Re: [Leica] Leica's position at the end of the millenium

[Stephen <cameras@jetlink.net>]

> Erwin wrote:
>
> "Leica cannot stay complacent and new models or variants of models are
> needed, but not because of this competition but because the Leica way
> of photography needs some  fresh rethinking. That is Leica should
> develop their own philosophy of taking photographs by looking back
> into their roots.  The future for Leica is not the Hexar RF. As soon
> as a company strays away from its roots and just copies the
> competition (however excellent that may be), then we may pray and
> hope. The strength of Leica has always been their independent and
> unique view  on photographic instruments and their ability to design
> very effective tools for taking pictures."

Leica has wonderful wonderful optics, but is very resource low on up to date
camera body technology.

It only took Leica 3 years to achieve anything as hopelessly  ordinary and old
fashioned as a R8 winder.   Most if not all of their digital and AF compacts are
not Leica products, but rebadged Japanese products  (Fuji or Minolta,  I am
told).     If anyone hasn't noticed, the R8 is a manual focus camera because
Leica has not been able to develop an AF SLR system.

While I agree with Erwin in wishing Leica could develop its own independent
path,   the truth is Leica isn't staying up to date in camera body technology
because it can't.

Priced below the M6, and without a clear cut knock out of technological
features,  the Hexar RF may have some ill effects on M6 sales, but the real
threat is the yet to arrive Cosina Voigtlander RF.   It's price is likely to be
less than a third of the M6.  While it won't equal the M6,  it will have a much
higher dollar to performance value -- knocking out many otherwise first time M6
buyers.

It remains to be seen how good a camera the Hexar RF is,  or if a version of it
will be a rebadged M7,  but it will be fascinating to see how Leica responds to
the new challenges of the Japanese RF's.

Stephen Gandy