Leica has stopped making film cameras already in 2009 ?

[maddoc]

... as I just heard from a friend, it is translated from Japanese Asahi Camera magazine (issue from June 20th):

On 30th May, Leica Camera's CEO (?) said in his lecture at the Japan Camera Industry Institute that Leica has already stopped making film bodies.
he also revealed the fact that they had already stopped making them in 2009

Any infos about this ?

 

[Jaques H]

It wouldn't surprise me. After all...film is dead, right?

 

[icebear]

For sure there are enough used film bodies available on the market from the earliest threadmount to the latest MP & M7, so plenty of stuff to happily shoot film. When did you order your last pack of 50 rolls ? I did 3 weeks ago 😉

 

[Keith]

Maybe it just means they have made enough bodies of MP M7 etc to fulfill potential orders for some time to come and have decided to halt production in the meantime because of this!

If they actually ceased production of film cameras period their credibility would go right out the door in most people's eyes I supect. It could happen though I guess if they truly believed that film was kaput!

 

[jonmanjiro]

First I've heard of this. I haven't yet picked up this month's copy of Asahi Camera, so will do so on my way home and see/read for myself!

 

[Gregoryniss]

icebear: i just got 60 rolls a couple days ago!

and this would be a huge bummer if true. Leica = one of the most important players in the film industry to me. Almost as important that they make film cameras as film companies making the actual film.

 

[ampguy]

Well, they make 2000 M bodies a month right? Maybe for now they're filling M9 back orders and M7/MP inventory is doing fine.

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

just before the release of the M9, Leica stated that in the past years they sold more film than digital bodies. makes me wonder why they would completely stop their production at once?

Well, they make 2000 M bodies a month right? Maybe for now they're filling M9 back orders and M7 inventory is doing fine.

good point.

 

[kossi008]

I would second Keith's interpretation, and I would be wary of lost nuances.

I mean, come on: a German CEO holds a talk in Japan, most probably in English. This is reported in a Japanese journal and re-translated into English by someone else.

Easy to see how "halt production" could become "stop production", eh?

 

[Gregoryniss]

good points kossi, ampguy, and keith. let's hope something along those lines is correct haha

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

Leica still offers the a la carte program on their website, order your custom MP while you still can!

 

[maddoc]

Leica still offers the a la carte program on their website, order your custom MP while you still can!

That`s what I heard, too. The a la carte Leica can still be ordered new.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Another vote for poor translation. It's always batch production, so I'd not be surprised if they hadn't made any M7/MP for a while. I would however be very surprised if they stopped making them altogether. I recall reading somewhere that 90-95% of Ms being sold are M9s. Maybe I can get a straight answer in Arles.

Cheers,

R.

 

[johannielscom]

In Dutch we say 'broodje aap verhaal', i.e. a 'monkey sandwich story'.

Another vote for the lost-in-translation approach.

 

[jonmanjiro]

I would second Keith's interpretation, and I would be wary of lost nuances.

I mean, come on: a German CEO holds a talk in Japan, most probably in English. This is reported in a Japanese journal and re-translated into English by someone else.

Easy to see how "halt production" could become "stop production", eh?

Maybe so, but I think the Japanese readers would be just as sensitive to the difference in meaning as people obviously are in this thread. Not something that Asahi Camera would want to get wrong.

Looking forward to reading the magazine for myself later tonight!

 

[maddoc]

Here is the original Japanese title from the actual issue of the magazine:

緊急速報
銀塩ライカ「撤退」の衝撃！
赤城耕一　ほか


[撤退] translates to "distraction, withdrawal, cancellation"


Of course I could be wrong ...

 

[Keith]

Another vote for poor translation. It's always batch production, so I'd not be surprised if they hadn't made any M7/MP for a while. I would however be very surprised if they stopped making them altogether. I recall reading somewhere that 90-95% of Ms being sold are M9s. Maybe I can get a straight answer in Arles.

Cheers,

R.

That's a scary statistic IMO.

All it takes is some soulless automaton in a boardroom to look at a stat like that and thinking ... "Maybe we should drop these film cameras and concentrate wholely on our digital future?"

Hopefully the good doctor would never let this happen ... but he is a businessman after all who has to consider the future of his company!

 

[Nugard]

Oh-oh-oh-oh!.. Hurry, hurry, hurry!.. Buy your new mp's and m7's!..

I hope everybody will catch my point here...

Also, I double for monkey sandwich...

 

[kshapero]

I thought all we do is shuffle used ones around anyway.😀

 

[johnny.moped]

This is from 2009: http://vimeo.com/4413750