Godfrey
somewhat colored
I disagree completely. What you quoted is typical of the misleading anthropomorphic caricature that I so dislike in humor like this. The numbers of users is irrelevant. Profitability is relevant.
Leica has made a very serious commitment to the future with the S system and the M digital line. In the meantime, they're selling every camera and lens they can make ... no other*camera company's profits have gone up faster than Leica's since 2009. There are huge numbers of new users buying Leica Ms now, compared to 8-10 years ago, despite the price. They're building new production facilities where other companies are cutting back production.
And ... Leica cameras and lenses are the 100% revenue producing products of Leica Camera AG. Success with their new models is essential to their survival, and it certainly looks like they're on a successful track. The new production facilities will hopefully allow them to step up production so that the several months backlog of pre-orders and waiting customers don't have to wait so long.
Remember that Fujifilm cameras are a *tiny* piece of Fuji. Fuji can jettison the entire camera division with barely a blip in the bottom line. A couple ten-thousand cameras barely means anything other than corporate pride to them. The camera division doesn't have to be profitable for Fuji to survive, but they'll happily take whatever profits they return.
Price isn't everything in camera equipment sales. I similarly see a huge number of people buying Canon 5D III, 1D X, Nikon D4, D800, D800E, Sony A99, scads of high end lenses from all companies. Heck, even an Xpro1 and a few lenses is several thousand dollars worth of gear. These things are not cheap by any means. Just because you and I might not be willing to spend $3000 for a lens doesn't mean that there are no customers who are. According to the dealers I chat with, there are plenty of people who would love to get their hands on a few new lenses, if only Leica could make enough of them ...
G
anerjee
Well-known
I really hope and wish Leica to succeed beyond imagination with their new M, enough to get Nikon interested...
NicoM
Well-known
Leica is a boutique brand. You don't see canon or Nikon or Sony next to a Louis Vuitton or Hermes. In fact, I think leica Japan is still party owned, partially, by Hermes. It's a luxury brand and I don't think there's any way to deny that.
Leica has to keep the premium and distance themselves from being a camera for the masses to keep them going. If leica loses its luxury status, what would they have left? A rangefinder? Compactness? Legendary lenses? Pshh
Leica has to keep the premium and distance themselves from being a camera for the masses to keep them going. If leica loses its luxury status, what would they have left? A rangefinder? Compactness? Legendary lenses? Pshh
DavidKKHansen
Well-known
Okay we get it, a Fujifilm digital camera is not for you and that's fine. You won't be buying the new X100s and that's fine too. Can we move on now please?
Somewhat back to the topic: I found the review to be well written and fun to read. The past four years I've been making photographs only with film, but I'm starting to want to get back to digital a bit, at least use the two mediums side by side. I prefer autofocus and love a leaf shutter so if all the oddities of the X100 has been fixed with the X100s, it looks to be the perfect solution for me. Though I'll let the first wave of buyers test the waters, in case there are some bugs that needs fixin'
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Leica Camera AG is now 100% privately held by its principal shareholder, Lisa Germany GmbH, funded by Blackstone Group (a huge investment house). They took themselves off the publicly traded listings last year.
I don't know who owns the Leica Japan or Leica USA distributorships, but I don't think it's relevant. Association with other high end products is pure marketing.
But back to silly review cutesyness and Fuji adoration ... ;-)
G
back alley
IMAGES
we love our fujis!!!
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
meanwhile, in the living room...
This is my RFF 'post of the year' ... and I can't see it being beaten!
NicoM
Well-known
Marketing? Well when you sell Hermes Leicas who do you expect to buy them? It's not about fuji adoration. You're the one that goes to every thread about fuji cameras and mention that you're not a fan or not going to buy one. I'm not bitter about anything but it seems as if you are. If fuji doesn't work for you, fine. Constantly preaching about how you don't like fuji... Did you really not like it so so much that you spend so much effort talking about it?
back alley
IMAGES
godfrey is actually a silent partner in leica...
back alley
IMAGES
This is my RFF 'post of the year' ... and I can't see it being beaten!
and it's also a great diet/exercise program for the dog!
porktaco
Well-known
meanwhile, in the kitchen
user237428934
User deletion pending
It's a constant in this forum that film guys show up in digital threads with "film is better" arguments. It's also a constant in this forum that people show up in Leica threads with "Stupid and overpriced Leica stuff, xyz is better" arguments.
Please tell me why this should be different in Fuji threads. Do Fuji users need some kind of "puppy protection"?
NicoM
Well-known
Lol, No one said or implied that anyone needed any kind of protection. If you look at all of his post, all he says is that the fuji did not work for him and that he's not buying one. That's it. He doesn't have to write it over and over again.
dmc
Bessa Driver
I'm not changing my image processing workflow away from Lightroom and raw files. I don't want to have to think about image processing when I'm making my exposures. I worry only about exposure, focus, and what's in the frame.
So here's the bottom line: if you truly worry about exposure, focus, and framing you can shoot in jpeg. No post required. That should simplify your work-flow. Try it some time . . .
Jamie Pillers
Skeptic
I'd read Steve H.'s review. I certainly hope the files from the new M would be better... geez... for that much money, they'd better be! But I'd also add that I never get the impression that Mr. Huff looks at anything other than the files on a computer screen. I still say that we'd all be very surprised to walk through a gallery show of images made from Nikon, Sony, Canon, Leica, et. al. gear. Likely there'd be no consensus on which camera made which image. Lens quality and digital file quality has risen to a high level everywhere and the differences are minor any more.
benlees
Well-known
Strange. It's been my experience that Leica bashing is not tolerated at all at RFF. Bashing should not be tolerated. Intelligent criticism is great. "It didn't work for me" or "I didn't like it" is less useful.
jarski
Veteran
thanks for sharing the blog, entertaining reading. never tried even the original X100 because of fixed lens, but this bar scene convinced me to reconsider
it depends. M6 and older are usually "okay"
it depends. M6 and older are usually "okay"
So here's the bottom line: if you truly worry about exposure, focus, and framing you can shoot in jpeg. No post required. That should simplify your work-flow. Try it some time . . .
Tried that angle as well, but it was a fail
FA Limited
missing in action
godfrey's just trolling us fuji users time to close the thread and move on
he's curmudgeoned the fun
he's curmudgeoned the fun
Not quite true; inanimate objects don't have feelings.
But...Yes... It’s the bashing of others that is a no-no on RFF: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/faq.php?faq=vb_faq#faq_new_faq_item2