What happens to the M9 if Kodak goes out of business?

[jamato8]

While it is hoped that Leica has a good store of sensors, who knows. And as time passes and these are depleted it would seem to indicate that the M9 would become a door stop. I have had trouble with two sensors with the first being one being replaced. Talk about a camera going down in value if it should come to pass that the sensor is no longer available. Not quite the same as the film days, is it?

 

[robbeiflex]

M9.2 anyone?

 

[Vickko]

No, not the same as film days, but with only one proviso..... "as long as film is available...."

Leica can do a big "last time buy".

And I would not be surprised, and in fact, am hoping, that the next generation of sensor is already being evaluated and designed into the next M.

...Vick

 

[Nikon Bob]

As with film Kodak is not the only supplier of sensors. It could be as easy as finding a new source if push comes to shove. It is kind of silly to be too tied to a single supply source for key components if you are in the manufacturing business.

Bob

 

[jamato8]

True, there are a few sensor manufactures. The question is whether Leica will have a different manufacture make a sensor for the M9, if they no longer manufacture the M9, which assumes a new M series since having a sensor designed for the M9 may be different from one required for the next generation of the M series. Will Leica invest is the question in my mind.

 

[jsrockit]

Since Leica is still making the M9 right now, I'm sure they have this sorted out for the next 5-10 years. After that, who knows. You cannot expect a digital camera to last forever... it's a computer and we know better.

 

[Jeff S]

In addition to the answers above, one should also recognize that bankruptcy doesn't necessarily mean going out of business; rather it might suggest reorganization and/or sale of some assets. The sensor business is only one part of Kodak, and I suspect Leica has discussed its structuring and many other related issues with its business partner.

Jeff

 

[Roger Hicks]

In addition to the answers above, one should also recognize that bankruptcy doesn't necessarily mean going out of business; rather it might suggest reorganization and/or sale of some assets. The sensor business is only one part of Kodak, and I suspect Leica has discussed its structuring and many other related issues with its business partner.

Jeff

Dear Jeff,

Yes, but apocalypses are so much more FUN! At least for those who lack imagination...

Cheers,

R.

 

[keytarjunkie]

While it is hoped that Leica has a good store of sensors, who knows. And as time passes and these are depleted it would seem to indicate that the M9 would become a door stop. I have had trouble with two sensors with the first being one being replaced. Talk about a camera going down in value if it should come to pass that the sensor is no longer available. Not quite the same as the film days, is it?

I'm much more interested as to what will happen to film if Kodak goes out of business. It basically just leaves Fuji for color film. And Ilford for B&W. But they have yet to declare bankruptcy, and even if they do it doesn't mean they'll go under. Just look at the car company GM.

Sony could definitely produce a full-frame sensor for Leica if the politics worked out. Panasonic would be a more likely contender if it can mass-produce a full-frame sensor, but we haven't seen one yet.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I'm much more interested as to what will happen to film if Kodak goes out of business. It basically just leaves Fuji for color film. And Ilford for B&W. But they have yet to declare bankruptcy, and even if they do it doesn't mean they'll go under. Just look at the car company GM.

Sony could definitely produce a full-frame sensor for Leica if the politics worked out. Panasonic would be a more likely contender if it can mass-produce a full-frame sensor, but we haven't seen one yet.

Well, ignoring Ferrania and Gevaert, at the very least.

Cheers,

R.

 

[keytarjunkie]

Sorry, I've heard of Agfa, but not of Ferrania. My point is that one of the top two companies for color and b&w photographic film is going under and people are more interested in what will happen to the digital sensors they produce.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Sorry, I've heard of Agfa, but not of Ferrania. My point is that one of the top two companies for color and b&w photographic film is going under and people are more interested in what will happen to the digital sensors they produce.

Google can be your friend. And Gevaert is no longer Agfa-Gevaert, as far as I am aware.

Cheers,

R.

 

[bwcolor]

Only get worried if the M10 sensor isn't made by Kodak.

 

[dave lackey]

End of the M9?

I read it on the internet, it must be true!🙄

 

[jamato8]

Only get worried if the M10 sensor isn't made by Kodak.

Well I for one, do like, very much like, the way the Kodak sensor renders and I love the feel of the Leica in my hand now that I have gotten used to it. It tends to take me back to my M film days. I wish for now I could get the new sapphire cover but alas, visual anthropology and the other photographies I have done lately don't pay a great deal. I have been getting my Leica images published though. I don't think it matters to the publisher what I took the image with but it does to me and I can only hope everything will be sorted out for the M9 if the worst should occur with Kodak and while restructuring does occur, and often, I do not know how much the sensor business is in relation to the rest of Kodak's offerings.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The CMOS group was bought from them, I'm sure someone will buy the CCD Division.

http://www.edn.com/article/512457-ON_Semi_buys_Cypress_CMOS_image_sensor_business_unit.php

Looks like the CMOS maker that did the sensors for the DCS SLR/C and SLR/N was passed on again, "ON Semiconductor" bought it from Cypruss. Cypruss bought out FillFactory, which made the sensor for the Kodak. AND that 14MPixel sensor, used in these cameras almost 10 years ago- is still in production.

 

[mjf2564]

Same answer for both film and sensors - It depends if a new buyer is willing to take over that segment of the business. Agfa and Polaroid both went through bankruptcy. Agfa found a new buyer and still exists, Polaroid didn't and doesn't. Minolta came close to bankruptcy before selling its Maxxum division to Sony, which was not a terrible result for its customers. A similar divestiture could happen at Kodak, although I doubt any buyer would take the products without the Kodak name since it is so well known.

 

[keytarjunkie]

Google can be your friend. And Gevaert is no longer Agfa-Gevaert, as far as I am aware.

Cheers,

R.

Do you have a point, or are you just trying to make me feel bad?

 

[Roger Hicks]

Do you have a point, or are you just trying to make me feel bad?

Well, the points are that Ferrania has had a long and reasonably successful existence, under a variety of names including Scotch and 3M, and has long been a supplier for 'own label' films, and that Gevaert is enjoying a surprisingly successful existence after the collapse of Agfa. There are also interesting political backdrops to Ferrania's continued existence, but even without the politics, they were still there last time I looked.

I genuinely do apologize if you feel bad about not having heard of one significant player, and are unaware of the history of another, but your initial disregard of them, followed by your point about not having heard about them, didn't add all that much to the discussion either.

EDIT: Your point about the relative importance of film and sensors is well taken, and I further apologize for the hardening of the categories that made me disregard it, but the point is that we can put any film in our films Ms, but the M8/8.2/9 are somewhat tied to the Kodak sensor.

Cheers,

R.

 

[sevo]

Google can be your friend. And Gevaert is no longer Agfa-Gevaert, as far as I am aware.

They have been reviving Agfa-Gevaert as a brand (in the last ten or fifteen years of Agfa, they had dropped Gevaert altogether on most product lines), but that does not mean that they are giving up the Agfa bit - their official corporate name is Agfa-Gevaert N.V. and their web address is www.agfa.com!