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DMR survival


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Look at C + N and you will get a new one every year.

 

 

The 1DsII has been on the market for nearly three years without a replacement. New firmware from time to time but that's generally to add support for new CF cards etc. The 1DII and N model have been on the market longer. The differences in the v1 1DII and the 1DIIN were minor and had nothign to do with image quality.

 

Leica's never been big on professional support or support for that matter. I make my living with my equipment, Leica M's, Canon digital, Nikons and etc., and I've never sent a repair to NJ because they're too slow. Canon and Nikon on the other hand have 24hr turn around for CPS and NPS members. Canon particularly is extremely prompt on repairs and support. The one time I had a 1Ds body repaired it took a week but Canon LOANED me one at no charge untill my body was back. Also both Canon and Nikon offer loan service on lenses and bodies to NPS and CPS members at no charge. I cann call CPS today and have a loaner 600 F4 or basicall anything in their line by tomorrow morning and keep it at no charge for a couple of weeks. If Leica is interested in getting some of the pro market back they have to give some real service not just lip service.

 

I'm not bad mouthing Leica and still use M's weekly but they've got to get with the program if they want to survive.

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...or apparently US companies' own products. Hewlett-Packard have just told me there are no parts available to fix my 3 year old scanner and the only solution is to buy one. Fortunately, the 32 year old HP calculator I use every day was higher quality.

 

Hi Mark,

 

There is a saying, "The Wheel That Squeek Gets The Oil".

I once worked for the third largest company in Japan (whose name I will not mention). I was supporting warranty and service then with their US West Coast Operation.

 

We have some costumers who will email the Corporate President or mere "bitching" on the phone to our custumer support personell and supervisors sounding "legal" with financial loss, pain and suffering and sleepless nights.

 

If that happens, the standard 5 day repair turn-around on a notebook computer becomes "next day air". Also parts that need to be imported from Japan to the US becomes "next day air likewise".

 

Try that and and see what happens. :)

 

Cheers,

-Ron

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I think Imacon's management has probably crippled the DMR support team by pulling out all the good people, manning it with a skeleton crew, and starved it of resources. That is why v1.3 is taking so long.

 

Make no mistake. The Hong Kong company that now owns Hasselblad which in turn owns Imacon, definitely sees Leica as a competitor and will do all they can to retard the success of the DMR. They will delay the firmware upgrade for as long as they can, but without going so far as to give Leica sufficient ground to sue for damages. If Hassleblad management don't do this, THEY are liable to be sued by Hasselblad's shareholders for breach of fiduciary duty, that is if they don't get fired first.

 

For Leica, a lesson learned in going to bed with the wrong partner (one which was a clear take-over target at the outset); get this behind you; introduce the R10; and offer DMR owners a discount.

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Hi, Canfred!

 

Believe me, my purpose was not to spread a rather foolish rumor, but to share my anxiety with other members. As you probably know, my R9/DMR has been hijacked in my car with my whole equipment, and I miss it badly.

 

I intend to get a new equipment, because I quite agree with most possessors of the DMR, it is a unique piece of engeneering, and the results are more than beutiful. But financially speaking, I won't be able to get another R9/DMR before may 2008. So if the DMR is now discontinued and if a hypothetical R10 is not pursued or not available, what would be my choice ? I don't think I would feel secure with a second hand DMR.

 

This is the reason for which I started this thread. I do not know the author of this rumor, but I am very happy with most of your answers.

 

I will wait for whatever is available in may 2008 !

 

Thanks for every support!

 

 

Cheers

Gérard

Hi Dr. Gerard , I am sorry to hear your DMR was stolen I was unaware . Hope it will be found and returned to you . Selling such an item would be difficult. My post was not to lay the blame for Mr. Gandys thoughtless rumors at your feet. I have send a note to him but did not get a reply. I can see your dilemma in purchasing a used DMR this could be most unreliable , if in fact such a unit could be found.

I sincerely hope it will work out for you.

With regards Manfred

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As a DMR user, I just want Leica to be more considerate. From the post here or in the digital forum we can see that most DMR users feel that there should be improvement on some DMR performances, which can be solved by upgrading the firmware. And from the marketing and management point of view a close and follow up attitude is also a way to retian the customers' loyalty.

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Information read on another forum:

 

"Stephen Gandy (Cameraquest) has posted a message on the LUC list to indicate that a reliable source has informed him that Leica will remove support for the Leica R Modul in the near future.

 

Any comment?

 

Chris (potential DMR buyer)"

 

Has anybody got some details about this?

 

Gérard

So it seems two weeks are a long time in the photo business.

For those who posted any answer to this, including myself.

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Yeah, well, another day passes. THE DMR HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED. Sales reps and dealers have already been informed by Solms. I guess customers are further down the food chain. DMRs are sold out and Leica will not be accepting any orders or making further deliveries. Although they claim they will continue developing "solutions" for the R system they don't explicitly address firmware updates for those of us marooned (magenta'd?) with the great DMR.

 

This probably even took New Jersey by surprise but the DMR is no longer current.

 

Joe

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I understand that there are much more M users than the R.

 

But still the DMR users are looking for a better firmware. There were lots of rumors, if you check the old posts in the digital forum. The first rumor said the new DMR firmware would be released by Sep 06, of course it didn't happen. Then the next one said it will be postponed to Dec 06, and the lastest update says this firmware is coming on Feb 07. Now Gandy above said Leica will remove supports on the DMR.

 

So which one is the truth?

 

Richard, if the firmware does not come out in the lifetime of the DMR, then I think it is unlikely to appear after the product is discontinued, the latter of which has apparently been confirmed...

 

Rob Galbraith DPI: Leica Digital-Modul-R discontinued; new R digital planned?

 

As someone who doesn't have a DMR but is going to get a M8, I find the whole situation a little disconcerting. While the M and R lines are distinct, it is afterall, still the same (small) company that is behind them and I am wondering if Leica is actually capable of supporting its own digital products (Panasonic-made cameras not withstanding...)

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Yes, what a sad news, since DMR is really a good digital machine and I believe most of the DMR users feel happy of using it.

 

It seems that Leica is not capable to support its digital products, look at the two flagships of its M and R series.... sigh!

 

Any DMR users are considering to buy the next R? I would think twice and even triple before Leica can develop its own softwares but not relying on the others like Imacon or Jenopik.

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May be not the M8 but surely not the DMR. Leica depends on Imacon on the firmware development but this company is owned by a potential competitor and now even the DMR is discontinued.

 

What could we R (and DMR) users say on further expectation of the DMR firmware improvement?

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What could we R (and DMR) users say on further expectation of the DMR firmware improvement?

 

You can look at it 2 ways - 1)accept Leica's statement of support for the product or 2)buy the next variation of a digital based R camera. I would imagine most C&N users are using different solutions than they did 5 or 7 years ago.

 

If many are using the DMR with success now, why shouldn't they be able to do so in 2 years?

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Information read on another forum:

 

"Stephen Gandy (Cameraquest) has posted a message on the LUC list to indicate that a reliable source has informed him that Leica will remove support for the Leica R Modul in the near future.

 

Any comment?

 

Chris (potential DMR buyer)"

 

Has anybody got some details about this?

 

Gérard

 

What Stephen posted this morning was that IMACON will remove support for the DMR and hence that the DMR will be discontinued. According to Stephen, this is now official. He also mentioned that Leica will continue to support the DMR.

 

Maybe the good news is that this must indicate that an R10 is in the pipeline?

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Guest flatfour

There ought to be enough people on this site with contacts in the trade or at the factory. The only info I have ,which was at the weekend from someone who has a relation at Solms, is that the DMR will continue while stocks last, but that a replacement is in development. I have no idea what " a replacement" means but it seems that Leica are well aware of the qualities of the DMR.

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I would imagine that the DMR is assembled in batches and that production at Leica has been a bit busy with the M8 for the last few months. The fact that there is outstanding dmand for the product would indicate to me that it's not going to be discontinued.

Hi Steve, just to clarlfy a bit. The DMR was always intended to have a total production run of 3000 units worldwide. That run is now sold out and no more DMR's will be made. I'm not sure of the "support" issue, as Leica is new to the digital world and has historically produced product and stood behind their product well beyond the statutory requirements. The digital world has changed us all, including Leica. Relationships are formed and dissolved as technology and alignments change i.e. Imacon/Hasselblad. It appears that Leica is "basically" on a 4 year production cycle; this, however, could change as we have all seen. Enjoy the DMR if you have one, and buy one if you don't. Likely the DMR will remain at the forefront of technology for a long time i.e. 16 bit colorspace to Canon and Nikon's 12 bit. And, of course, the mightly Leica/Leitz glass. It's not all just megapixels as we are now learning.

best, mark

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Hi Steve, just to clarlfy a bit. The DMR was always intended to have a total production run of 3000 units worldwide. That run is now sold out and no more DMR's will be made. I'm not sure of the "support" issue, as Leica is new to the digital world and has historically produced product and stood behind their product well beyond the statutory requirements. The digital world has changed us all, including Leica. Relationships are formed and dissolved as technology and alignments change i.e. Imacon/Hasselblad. It appears that Leica is "basically" on a 4 year production cycle; this, however, could change as we have all seen. Enjoy the DMR if you have one, and buy one if you don't. Likely the DMR will remain at the forefront of technology for a long time i.e. 16 bit colorspace to Canon and Nikon's 12 bit. And, of course, the mightly Leica/Leitz glass. It's not all just megapixels as we are now learning.

best, mark

 

Hi,

 

Whi told you they only built 3.000 units, this is news to me!

 

/T

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