Blackstone in talks to sell stake in Leica, Zeiss is “potentially interested” Read m

How freakin' great would this be? Why? Can we say a reskinned digital M sold as a Zeiss Ikon ZM digital. For 1/2 the price.
Or even a CCD Zeiss Ikon...
 
I think, Zeiss is more interested in non photography parts from Leica.

If it ever happens, I will sell my film Leica cameras ASAP. Not Zeiss, nor any company which makes their lenses are film supporters anymore. With Zeiss most likely film Leica cameras production will be seized on the next day after take over and same will happen with service, parts later.
 
On the other hand, Leica film cameras can be fixed by many repair people. Such camera can outlive us all.
 
Huss said:
How freakin' great would this be? Why? Can we say a reskinned digital M sold as a Zeiss Ikon ZM digital. For 1/2 the price.
Or even a CCD Zeiss Ikon...
Click to expand...

That would be cool.
Just as good would be a Leica product that does not need to be "beta tested" by early adopters. :eek:
 
Well now. Just because Zeiss becomes a major holder of Leica doesn't mean Leica ceases to exist as "Leica". I can see potential for both good and bad repercussions, but it wouldn't be some immediate change in product philosophy.

I like to remember that Zeiss, like Leica, has had a long history with photographers, for photographers. Of course, Zeiss, like Leica, has diversified into plenty of non-photography endeavors. Not sure if that means anything for anything :)

It could be an opportunity for increased support for us non-luxury photographers. That would be a welcome shift. Certainly, it could be an opportunity for better customer service! Think about the M9 sensor fiasco....which ended up screwing me. I couldn't get my camera shipped to NJ in time for the Aug 1 deadline....thus no "goodwill" sensor evaluation or replacement for me. I'm pretty unhappy with how I got screwed with this camera. I can only hope this sensor corrosion stuff doesn't happen to my M9 for years -- yeah...what luck would that be?

OK. Rant mode off.
 
Zeiss did have Cosina make the Ikon, so they had an abiding interest in film photography. I'm sure they still miss not having their Contax line (maybe not financially, but emotionally).

It would be weird if Leica was partly owned by an Asian company. After all, for much of its storied history, it was owned by the Leitz family. How quintessentially German.

It would be like Jaguar being owned by Tata Motors.
Volvo being owned by Zhejiang Geely.
No doubt the products are still fine, but the heritage is different.
 
I've rung Zeiss and wound up talks g with the engineers, in English. They gave me an excellent impression - interested and enthusiastic, as well as obviously knowing what their doing. Given Zeiss is a foundation or trust, they could be a good long term part owner and partner for Leica.
 
Sojournerphoto: My conversations exactly! I've been a Zeiss fan for some time. Zeiss has been very helpful. Though I have 2 Leica M's (Film), I prefer Zeiss glass. Zeiss still has a very strong commitment to photography... their Loxia line of lenses for Sony A7RII's are fantastic primes. I'm a guy who prefers cameras that Zeiss has made lenses for... though I've resisted the siren call of the Hasselblads and Rolleis.

More broadly, I'd imagine that if Zeiss bought Leica, it'd be like Ricoh's purchase of Pentax and the line would continue. Best outcome would be if Zeiss would rationalize Leica's PRESITGE marketing... by which I mean ELIMINATE it. Red cameras and lenses? Really? Who buys that stuff? Seriously... more REAL photographers have wanted to quit Leica over exactly that sort of Looney Tunes. Zeiss? Seems less snobby, less collectible and just more workman-like and focused on? what? Photography. Oh that?! Yeah.
 
Ko.Fe. said:
If it ever happens, I will sell my film Leica cameras ASAP. Not Zeiss, nor any company which makes their lenses are film supporters anymore. With Zeiss most likely film Leica cameras production will be seized on the next day after take over and same will happen with service, parts later.
Click to expand...

How does this affect your 50 year old film camera though?

(Oops, forgot you have digital Leica's too)
 
YouAreHere said:
.....Blackstone owns 45% of Leica and ACM (aka "the Kaufmann family") owns 55%.

Zeiss can't own a majority stake unless ACM sells at least 6% of theirs. How likely is that?
Click to expand...

Probably not very likely. I just can’t see the Kauffman family giving Zeiss a controlling interest in Leica.

Jim B.
 
I've read that Leica and Zeiss have different optical performance philosophies and goals. My fear would be that one taking over the other would result in those two philosophies being reduced to one. Since it appears unlikely that Zeiss could obtain a controlling interest in Leica, the risk of this happening appears low.

I'm not a Leica owner/user, but I'm glad to see that this old company is able to soldier on, producing unique, very high quality products.

- Murray
 
jsrockit said:
How does this affect your 50 year old film camera though?

(Oops, forgot you have digital Leica's too)
Click to expand...

Thank you for asking. I think, you and Raid needs some update on current situation with Leica film cameras.

It is wrong to think what 50 years old Leica camera will lasts foreva.
Just read Leica M2 repair manual, once. It is available online. The word "replace" is very common course of action to fix the problem. And Leica film cameras where always in repair with replacement parts. And it is still the case for someone like me. Who doesn't own twenty film cameras, makes some theoretical statements on Leica build like tank and could barely squeeze half-a-roll on odd weekend.

Yes, I own digital M, but I use two film M most.

I have one and half old Leica capable technicians locally left. Two at the close age in USA and one not so old, but who sends to one of the older one if it is complicated. Due to this, last thing I need is Leica to be sold to company with outsourced production and seized manufacturing of film cameras.

But you never know. Made in China parts and exact copies might be better than made in Japan improvised Leica copies in fifties. And I would not mind to send film Leica to China for less expensive service and parts at all.
 
Ko.Fe. said:
Thank you for asking. I think, you and Raid needs some update on current situation with Leica film cameras.

It is wrong to think what 50 years old Leica camera will lasts foreva.
Just read Leica M2 repair manual, once. It is available online. The word "replace" is very common course of action to fix the problem. And Leica film cameras where always in repair with replacement parts. And it is still the case for someone like me. Who doesn't own twenty film cameras, makes some theoretical statements on Leica build like tank and could barely squeeze half-a-roll on odd weekend.

Yes, I own digital M, but I use two film M most.

I have one and half old Leica capable technicians locally left. Two at the close age in USA and one not so old, but who sends to one of the older one if it is complicated. Due to this, last thing I need is Leica to be sold to company with outsourced production and seized manufacturing of film cameras.

But you never know. Made in China parts and exact copies might be better than made in Japan improvised Leica copies in fifties. And I would not mind to send film Leica to China for less expensive service and parts at all.
Click to expand...

Thank you for adding perspective to your comment. I was under the impression that Leica wasn't providing parts for their older cameras anyway. I guess that's why I was confused. I will admit to not really knowing.
 
No one likes uncertainty, but it would be better they be owned by an optical firm -
even a former competitor - than by a buyout company, don't you think?

Chris
 
CMur12 said:
I've read that Leica and Zeiss have different optical performance philosophies and goals. My fear would be that one taking over the other would result in those two philosophies being reduced to one. Since it appears unlikely that Zeiss could obtain a controlling interest in Leica, the risk of this happening appears low.

I'm not a Leica owner/user, but I'm glad to see that this old company is able to soldier on, producing unique, very high quality products.

- Murray
Click to expand...

Generally the feeling is Leica strives for compact optics with the absolute minimum number of elements, etc. while Zeiss produces larger lenses in more 'relaxed' optical formulas. This might be more true for the M series, but if you look at Leica's SL (and S) lenses they're pretty much 'Otus-like' in size already. For example the SL 50 Lux. So if this ever happens, we'll see Otus and Milvus lenses in M mount? :D

As for all the special edition Leica 'crap' that seems to annoy so many 'real' and 'serious' photographers: where's the harm? At its core Leica produces top quality optics and pretty good electronics that address a range of serious, specialized photographic interests. All the special edition stuff is additional and of mostly already existing products. If it was all Hasselblad Lunar-like at the cost of their core competency, then I would be worried. Really, it's just chasing a particular market segment willing to spend a lot of money for superficial product 'enhancements.' If it keeps the company in business and producing core product that continues to interest me, I'm all for it, even if it is at times cringe-worthy.
 
Ko.Fe. said:
Thank you for asking. I think, you and Raid needs some update on current situation with Leica film cameras.

It is wrong to think what 50 years old Leica camera will lasts foreva.
Just read Leica M2 repair manual, once. It is available online. The word "replace" is very common course of action to fix the problem. And Leica film cameras where always in repair with replacement parts. And it is still the case for someone like me. Who doesn't own twenty film cameras, makes some theoretical statements on Leica build like tank and could barely squeeze half-a-roll on odd weekend.

Yes, I own digital M, but I use two film M most.

I have one and half old Leica capable technicians locally left. Two at the close age in USA and one not so old, but who sends to one of the older one if it is complicated. Due to this, last thing I need is Leica to be sold to company with outsourced production and seized manufacturing of film cameras.

But you never know. Made in China parts and exact copies might be better than made in Japan improvised Leica copies in fifties. And I would not mind to send film Leica to China for less expensive service and parts at all.
Click to expand...

When I bought my MP back in 2004, they gave me a fancy brochure. A quote from the section on "Enduring," "......we do guarantee that services and spare parts will be available at Leica customer service departments for at least 30 years after a possible model change."

Jim B.
 
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