Interview with Stephan Schultz, Leica (mostly about the S)

[v_roma]

Not sure if this was posted but thought it might be interesting to some:

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/6220714089/photokina-2012-interview-stephan-schulz-of-leica-

I found the response below particularly interesting, and not necessarily just for Leica S users. And please don't use this as an excuse to start a barrage of attacks on Leica and its users...

When you were planning the S system initially, were you aware that making a medium format digital SLR was a risk?

Yes, it was a big risk. The biggest risk Leica has ever taken. A new format, a new market that nobody [at Leica] understood, to be honest, and still have some people who don't understand it! Culturally, the company has lost, a little bit, the professionals. From my point of view, in the 1980s we lost more and more professionals and now there's a lack of understanding of this market, within the company, but with the S system we're back. It's good, because it refreshes the image of Leica, to make cameras that are really used by professionals. This is what we need, and this is not only a system, it's a statement for the brand. Leica is a company that is able to serve even the highest level of professionals with an appropriate camera system. But was a big risk.