Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/02/27
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Leica's association with Panasonic is not new, so from that point of view this announcement is just a continuation of what was already in place. The value of the Leica brand will be a moot point if the company goes bankrupt. It needs new revenue, badly, and providing lenses to Panasonic is an excellent way to achieve that and to get a foothold in the corner of the digital imaging field beyond the DMR. As to viability of the 4/3 format, the jury is out on that--as others have said, if the sensor technology improves to the point that 800 or 1600 speed is good, then the 4/3 format has many attractions in terms of the compact bodies and lenses. In the meantime, Leica gets some badly needed additional sales. I am not a business professor, but I manage a company, and I see this partnership as a win-win for both parties. Nathan Steven A. Melnyk wrote: > I am confused by this series of moves for several reasons. First, as > a business professor, this move does not make sense because it > degrades the value of the Leica brand. Leica has always been > associated with high quality, high end products. Olympus, Kodak and > Panasonic are considered "prosumer" at best. Panasonic benefits; > Leica does not. Second, as a photographer, I have followed what is > happening in the camera field. We see that Konica/Minolta has left > the camera field. In my opinion, Pentax is next to go. Olympus is > not strong. I am not sure off the attractiveness of the 4/3 standard > (especially since the big boys are not playing in it). Third, the > reviews on the olympus systems ((as seen in dpreview) have not been > that outstanding. This seems to be a good system with low ISO > settings but one that deteriorates at the higher ISO levels. > ' > In short, I am not convinced of the long term validity of the 4/3 > standard. I am not sure that Leica does itself any benefit by > aligning itself with this standard. Past history tells us that when > there are several standards, only one or two will emerge as the > dominate standard. In a world dominated by Canon and Nikon, I am not > sure of the long term viability of this standard. I may be wrong but > history would argue against the 4/3 standard. > > Steven A. Melnyk > Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management > Michigan State University > melnyk@msu.edu > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > -- Nathan Wajsman Almere, The Netherlands SUPPORT FREEDOM OF SPEECH, BUY DANISH PRODUCTS! General photography: http://www.nathanfoto.com Picture-A-Week: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws Seville photography: http://www.fotosevilla.com Stock photography: http://www.alamy.com/search-results.asp?qt=wajsman http://myloupe.com/home/found_photographer.php?photographer=507 Prints for sale: http://www.photodeluge.com Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog