Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/09/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Is Leitz more interested in medical optics, microscopes, etc.? If Leica is just a side interest, then it's probably seen as more of a liability than an asset. I got my stomach scoped last month with a Pentax optical thing they stuck down my esophagus. I'm beginning to pay more attention to what the optical companies are doing for REAL money these days. With so many professional 35mm users going with Canon and digital, I can't blame Leitz for not wanting to pour R&D money into the photography division. Remember when a Volvo would last 11 years and American cars were designed to fall apart after 5? Well, Japanese cars now last 15 years, and American cars are still designed to fall apart after 5. So American and Swedish cars are not in as much demand. Jaguars fall apart after 5 (Ford helped that along). The Leicas that are being produced now (MP and M7) are as good as it gets in rangefinders. They don't need to be better. And my Leicas will live way longer than I will (I'll bet your digital won't). And that's what *really* matters. ;-) Jeffery Smith New Orleans, LA -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+jls=runbox.com@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+jls=runbox.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Douglas M. Sharp Sent: Friday, September 17, 2004 6:27 PM To: Leica Users Group Subject: [Leica] Lost Faith in Leica I have been a fan, admirer, fanatic , collector, lover and user of Leica products for over 20 years now, but now I've seen what's being announced for the coming Photokina I think Leica has now just about completely lost touch with what is going on. Unless they really pull the cat out of the bag with something fantastic, surprising and affordable I think this will be the beginning of the end.. What with the resurrection of Zeiss Ikon, the new Nikon F6, the Bessa R2A and R3A, RD-1 Fuji with their four thirds and all the other developments like ever cheaper Pro-sumer and Pro DSLRs, it begins to seem that Leica has now totally missed the boat, and that it was the last boat too. Maybe Zeiss/Cosina have been working together on their project for a couple of years, but they at least didn't keep saying when it would be introduced and then postponing it for a year or so. And they have thrown down what appears to be a gauntlet aimed to challenge Leicas last ditch defence, quality. The digital M and R could have been out years ago the M7 too, none of this is new technology. Is Zeiss/Cosina going to become a new standard for quality and innovation? They've got the money, the technology and obviously the people too, to get things moving. What they don't have is the complacency and arrogance which still governs Leicas policies. Ok they still make excellent lenses, at a price. But other people can do it too and nearly as good for half the price. What could the others do for prices in the rarified regions of Leica glass prices?. I think Cosina has proved that they can at relatively reasonable prices. Are we really going to put up with paying a 50% higher price for a red dot or a couple of lpm more. Everyone says " well of course you see the difference when you project slides taken with Leica lenses" or " Enlarging to such and such a size is only possible from Leica negs" but just how many people are still projecting and enlarging these days. Scanning, printing, internet galleries - all digital - we all know that this is where most of us are, where we are going, or at least being led by other, also serious, manufacturers. Why won't those peoplein Solms climb down from their Ivory Tower and start looking reality (and survival) in the face. Or are they just waiting until the right buyer comes along to pull them out of their lethargy and make them competitive. And I do not mean another handbag factory. It may, hopefully, be too soon to say this, but I will miss them all the same. Douglas eric schrieb: > How much faith do we all have in a R digital back to fufill our > digital needs? > Or are most planning to go canon/nikon digital route? > > Eric _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > -- Ihre bevorzugten Shops, hilfreiche Einkaufs-Hilfen und gro?artige Geschenk Ideen. Erleben Sie das Vergn?gen online einzukaufen mit Shop@Netscape! http://shopping.netscape.de/shopping/ _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information