TOP Thoughts

[Bill Pierce]

The Online Photographer has an interesting article on the future of Leica. I don't seem to be able to create a link to get you directly to the site; so, you are on your own in getting to TOP. But, it's an interesting article.

 

[Benjamin]

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2010/03/the-future-of-leica.html

 

[aizan]

i agree with mike's main point. leica does have a stellar lineup these days, but it doesn't sound like anybody needs to be convinced of that fact!

when people say another company should buy leica, they're thinking about technology they want to see with a red dot on it. you know, aside from greatly reduced prices. for the most part, they aren't leica customers.

 

[MCTuomey]

nice products sure, like BMW, Cartier, etc. and nice to see leica come out of the cave with bankable products.

due to my modest means, i'm not likely to do any new product business with leica. i'm hoping that leica's current products experience typical digital product obsolescence, so i might afford an M9 in a few years. keep up that product development, leica!

hey, whatever happened to leica's commitment to provide upgrades to counter digital obsolescence on the M8, just a short while ago the "camera for life"?

 

[kbb]

What I got from Mike's article is that while Reichmann and Hogan diligently invent and earnestly propose their suggestions for all the electronic geewhizzery that Leica should add to their M9, they seem to miss the whole reason for the M9's existence: It doesn't have that stuff!

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Ahhhh.... a nail hit right on the head! 🙂

 

[scott kirkpatrick]

"Leica is today"

"Leica is today"

Yup. And tomorrow there is supposed to be (finally) the firmware release that fixes slow card formatting, various camera hangups, and makes the very rare red corners even rarer. There are some functional enhancements that I didn't see in the leaked description, but maybe those will come along in the next upgrade, before 2011 one hopes.

I've used M8s and now one M9 since they came out, and will move completely to the M9 as soon as delivery schedules and E-Bay cash recycling permit. The thought of wasting the 8 Mpx around the outside of the full frame when one of those lenses is put back on an M8, plus the hassle of restoring the IR filters, is a pretty good argument to move ahead.

scott

 

[Pickett Wilson]

Leica is what it is. Relatively few can afford their products. But, Leica can't afford them either, so it's a perfect match! The only question is how many more years Kaufmann will be willing to lose money on the brand. That's what will determine the "future of Leica."