[Leica] Re: LUG Digest, Vol 30, Issue 260

[FELIXMATURANA at telefonica.net (Félix López de Maturana)]

>Although what Canon DOES have sewn up for sure are the very VISIBLE photo
>jobs. The media stuff. They pushed that successfully and the conception or
>perception the put across on TV ads quickly matched the reality.
>Actually as I've said on the LUG a number of times if you see a sea of white
>long lenses it does not make an automatic Canon add. As there are plenty of
>such looking lenses made by Nikon. You'd have to check the logs on the
>cameras first before you made any final conclusions. Make sure they are not
>of the peal off sort. But sure I'm sure on such things few are Nikon.
>An article I mentioned on the LUG before I read and passed on to other
>LugNuts says that although Canon has pushed the highly visible to the public
>media stuff the working commercial photo stiffs back in their boring low
>visibility studios shooting toaster ovens and wedding receptions still have
>not sold their Nikons. This was more than an opinion thing it was apparently
>based on some real statistics. Two years ago though.
>
>But this new Canon body if Nikon does not respond in say 10 days is going to
>be a blow to the mindsets of Nikon owners.
>Three grand 12 megapixels full frame is that it?
>Nikons going to need all the aces they've got up their sleeves laid on the
>table NOW.
>I'd assume they have one or two. ... That they were planning on releasing in
>the months to seasons to come. They'll have to shorten that game plan to
>"days" to come. Hours.
>
>
>Mark Rabiner
>Photography
>Portland Oregon
>http://rabinergroup.com/

The group to whom my family shops chain belongs ? 35% of the Spanish 
market which is an European country not a third world one-has commented 
me as follow concerning the future lines of photographic market.

- analogical photography is collapsing; Leica is flagrantly diminishing
- Nikon is coming back to the abandoned full frame DSLR ?which had big 
qualities issues- The D200 is imminent but seems to be APS format.
- Lots of pros have switched last years from Nikon to Canon. This 
information comes from sales figures and for the incredible amount of 
second hand gear every shop has for sale. The tendency has, nonetheless, 
decreased something last months but never invert due to the launching of 
the very good ?while noising- Nikon D2X
- Canon has a two successive steps strategy for their future:
1. APS for consumers and FF for prosumers and pros. Converging 1Ds and 
1D in a +20Mpixels 8 FPS that has prototypes working on the spot with 
sensor quality presence but minor speed issues.
2. Full format in every camera with Mpixels and body constructions ?and 
cost of course- different for pros and consumers. This is the main 
reason for the nowadays lack of true L lenses ?top Canon quality- for 
their APS DSLR cameras.

This scenario makes me wonder

- How can afford Leica the necessary founds for remaining in this kind 
of race. No doubts about the M and R digital quality -16 bits or not - 
but it?s necessary for the quick technology development quite a lot of 
R&D to be competitive.
- What kind of strong effort has to make Nikon- and other brands- to 
compete with Canon as otherwise Canon may keep very high their prices.


These are the opinion of people well in touch with men from the 
mentioned firms not official information. I believe them and while using 
Canon ?among many others including Leica- I strongly wish other brands 
?Leica too of course- remain on the race in order to get better and 
cheaper products.

Felix