Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/01/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Leica partnered with Minolta to produce the CL, and Panasonic put out the Leica digital P&S models. So working with Japanese outfits isn't new for Leica. This is just speculation, but it's possible that Canon might buy a small percentage of Leica stock as payment for R&D in the development of a digital M. But that investment in Leica wouldn't represent a takeover. Canon doesn't fear Leica as a competitor because Leica doesn't conflict with Canon lines. Canon doesn't hand finish manual lenses and never will. That's a Leica niche. It's very possible that Canon and Leica managements think that a well designed Leica digital M body will be a profitable investment and the R&D can lead to breakthroughs that could be applied to the popular Canon digital lines. The upshot is that Leica Solms will follow its own destiny with some help from its friends. Bob R