Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/10/25

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Subject: [Leica] M8 and the Future
From: abridge at gmail.com (Adam Bridge)
Date: Wed Oct 25 23:15:48 2006
References: <22c93b290610251447k3dfb4b0fgec061c3e0f52bbaa@mail.gmail.com> <C16573B0.1774E%bd@bdcolenphoto.com>

I'm not sure what your point is here, BD.

Or maybe I'm not sure what it means. Suppose Leica doesn't sell
another film camera and everyone only buys a DMR/R9 or an M8. If the
company can keep up with demand, and if the demand is equal to its
film cameras, then they have a winner as a company.

Of course I don't think this is what will happen. Film camera sales
will shrink as digital takes hold. Because it appears that the M8 is a
real winner - making images better than film can produce at high
speeds (over 800) - with excellent work-flow for both color and B&W
operation.

I think the loss of film could be a blessing to Leica. Not, of course
to those who want to shoot film but, as you point out, there will be
some real deals on film cameras.

Adam

On 10/25/06, B. D. Colen <bd@bdcolenphoto.com> wrote:
> The issue isn't just how many M8 bodies Leica will sell - and I'm going to
> guess 2500-3000 the first year, and less in the second - but rather what 
> the
> release of the M8 will do to film camera sales. As we know, Leica is barely
> afloat; the R8-9 has been a loss leader for some time, and the M6 and M7
> were steady, if modest, sellers. But with the introduction of the M8, one
> has to wonder if the sales of new M7s will dwindle to next to nothing,
> because people are unloading their film Ms at bargain prices to purchase
> M8s, making used cameras much more inviting than new ones. So it's unlikely
> the M8 will really add to the Leica bottom line, as, 10 years ago, an
> entry-level M film body might have, but rather will drain film sales. Of
> course it may turn out that the company will succeed in developing a new,
> digital, business model which will revive it and keep it going. It's going
> to be interesting to watch.

Replies: Reply from bd at bdcolenphoto.com (B. D. Colen) ([Leica] M8 and the Future)
In reply to: Message from wooderson at gmail.com (Matt Powell) ([Leica] M8 and the Future)
Message from bd at bdcolenphoto.com (B. D. Colen) ([Leica] M8 and the Future)