Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/08/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]You have to change this mindset that contract manufacturing automatically means a shoddy product, it is not so. And you are wrong - till the advent of the Nikon F in 1959, they were THE camera company. It has only been a niche company from the mid 60s or so, and that because they totally misread the Japanese SLR invasion. Cheers Jayanand On Sun, Aug 17, 2008 at 9:15 AM, Mark Rabiner <mark@rabinergroup.com> wrote: > Leica has been a small premium nitch company since the 20's. > It says Zeiss and the front of as many point and shoots in the Best Buy and > the Staples as it says Leica. How much it really has to do with either > company is anybodies guess. Leica is not about to sell out. > In the future when you buy a Leica its going to be a quality product just > like its always been. An M8 was not chosen for a price point to compete > with > Nikons and Canons. Neither was the M6 or 7 or Mp. > > > > mark@rabinergroup.com > Mark William Rabiner > > > > > From: Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand@gmail.com> > > Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org> > > Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2008 08:18:49 +0530 > > To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org> > > Subject: Re: [Leica] Good and bad Leica news from Amateur Photographer > > Magazine > > > > They have to build lenses in Canon/Nikon mount at the very least to > survive, > > the route Zeiss seems to be taking. They also have to become more of a > > photographic design company rather than a manufacturing one, and go in > for > > contract manufacturing for their needs. Otherwise maintaining expensive > > plants in Germany with dwindling sales is not great. A rise in Leica's > R&D > > expenses will still be minuscule in comparision even to Nikon, leave > alone > > Canon. Actually, they should study Nikon who are also in a similar > position > > in the market, battling behemoths like Canon, Matsushita, Sony, Samsung > etc. > > How do they manage to be the manufacturer of choice? Surely Leica has > enough > > goodwill left to try seriously? Instead of making equipment that is > targeted > > at the rich amateur, however good it may be? > > Cheers > > Jayanand > > > > > > On Sun, Aug 17, 2008 at 2:52 AM, Nathan Wajsman <photo@frozenlight.eu > >wrote: > > > >> The eternal optimist Mark... > >> > >> These numbers are truly dismal, especially since sales of M cameras are > now > >> blamed for the decline. The R line is not even on the radar screen. > >> > >> The best way for Leica to survive is to become part of a larger > >> photo/consumer electronics group with financial resources to fund the > >> necessary product development and marketing. > >> > >> Nathan > >> > >> Nathan Wajsman > >> Alicante, Spain > >> http://www.frozenlight.eu > >> http://www.greatpix.eu > >> http://www.nathanfoto.com > >> > >> Books: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/search?search=wajsman&x=0&y=0 > >> PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws > >> Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> On Aug 16, 2008, at 9:23 PM, Mark Rabiner wrote: > >> > >> > >>> > >>> > http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/news/Leica_Camera_hit_by_fall_in_sales_ > >>> news_265584.html > >>> Or > >>> http://tinyurl.com/5jkyds > >>> > >>> > >>> " Leica recorded a net loss of ?3,850,000, partly caused by a 35% rise > in > >>> research and development spending, adds the German-based firm. " > >>> > >>> I call that good news. > >>> They are trying 35% harder. > >>> > >>> > >>> mark@rabinergroup.com > >>> Mark William Rabiner > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> Leica Users Group. > >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > >>> > >> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Leica Users Group. > >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Leica Users Group. > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >