Leica Addresses Rumor It's Not Making Film Cameras, Interview, Facility Tour, (Video)

I didn't watch the video but I'd expect a "slow motion" production line considering that they only sell about 100 - 150 MP/M7 cameras a month.

Jim B.
 
Heck, even their M9 production is less than that. At one point at PMA (this past March) they were 4500 units backordered just to the US.
 
They can build them to order pretty much.

I bet they don't build that many of the $6000 pro Nikon-Canon bodies either, maybe only a factor of 10x, not 100x.
 
How many K1000's did they make? Runaway successes like that are more the exception in the film camera world, even less so today.
 
horosu said:
Check the date of the video: it says 05. May 2009!
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I know, I know - that was already pointed out/addressed. ...but the article from the (I assume) respected British Journal of Photography that linked to it was published August 26, 2010. Weird.
 
Frank Petronio said:
They can build them to order pretty much.

I bet they don't build that many of the $6000 pro Nikon-Canon bodies either, maybe only a factor of 10x, not 100x.
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True, Frank. I'm just surprised that they're that small. It would seem to me that their volume is so low that Leica "Corp" is keeping the film camera business going as a source of pride at this point. - Just keeping the name and tradition alive.

I don't know if I totally agree with your volume estimates on the Nikon-Canon pro bodies. Seems like most pros in the world (and amateurs who would have otherwise bought a Leica system if digital didn't exist) would have at least one Canon or Nikon pro body. But that's just a guess on my part.

EDIT: Love your photos in the gallery by the way. (What red-blooded male wouldn't?) And congrats are in order for your recent profile!
 
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I suspect that the batch-building of the cameras means that the only ultra-active area would be M9 assembly. It isn't as though they have to run automated assembly-lines flat out to make a profit after all, the whole manner of working is different to the mass-production companies.

The comments from the owner quoted elsewhere do suggest that most of the film-cameras ordered nowadays are 'specials' of one sort or another via the a-la-carte program etc. The days of zillions of M3's (for example) going out the door are over. That doesn't mean that they will stop assembling film M's at this volume, but that they are realistic about how many standardized new ones they can ever sell.
 
This is where their "build the very best" and charge a premium model comes back to haunt them. Most people who buy Leicas (again, anecdotally "seems to me") buy used. They're simply more affordable, you don't lose much - if anything, over purchasing new, and some actually prefer shooting a classic M3 (say) over a 7 or an MP. If the used market wasn't so robust for these cameras...
 
The reason the secondhand market is so robust, is because the cameras are so well put together I'd guess. There are probably a couple of curves to be drawn against time - how many people want to shoot a Leica, and available supply. The number of available cameras has been matching the number of potential users for some time now ?
 
NickTrop said:
This is where their "build the very best" and charge a premium model comes back to haunt them. Most people who buy Leicas (again, anecdotally "seems to me") buy used. They're simply more affordable, you don't lose much - if anything, over purchasing new, and some actually prefer shooting a classic M3 (say) over a 7 or an MP. If the used market wasn't so robust for these cameras...
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Good Point. I've often wondered about this as well. Used transactions must outweigh new by a large margin. If I was Leica, I would start installing self destruct programs so that the new product explode after so long, forcing us to buy only new ones! :D
 
Let's not forget that Leica was nicely profitable in the last quarter. Their current model lineup, marketing, etc., seems to be working.

Jim B.
 
it's a funny cleanroom, though. She wears a hair cap but not gloves.
If i went like that to the cleanroom at my work, i'd be fired the same day :D
although we make similar toys :D
 
MartinP said:
The reason the secondhand market is so robust, is because the cameras are so well put together I'd guess. There are probably a couple of curves to be drawn against time - how many people want to shoot a Leica, and available supply. The number of available cameras has been matching the number of potential users for some time now ?
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True to a point but if I was in the market for an MP for example I wouldn't be contemplating new when I can pick up a mint example for two thirds of new price or less.

And how many people are sitting back waiting for Leica to release an M9.2 or M10 so that they can own an M9 without selling one of their children into slavery!

The bottom feeders are very important players in the food chain! :D

My point is that people buy used Leicas because they refuse to pay new price as they perceive it to be to high for a new off the shelf item with limited capabilities. The reputation for reliability is only part of it IMO ... and amazingly that wasn't sulliied too much by the M8!
 
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Japan is Leica's best market

Japan is Leica's best market

This is an interesting-fun website about film cameras used in Japan.

"People who shoot film simply do because they choose to, and the Photo Culture of Tokyo is full of film camera users. When I meet them out on the streets I ask to photograph their camera, and usually post it here the same day. All of the photos were shot with a Ricoh GRDII. I trust that this irony is not lost on anyone."


http://tokyocamerastyle.com/
 
To Nick's point (and Fred's as well) regarding the size of Leica; I do recall reading somewhere that Leica had a grand old number of 400 (give or take 50 maybe) employees total... not a lot for a "major camera manufacturer" - so it never surprises me when there may be a shift in how/what/when they produce something; given that the 400+/- employees have to not only manufacture, but keep books, manage staff, sell/advertise, etc. etc. etc.

As an Addendum to the British Journal Of Photography link.. I note that they also reported on the new CEO for Leica on August 27, 2010:
http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/1730032/new-ceo-leica

Cheers,
Dave
 
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