M9 continued...

[Richard Marks]

It's not well-said, it's nonsense. There is no "obvious winner" in digital MF because its marginal value over "FF" digital is, essentially, not worth the 10x cost to anyone. A very, very few people make the equation work, but until we are all routinely viewing images at billboard size in our living rooms it's just an irrelevant market.

Leica used to not be a "luxury" brand, and since they became one their fortunes have gone in exactly one direction: straight down. Thinking that retreating further into this Quixotic foxhole will save them is just nutty, I don't mean to be offensive (honestly) but there's no other way to describe it.

Well the Market is for those who need large prints and as I stated it is essentially fashion and advertising. This is one area of commercial photography which is struggling. I can not see big S2 sales here.
I think those who claimed S2 sales are "strong" are just trying to shore up any concerns which may permeate the Internet forums.

I also resent the branding of Leica as a luxury status symbol. I thought we were over the Hermes era. The luxury goods eye candy Market is not a long term prospect.

If the prospects for the M9 are linked to S 2 sales I really think there is going to be another half baked hasty M9 launch and hope enough lemings place their names on waiting lists. I think people are going to be a lot more cautious this time.

Richard



If the M9 prospects are linked to the S2 we could be in for another botched half finished offering.

 

[b.espahbod]

I would never trade my hasselblad V and H system for an S2 simply because hassy+phaseone is modular, expandable, reliable and the best in medium format biz since 1950's, leica isnt. digi back means freedom to choose body it can be a sinar p3 or linhof 679 or even my granpas graflex.

for M9 i think it would be really dissapointing to see another camera with inaccurate focus, oil splashes on ccd, dead pixels, green lines and color cast problems carrying 7K pricetag. I dont need any upgrades I only want a problem free camera, is that toomuch to ask from a company with more than 80 years in 35 biz???