RE: [Leica] Ted Grant's Ravings

["Kotsinadelis, Peter (Peter)" <peterk@lucent.com>]

Maybe rebadging the Konica?  May be a quick and simple anwer.  It would be
really interesting if they wound up selling the Leica Camera division.  I
doubt that it would be Konica since their main income is derived from
business equipment these days.  Maybe Sigma would buy them?  They have
always tried the niche with camera bodies but have not done well.  This may
be the answer.

Peter K

- -----Original Message-----
From: Ted Grant [mailto:tedgrant@islandnet.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2000 8:39 AM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Ted Grant's Ravings


Stephen Gandy wrote:

>Ted I agree with most of what you say, but this is hardly an "either or"
>world.   When Leica does make some sort of major M6 update, it's hard to
>believe today's mechanical M6 would be discontinued.   Why not both
>cameras in the Leica lineup ?
>
>However something is broken, but it's not the camera -- it's the lack of
black
>ink in Solms.

<<< The "Ain't broke and needs no fixin'!" argument at Leica makes no sense
to me when the little boat is slowly sinking in a sea of red ink.
Something has to be done, and it needs to work.>>>

Hi Stephen,
Quite right! The profit of the company, like the rest of us who run our
own, has to make money, period!  Isn't that why we own our own business?
And that's one of the facts of economic life.

And Solms isn't running a "Leica Benevolent Society" there has to be profit
for share holders.

And I agree with you, they should have some kind of "entry level body."
Wasn't the RE supposed to be an entry body to get people into the R camera?

Who knows, maybe as we write, Leica has a model to challenge the new
rangefinder cameras coming to market, but have just kept lips tight so they
can come on with a major bang and bump the upstarts out of the way. (to be
seen to be believed)

A company can go on so long in the red, no matter how fine the product is,
when eventually someone pulls the plug.  Be a shame if that happens. But
I'm always trying to think positive and that they'll see the light, fool
everyone, and come out with an interesting economical new M lens camera.

Only time will tell.

ted

Ted Grant
This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler.
http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant