Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/06/01

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Subject: Re: [Leica] [Fwd: scanner]
From: Darrell Jennings <darrell_jennings@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 1 Jun 2002 09:03:35 -0700 (PDT)

Leica (like any company) doesn't have limitless funds
for product development. Given the quality of the
scanners on the market (even low cost ones like the
very fine Epson 2450) why would Leica move into that
market. It is about making choices.  Want more lenses,
more features, or a digital R or M? Then don't ask for
a Leica scanner because I doubt they could afford
both. 

I think Leica is a company that has done a good job of
focus (no pun intended for those 75mm f1.4 users) by
evolving the M, and aiming at a niche where they can
be successful. There is simply not a mass market to
support a German made F5 or EOS IV due to the cost
structure in Germany. The this market focus, Leica has
found a way to be a fairly successful small company
rather than a failed large one. 

- --- S Dimitrov <sld@earthlink.net> wrote:
> Let's go back to square one! The issue from the
> beginning has been
> having a Leica optic in the neg. scanner. As I
> mentioned earlier, Leica
> need not reinvent the wheel by making a wholly new
> scanner, just as they
> have not created a digital camera from scratch. Even
> the venerable 40mm
> WA-Focotar, which stood unchallenged for a whole
> generation, has S/K roots.
> All I want IS to be able to get it on paper after I
> got it ON the negative.
> And yes, I'm also waiting for their digital SLR
> body, hopefully a full frame.
> Slobodan Dimitrov
> 
> 
> Austin Franklin wrote:
> > 
> > Slobodan,
> > 
> > The point is your beliefs WRT to scanning film
> etc. are "unwarranted".
> > Though Leica images DO have an edge over most
> others, that edge has to do
> > with getting the image ON the film, not getting it
> OFF the film.
> > 
> > I also don't believe Leica could make a scanner
> any better (if even as good)
> > than other people do.  It's a different set of
> skills, and I doubt they have
> > them.  They MAY/COULD make a flat field lense for
> a scanner, but other than
> > that, there is nothing they can do better than
> anyone else.  Most all the
> > components of a scanner are off the shelf, unlike
> a camera, where most every
> > item is strictly custom.
> > 
> > If they wanted to spend their time doing something
> interesting, they should
> > make a full frame digital SLR, IMO.
> > 
> >
> --
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Replies: Reply from S Dimitrov <sld@earthlink.net> (Re: [Leica] [Fwd: scanner])