RE: [Leica] new Digilux arriving?

[Alan Ball <AlanBall@csi.com>]

On lundi 17 mai 1999 12:05, Bernard [SMTP:5521.g23@g23.relcom.ru] wrote:
> Why? Digital products become outdated 6 (or less) months after they hit
> the shelves, so they should be discontinued continuously, to be replaced
> with the next piece of consumer-grade nonsense for the public to hype
> about... for a few months.

Bernard,
Agreed: the rate of introduction of 'next generation' technology is 
extremely fast right now, and forces the suppliers to renew their ranges 
every 6 months and/or reduce dramatically the prices of current items.

Fuji has now integrated a two megapixel CCD into a camera very similar to 
the one  it had licensed to Leica in its 1 megapixel form.

So, why did Leica introduce the Digilux if it was to abandon the range as 
soon as the newer technology appeared ? If that camera's lifecycle was 
indeed very short, Fuji shows its dedication by offering upgraded products 
as soon as technology allows it. The Digilux experience seems today 
incoherent. Kind of an accidental one-shot experiment. And not maintaining 
the range throws Leica back out of the eyes of the mainstream digital 
market. I'm sure plenty of people who are ready to fork out 1,200+ USD for 
a compact digital camera are ready to pay a reasonable premium for the red 
dot and a Leica lens. The Digilux, if no milestone, was certainly not worse 
a concept than most of Leica's compact film cameras.

The 4 megapixel CCDs are appearing, and they, at last, will offer a 
challenge to glass: optics will soon be an issue on the digital market. It 
would be nice to see Leica becoming an actor there.


> But if Leica were to supply a digital back for the R8, I hereby promise
> to buy one, regardless of the resolution; it would do great as a
> "polaroid" back.

Sure, and it will be used as much more than a Polaroid back, you'll see: 
those digital backs for 35mm SLRs and the high end digital compact cameras 
are becoming pervasive in quite a few professional assignements, where 
speed and integration in the pre-press flow are higher requirements than 
ultimate image quality. I see them all over the place (coverage of 
demonstrations, various news events, press conferences, etc).

Alan