[Leica] LEICA could be clever

[bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen)]

Luis, I would suggest that Leica cannot survive independently because it
has for some time been run by people who have no competency in running
late 20th, early 21st century businesses. The only way it can possibly
"survive" is if another company - Cosina? Canon? - buys it, probably to
come out with a digital rangefinder with an M lens mount which it will
badge Leica, and perhaps to keep the M7 manufacturing going. I believe
it's safe to predict that who ever takes over Leica will do away with
all the special order camera nonsense, and will probably kill off the
MP. 

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Luis Ripoll
Sent: Monday, February 21, 2005 6:20 PM
To: Users Group Leica
Subject: [Leica] LEICA could be clever


Hi all

Every market has this specialised "niches", Leica compared with the all
big volume of the photography market is very small, the core business of
Leica is normally quite away from the philosophy and strategies of other
Companies. I think that I can say that mainly the target of most
companies has be the technology, and modernity (evolution), for Leica
has be quality and durability, maybe even on this sense honesty, because
they have give us a product almost for the live, why modify a good
product?, it has been already improved!.

Where are we going with the digital revolution?, I have the impression
that in less than two years the international market would be saturated,
at this moment many people would start asking himself if they need the
last top technology camera and pay probably more money for it than one
he has spared during a while without buying film, and that his actual
camera has no value.

What will do the digital Companies in two years?, maybe they will start
to see classical companies as Leica?

I don't know how many people, technology, investments could need Leica
to survive in a small reduced dimension, Leica has a small but I think a
very fidelity market. Leica is not on the main mass targets of other
Companies, I think they can continue at least with the lenses.

On the other hand, if you was the boss of one of the big companies who
can buy Leica, do you really think you was interested on it, with a
different product philosophy and with a market who probably thinks on
this case that Leica, the genuine quality, is finish?. I think that if I
was this boss I would like prefer improve my investment on my actual
products (instead to buy Leica), principally if my brand names was
Voigtlander or Zeiss, and Leica would be die himself. (This is the world
of the Sharks).

For these reasons I think if Leica find any solution, the best one,
IMHO, would be found  inside on the Company, with the coherence with his
principles., his core business. I think Leica could be clever, I think
should be clever.

I don't know if you go to qualify me by optimist or pessimist, this is I
appreciate with my business experience.

Saludos desde Barcelona
Luis

_______________________________________________
Leica Users Group.
See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information