Kyocera officially kills Contax brand (but...?)

[jlw]

I snagged the following press release off Digital Photo Review this morning:

CONTAX-Branded Camera Business

Kyocera Corporation (President: Yasuo Nishiguchi, hereafter called "Kyocera") has decided to terminate CONTAX-branded camera business.

Although Carl Zeiss and Kyocera have entered into a long term co-operation regarding the development, production and sale of CONTAX-branded cameras, Kyocera has decided to terminate such business due to difficulties in catching up with the recent rapid market changes.

Consequently, Kyocera will terminate the shipment of CONTAX-branded cameras, and the exclusive lenses and accessories in September, 2005, except for the CONTAX 645 camera system, the shipment of which to some markets will come to an end in December, 2005.

Kyocera will continue to provide after-sales services to its customers for their CONTAX-branded cameras, and the exclusive lenses and accessories over the maximum period of ten years within the specified time of each model.

That 10-year commitment should be good news for Contax G owners, but I see another potential angle:

-- The release notes that Carl Zeiss and Kyocera had 'entered into a long term co-operation' to develop cameras under the Contax brand name.

-- Kyocera is the one terminating that agreement.

I'm not a lawyer, and I don't know the details of the agreement -- but it sounds to me as if that would leave Carl Zeiss with the exclusive rights to the Contax brand name, right?

Gee, I wonder if they've got any products on which they could use that?

 

[kai]

Actually, the "Contax" brand name is not Kyocera's to kill; the name belongs fully to Carl-Zeiss (Kyocera were simply manufacturing partners)... let's see what C-Z do with it next! My guess is that it will indeed resurface on some kind of camera body in the future!

 

[BJ Bignell]

jlw,

Just because Kyocera terminated the agreement, it doesn't mean that they lose their rights to the Contax name. My understanding is that they still own the name, and were only going to license its use to CZ. I'm sure that there was an escape clause in the contract that allows this sort of thing.

Sad to see the name go down, though. I wonder if this'll depress the value of any remaining new-stock Contax gear?

//EDIT: Alright, I just saw kai's post that the name actually belongs to CZ. Never mind, then...

BJ

 

[Honu-Hugger]

So far, this news has not adversely affected the operation of my "II" or "IIa's."

 

[jlw]

So far, this news has not adversely affected the operation of my "II" or "IIa's."

Yeah, as long as you don't try to update their firmware you should be safe

 

[gabrielelopez]

So far, this news has not adversely affected the operation of my "II" or "IIa's."

exatly, cameras are cameras, any name they have on..

 

[Kin Lau]

That might allow for the new Zeiss Ikon M-mount camera to be a "Contax" also. While it'll make no real difference and I probably still can't afford it, but a Classic RF with the Contax name and Zeiss glass will be available again.