Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/04/30

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica in big trouble
From: D Khong <dkhong@pacific.net.sg>
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 19:14:11 +0000

>Leica must be in big trouble. Ex-manager I. Lopez, Volkswagen and General
Motors will 
>make up the reorganisation of Leica in Germany ! Hope he woun`t buy cheap
parts for Leica in 
>Taiwan or China for M or R.
>Keep your good old Leicas, by them now before it`s to late !
>
>Wolfgang / Germany
>

The world is changing very rapidly.  In my father's time, he never borrowed
to buy stuffs and he looked for quality goods that will last... even if it
was not so pretty... certainly not something fancy and temperal.  Even his
marriage to my mom lasted and lasted.

I am in that watershed period.  I am just over 45 years old.  I straddle my
dad's era and the next.

Today, my kids are brought up with in an era that preaches, "Enjoy", "Use
and discard" and what have you.   A solid M6 body alone is almost
Sing$2800.  Then you had to brave another $1000 to get a used 35/2
summicron NON-asph.  My neighbour next door can get a glitzy N**** at
Sing$1200 and pay another $1000 to get a top of the range f2.8 zoom bomb,
plus another $500 for that fancy flash which can go TTL/matrix metered what
have you, front and rear curtained job and boasts a whopper of a light
output.  All for less than the price of a M6 body.  The he's got AF which
gets almost 100 PERCENT sharp pics while I am still struggling with manual
focus.  When he gets fed up with his rig, he upgrades to the latest model
by paying a small price.  Even if he does not do that, what's a few quids
to let his camera gather dust and fungus by displaying it on his shelf,

However, inspite of all those attributes granted to the competitors, we
leicaphiles are a happy lot talking SM vs M-mount, and how a SM lens could
be used on an M-camera.  Everytime a SM lens is purchased to fit an M6,
Solms loses business.  By being loyal to leica users through ensuring that
the older lenses are compatible with modern equipment, Leica is driving
more nails into its own coffin.

Business survival is the order of the modern day.  New business management
WILL make sure that Leica must continue to exist... even if Taiwan plastics
are used, Timbuktoo glass is melted, and Gondwanaland chips are utilised.
Yes, keep your existing leicas by all means and buy old leicas for its
longevity.  The question you will have to ask yourselves is this, "Are your
children and your grandchildren prepared to share your passions, your
dreams and your love for Leicas and pay the price for it in this rapidly
changing world?"

Dan K.