescent products marketed today by their lifespans - planned 
from inception - it will be in the thousands of dollars per year. Which is 
"cheaper"?

I believe that Leica Camera will succeed because I believe that there are a 
sufficient number of buyers who care about having the finest gear that can 
be made, not merely "good-enough" to sell. But if Leica Camera does not 
succeed, it will be a business tragedy and one more nail in the coffin of 
quality.

Best regards to all,

Seth             LaK 9 



Replies: Reply from clive.moss at gmail.com (Clive Moss) ([Leica] Doomed: Leica MP 0.58x)
Reply from red735i at earthlink.net (Frank Filippone) ([Leica] Doomed: Leica MP 0.58x)
In reply to: Message from red735i at earthlink.net (Frank Filippone) ([Leica] Doomed: Leica MP 0.58x)