Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/09/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Well, I do not think film is dead--35mm color negative film probably is, but the B&W stuff, high-end slide film (though not Kodachrome I am afraid) and the larger formats will undoubtedly continue to exist. But we all know that Leica as a company has to find a way to play a role in the digital world, otherwise IT is dead. The Digiluxes were actually a promising strategy, in that they coupled Leica's excellence in making lenses with Panasonic's electronics experience. The end product was not to everyone's liking, but at least it was a step in the right direction. The DMR is a bit of kludge, sort of like the Visoflex 40 years ago--a stopgap measure until they can come out with a proper digital body, just as the Visoflex was something to tide Leica over until they could come out with a proper SLR. In this context it is disheartening to see Leica come out with a 8K Euro retro camera which is clearly not indended for photographers. Everything in the marketing copy that was posted says "collectors"--the price, the artificial scarcity (only 1000 to be made) etc. I used to say that all these special editions were a good thing if they gave Leica some extra cash with which to develop new products, but I am no longer so sure. Leica is a small company, and even though the product development that went into this is modest, it is still a distraction and does use some resources that could be better used elsewhere in the company. Now, it may be that I am wrong, and that LHSA members will enthusiastically snap up this offering; assuming Leica has a 5K margin on each unit, this would provide a nice 5 million EUR cash injection, which for a company of Leica's size and with its financial problems is material. But somehow I doubt it; I suspect that this is going to end up more like the original LHSA cameras which one sees languishing at dealers, discounted down to a level not much above the regular corresponding equipment. Nathan Doug Herr wrote: > on 9/17/05 1:33 AM, Rick Dykstra at rdcb37@dodo.com.au wrote: > > >>Well I must say chaps, I'm a bit surprised at all the negativity on >>this one. I would imagine that every buyer of an MP would've been >>quite happy if it had been just like this MP3. It's great. And why >>not? If one is after a really nice MP as a treat, and a 50 1.4 >>Aspherical, then this would be just the ticket. > > > I think the primary objection is the price; it's clearly intended for > collectors instead of users. But then I'm reminded nearly every day on > this > and other forums that film is dead and digital is the only way to go, > particularly among wildlife photographers. Perhaps Leica is smarter than > we > think: if serious photographers are using digtial capture, who aside from a > collector would buy any film camera? :-( > > Doug Herr > Birdman of Sacramento > http://www.wildlightphoto.com > > P.S. I ordered more film this week. > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > -- Nathan Wajsman Almere, The Netherlands General photography: http://www.nathanfoto.com Seville photography: http://www.fotosevilla.com Stock photography: http://www.alamy.com/search-results.asp?qt=wajsman http://myloupe.com/home/found_photographer.php?photographer=507 Prints for sale: http://www.photodeluge.com