[Leica] Photokina - Film Dinosaur Button

[bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen)]

Interesting, Bob - But I hardly think Hermes and its boutiques are going
to have any impact what so ever on who does or does not produce film,
and on what the "outcome" of film v. digital will be. For Gds sake, Bob,
that battle is over, finished. Digital IS the dominant medium already,
and will only grow stronger.

And, yes, Hermes could conceivably keep Leica 'alive.' But..how sad. Is
that really 'alive.' It's one thing to be thought of as the camera of
Henri Cartier-Bresson. It's another to be thought of as some rich guy's
toy available in red octopus. ;-)

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Thinkofcole@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2004 11:29 AM
To: lug@leica-users.org
Subject: [Leica] Photokina - Film Dinosaur Button 


Everybody here seems to have covered most of the  problems facing Leica
today.
    As we now can see clearly, I believe, Leica has decided  to
concentrate 
largely on producing the finest lenses money can buy and to turn  over
the 
production of Leica cameras to proven Japanese camera manufacturers --
of course, 
with Leica engineering. 
   That brings up Hermes, the fashion company -- and one-third  owner of
what 
Hermes must believe is the best camera in the world. Why  else would
Hermes 
see promise in Leica, a camera used by dinosaurs like us?  Why else
would it 
buy a third-interest -- not enough for control but enough to  exercise a
major 
voice in the future of Leica. 
   Up to now, the full Leica line has been available  only from 
Leica-franchised dealers [if you don't count grey marketeers and used
camera dealers]. 
That will still be the case, I believe, but if Hermes has its  way,
wherever 
Hermes scarves and ties and perfume and whatever else Hermes sells  to
people with 
Real Money, Leica cameras will also be displayed-- and widely  sold for
lots 
of money. 
   When a woman goes into a Hermes store, which seem to be almost
everywhere 
on the planet,  she may buy her husband or boyfriend a few  ties at
possibly 
$50 or more each and then order a $5,000 Leica in red  octopus skin, for

delivery at Christmas, an idea that must have come from some  genius in
the Hermes 
design department. After all, people who shop in places  like Vuitton,
Patek, 
Givenchy, Cartier, Loewe and Hermes, to name a  few, don't really care
what 
things cost; they  just pull out their  credit card and sign on the
dotted line. 
At least, that's how how I see  it.
   Who else but a designer at a place like Hermes would conceive  of an
idea 
to promote a custom-made Leica -- just like custom-made shoes, hat,
handbag, 
gloves or attache case. What difference if it costs a lot of money and,

getting back to the red-leather Leica, who cares if it just lies in the
customer's 
drawer most of the time; nobody else has one like it and it's "just  
beautiful.'' [Moreover, custom-made Leicas are not a new idea for Leica;
we all  know 
that several famous Leica photographers in the Thirties, Forties and
Fifties 
had Leicas and Leica lenses made to their individual specifications,
although 
probably none with any unusual covering other than black. Like Henry
Ford's 
Model T.]
  Thus:
          (1)  Leica will  be with us for a long time. 
          (2)  Leica lens  mounts will become standard throughout the 
industry. 
          (3)  Regardless  of what the major film makers decide in
Britain, 
Germany and the United States,  35mm film will be available everywhere,
most 
likely largely from Fuji and other  Japanese producers. 
          (4)  Leica  cameras will become available more widely and, 
gradually, more dealers will  spring up throughout the world.
          (5)   Zeiss-Ikon will be there, too, along with Voightlander,
Cosina
Rolleiflex and, it seems, others. 
          (6)  Digital  cameras will grow rapidly and become en even
larger 
competitor.
          (7)   Competition will decide what system dominates.
          (8)   Newspapers, magazines and television will get
advertising 
allotments -- and,  therefore, promote Leica and the others more often.
          (9)  Most  important: We'll all be here until we join Sal
DiMarco 
Jr. -- bob cole
          
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