Where Are the Leica X2 Rumors?

[bwcolor]

It seems to me that a few well placed rumors released right before the X100 arrives in stores would be a smart counter for Leica. Of course, that assumes that they have a smart reply to the X100. Perhaps, they once again go their own way and rely upon those that buy a name.

 

[Keith]

Fuji will probably sell more X100's in the first year of manufacture than Leica have sold cameras period for the last five years or longer!

I can just see a boardroom somewhere in Germany with Leica execs passing an X100 back and forth to each other and wondering how they can make anything that can possibly compete with it!

Too late IMO ... the bus has left town and the only people capable of running it down will be Nikon and Canon.

 

[hteasley]

Too late IMO ... the bus has left town and the only people capable of running it down will be Nikon and Canon.

Not sure they care, though, nor should they. They just had their best quarter since they went public. They have a premium marque that folks pay big money for, and it requires a not-very-scalable production line. I heard about the production of one of the earlier Noctiluxes, when there were only two people that could make them. When one got sick, their production halved. They don't scale super-well, and probably can't handle tons more success than they have.

They partner with Panasonic for lower markets.

 

[dave lackey]

I would agree... Leica is no doubt aware of all the cameras on the market but they are doing quite well thank you. I don't think you will ever see them drop down to the lower priced markets with a camera emblazoned with Leica. That would definitely be a marketing disaster for a prestige camera firm.

I somehow think they know what they are doing. No worries.🙂🙂

 

[Keith]

I agree ... Leica don't need to compete with the X100. Their market is somewhat niche and always will be.

And as you say ... they're doin' OK!

 

[Sparrow]

.... maybe they'll just re-badge the x100, it needs a red dot anyway imo

 

[leicashot]

I agree ... Leica don't need to compete with the X100. Their market is somewhat niche and always will be.

And as you say ... they're doin' OK!

Keith Leica do need to compete with the X100. Both are niche products in the same market, competing for the same consumers, only at slightly different price points. Leica can only justify such a price when (perceived) performance exceeds or meets their competitor's products. From what I can see so far, the X100 will far exceed the X1, and probably the X2. Fuji have managed to leapfrog Leica in this market segment.

I also believe that the X100 may even sway away potential M9 buyers initially, but will eventually push them towards an M10 down the track, when the interest in such rangefinder-esk cameras' popularity increases. I've never seen such a buzz about a digital camera yet, and yes the Leica M series has paved the way for Fuji to come in an grab a chunk of the market, but at the same time, highlight the usefulness of rangefinder-type cameras.

 

[Keith]

Keith Leica do need to compete with the X100. Both are niche products in the same market, competing for the same consumers, only at slightly different price points. Leica can only justify such a price when (perceived) performance exceeds or meets their competitor's products. From what I can see so far, the X100 will far exceed the X1, and probably the X2. Fuji have managed to leapfrog Leica in this market segment.

I also believe that the X100 may even sway away potential M9 buyers initially, but will eventually push them towards an M10 down the track, when the interest in such rangefinder-esk cameras' popularity increases. I've never seen such a buzz about a digital camera yet, and yes the Leica M series has paved the way for Fuji to come in an grab a chunk of the market, but at the same time, highlight the usefulness of rangefinder-type cameras.

There are a lot of people out there though who've been sufficiently blinded by the red dot to follow Leica's every move with open check books. Maybe they are becoming a fading market though?

Smart move on Fuji's part to make their new gizmo look so much like like a Leica M but perform like nothing Leica have made yet! 😀

 

[skibeerr]

"Smart move on Fuji's part to make their new gizmo look so much like like a Leica M but perform like nothing Leica have made yet! "
Keith

Amen to that.

W

 

[rover]

When we have fully vetted out all the specs, done comparisons to the Fuji X200 and Canon Canonet QL18 DIII and Minolta, yes Minolta, Himatic 7DII, someone volunteer to send an email to these guys.

http://leicarumors.com/

 

[rxmd]

I also believe that the X100 may even sway away potential M9 buyers initially, but will eventually push them towards an M10 down the track

The X100 is the new Leica CL.

 

[rover]

I also believe that the X100 may even sway away potential M9 buyers initially, but will eventually push them towards an M10 down the track, when the interest in such rangefinder-esk cameras' popularity increases. I've never seen such a buzz about a digital camera yet, and yes the Leica M series has paved the way for Fuji to come in an grab a chunk of the market, but at the same time, highlight the usefulness of rangefinder-type cameras.

I don't know that the X100 will do this any more than the M9 which has proven to Leica that the RF is still a viable photographic platform. All be it, to pros and a select level of amateurs with significant means, but I sort of think that M9 sales has probably exceeded Leica's expectations. Unless Leica decides to sell to a different market, meaning at a lower price point, I don't think that the success of the X100 will change their business plans. Do you really think there will be another CL? I just don't see it if the M cameras are successful.

 

[Jamie123]

Am I missing something here? Does anyone really believe potential M9 buyers will get the X100 instead? The X100 looks to be a nice camera but from the looks of it (and from what I've read) it is a bit plasticky. That and it's a fixed lens, crop sensor camera.
Many would probably like to compare it to a Bessa but to me it seems more like a digital version of a Canonet or something similar. It will probably be quite popular but the people who have the money and appreciate the quality will still buy an M9.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

With a fixed lens, it seems to me the fact that the X100 is a crop sensor camera is irrelevant. For all purposes, this is a digital camera with a fixed 35mm lens (looking at angle of view). In the brave new world of this kind of camera, I think we are going to have to finally let go of our constant referencing everything back to old 35mm film cameras. Just start labeling lenses according to angle of view on that particular camera.

 

[rover]

I think the thought is more that those who buy the X100 without prior RF experience will want to "upgrade" to an M9. I would suggest that there is an entire generation of photographers who don't know that at one point in photographic history the photographer actually had to focus the lens themselves. And.... "How do you get this lens to zoom?" I think there is a huge gap in the market that perhaps Leica is right to just ignore. Their product just won't translate to a huge number of potential buyers, so they are focusing on those for whom it does. Unfortunately, many of us are stuck in the middle, 90% there, unable to realize what they are selling.

 

[rover]

With a fixed lens, it seems to me the fact that the X100 is a crop sensor camera is irrelevant. For all purposes, this is a digital camera with a fixed 35mm lens (looking at angle of view). In the brave new world of this kind of camera, I think we are going to have to finally let go of our constant referencing everything back to old 35mm film cameras.

I agree, but the market will continue to force this as the M43, NX and all mirrorless cameras are seen as platforms for our 35mm lenses with adaptors, and their natural lens systems remain slim at the moment. Not to mention DSLRs. As long as there are lenses which can be used on multiple systems there has to be a standard, and age has been allowed to the front of the line.

 

[hteasley]

From what I can see so far, the X100 will far exceed the X1, and probably the X2. Fuji have managed to leapfrog Leica in this market segment.

I predict the X100 will sell well, but to address this market segment, who knows how relevant it will be? I asked my camera store if they plan on carrying the X100, and they said no. They don't believe in the fixed lens APS-C segment, as they "took a bath" on the DP1. And they're quite a good camera store.

Even wild success for the X100 doesn't mean Leica should necessarily change what they're doing very much.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

Well, this class of camera requires that the lens doesn't zoom (you've got that OVF to deal with) and that the lens and the camera communicate intimately with each other. So, you're kind of stuck with that fixed lens and that field of view. 🙂

 

[Pickett Wilson]

As good as the X100 might be (and it may turn out to be very good), it's design (and promotion) is clearly marketing driven. They targeted a very specific niche with it. But I don't think they targeted us, even if we might be the beneficiaries.

 

[Frank Petronio]

Seems like a good sensor and UI hindered by slow auto-focus. Since it already has some manual knobs, Leica could go one step further and put a real rangefinder on an X2 -- make it like a IIIh lol -- and sell a pile to the faithful.

It would be an attractive and novel option... complete manual control.