A company heading in the right direction

[ZeissFan]

From the Carl Zeiss Web site:

http://www.zeiss.de/C12567A100537AB9/allBySubject/Press3

Quoting from the release:

The Carl Zeiss technology group has brought fiscal year 2004/05 to a successful close. This was announced by the company while presenting the first provisional figures for fiscal year ending 30 September during its annual fall press conference. Revenues have increased again, and there has been another hefty rise in profits. By implementing a number of portfolio measures, the company has strengthened its position in some important areas.

... There was another strong rise in profits. The EBIT1 reached a record high with a value of EUR 199 million, a rise of 72 percent over the previous year (EUR 116 million).

... The Carl Zeiss Group invested EUR 92 million in plant, property and equipment (last year: EUR 81 million).

... With a total of EUR 230 million (last year: EUR 209 million), the equivalent of 10 percent of sales, spending on research and development once again reached a record high.
​

Of course, Zeiss doesn't derive all of its revenue from photography. Even so, it appears they are moving in the right direction.

I was going to post this on the Leica forum on pnet, but figured I'd be banned for life.

 

[bmattock]

I'd think that good news from any old-line camera company would be welcome - even by Leica fans. But hey, I'm certainly glad to hear it.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[Avotius]

Im glad to see that old trust worthy names are still alive and kicking, even though Zeiss has a lot invested in things other then photography, its nice to know that they are not in danger of disapearing within then next few years like a certain L named company....

 

[XXXGRAPENUTSXXX]

In My opinion, Zeiss should definitely bring back the Contax SLR And G Systems.....That would be a great move

 

[Mazurka]

To be fair, we don't know exactly how Zeiss' photographic division is doing.

Someone said in another thread about Hasselblad not doing well. If that's the case, the corresponding lenses won't be either. They had a good thing going with the Contax 645 but the entire Contax range was killed prematurely by Kyocera.

The Zeiss Ikon RF is certainly too new to even recuperate the initial investment. The Sony connection should be lucrative, though I'm not sure whether it's really Zeiss who make their lenses, especially when Zeiss no longer makes lenses for the Contax in Japan.

Anyway, photography is far from a major source of revenue or loss for Zeiss, more like a drop in the pond. They do it more to keep a presence in the consumer market, or to maintain a great tradition, or both. Zeiss, a huge conglomerate, can certainly afford to lose money in the photo business, unlike little Leica which is owned by Hermes.

 

[peter_n]

I have a little Sony digi P&S with a lens that is engraved "Carl Zeiss". The lens is probably made in Japan or somewhere with Zeiss QC and that's fine by me. The same camera in Europe has "Sony" on the lens. Whatever, the lens seems pretty good! 🙂

 

[Paul T.]

I suspect that because a lot of their profit comes from movie and other lenses, they benefit from (that horrible word) synergy. THey get the best optical engineers who, when they've finished the RF line, or another boutique range, will go back to working on movie lenses. And that diversification means they can sit out the mass extinction that will overcome camera manufacturers with digital.

 

[Mike Kovacs]

Zeiss also makes a lot of scientific/medical imaging equipment, e.g. microscopes. Leica too on that count, though I recall that Leica split their business into three, so the bottom line of the camera company cannot be hidden.

Believe it or not, many people in research prefer the Japanese equipment these days. Know why? Yes, in digital imaging and software capabilities, the Germans are behind.

 

[bmicklea]

In My opinion, Zeiss should definitely bring back the Contax SLR And G Systems.....That would be a great move

Great move for us or great move for Zeiss? 😉

It's pretty rare for companies to discontinue product lines if they're profitable. If they were losing money back when film was still relatively strong in the market I'm not sure why bringing them back now would help. Of course if you're thinking they should bring them back in a digital form then that's another matter. Although I'm skeptical how well they'd fare in the hotly contested digital SLR market these days.

I love film and rarely shoot digital, but as a Product Manager for a software company I can appreciate the fact that despite my love of analog the world is going digital. And where the world goes, the money goes.

Just my two cents,

 

[Mackinaw]

This very topic just came up for duscussion on LUG. Marc James Small, who has written a few books on Zeiss cameras and lenses, states that less than 5% of Zeiss profits come from the production of camera lenses. The remaining 95+% comes from the production of medical, industrial, scientific and military optics/equipment.

Jim Bielecki