Other L-mount alliance partners?

[wjdrijfhout]

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Did anyone hear through any of the interviews or otherwise whether the L-mount alliance plans to add more partners, and/or has an active policy to increase it's base? 

 

If not, this might be a (probably successful) attempt for several smaller companies to stand up against the big ones. And with the users of their products to benefit.

 

If yes, this may very well completely turn the business model of the camera market upside-down. Standardizing the way lenses are mounted on cameras means that a manufacturer will need to sell each product (lens or camera) based on its own merits. And it eliminates the model of binding a customer through the camera and make money out of them through the lenses. In such a situation, any company still adhering to the old business-model will go down, irrespective of how big they now may be. The comparison with the video-tape standards (Betamax, Video2000 and VHS) is easily made. In the end only one standard will survive. 

 

So, if the alliance is planning to expand and open to more partners, if I were Nikon, Canon or Sony, I'd either make my own mirrorless mount an open standard, or give the L-mount alliance a call... 

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[jaapv]

That would be a bit of loss of face for Canon and Nikon. They have just announced their own mirrorless mounts. To make a U-turn on this would not inspire customer confidence.

Also, they made their announcement ahead of Photokina, Canon in a rather hurried manner. I thought that a bit odd at the time, but now I suspect they were trying to preempt the Alliance.

[wjdrijfhout]

You are right, and not just a bit. So they probably won't and join a long list of highly respected large companies that made all the right decisions to ultimately find themselves out of the game. Names like IBM, Nokia and Kodak come to mind.

[wizard]

...In the end only one standard will survive. 

 

...

 

That was, more or less, true for Video, but different mounts for camera lenses have been the norm for decades, and customers are used to that. I doubt the L-mount alliance will change that. The L-mount alliance was a smart move for Leica though, as it will significantly broaden the potential customer base.

Edited October 2, 2018 by wizard

[mmradman]

You are right, and not just a bit. So they probably won't and join a long list of highly respected large companies that made all the right decisions to ultimately find themselves out of the game. Names like IBM, Nokia and Kodak come to mind.

Most relevant to this subject is Kodak, reason for demise was that film is not selling as it used to.  On the other hand Sony, Nikon and Canon (in that order) seems to be at he forefront of full frame mirror-less.  It is really our Leica catching up and trying to develop its 1% market share. 

 

Non Leica lenses may not be to to a same standard as Leica but it doesn't stop, for instance, NASA using Nikon in space for decades.  Probably it has something to do to the fact that once in space it is difficult to send to Wetzlar for repair.  

[jaapv]

However, Willem Jan might be right that this is a missed train.  Only time will tell. Much depends on the attractiveness of the complete L system.

[mmradman]

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However, Willem Jan might be right that this is a missed train.  Only time will tell. Much depends on the attractiveness of the complete L system.

You make reference to Willem Jan, Dutch ptotographers?

 

http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2014/02/03/a-poor-mans-road-to-leica-by-westerhuis-westerhuis/

 

https://westerhuisenwesterhuis.nl/

[jaapv]

No. To MWC, our member.  Willem and Jan are amongst the most common names over here.

[wjdrijfhout]

These double names always cause confusion, sorry. And can be quite annoying; imagine to find the hotel reservation at reception if they booked as mr. Jan....

 

Interesting confusion with the Westerhuis photographers, both of them have a double name. And they are much better photographers than I am.

[bags27]

To address the OP's question:

https://www.l-rumors.com/

 

1) Leica is considering selling Sigma and Panasonic L-mount products in their Leica stores
2) There are yet no plans to extend the partnership yet. 
3) Yes, other Lens manufacturers can use the L-mount specifications to make L-mount lenses

[dfarkas]

To address the OP's question:

https://www.l-rumors.com/

 

1) Leica is considering selling Sigma and Panasonic L-mount products in their Leica stores

2) There are yet no plans to extend the partnership yet. 

3) Yes, other Lens manufacturers can use the L-mount specifications to make L-mount lenses

 

The only accurate statement is the second one, and partially so. This is a closed alliance, not a partnership. New members might be added in the future if the alliance members agree that it would be beneficial. 

 

1) Leica is definitely not considering selling Sigma and Panasonic products.

 

3) The L-mount is proprietary Leica technology, used under license to L-mount alliance members. No one else can offer L-mount technology.

 

 

If you'd like the full details, and not speculation or rumors, go to the source. I interviewed Stephan Schulz, product manager for Leica professional products, who is deeply involved in the L-Mount Alliance. I also spoke to Dr. Kaufmann and Peter Karbe regarding the alliance last week. Still working on the final two interviews, but this is the discussion with Schulz:

 

Photokina 2018: Details on the L-Mount Alliance

[jaapv]

Thank you, David. That is a quite clear and informative interview.

[bags27]

The only accurate statement is the second one, and partially so. This is a closed alliance, not a partnership. New members might be added in the future if the alliance members agree that it would be beneficial. 

 

1) Leica is definitely not considering selling Sigma and Panasonic products.

 

3) The L-mount is proprietary Leica technology, used under license to L-mount alliance members. No one else can offer L-mount technology.

 

 

If you'd like the full details, and not speculation or rumors, go to the source. I interviewed Stephan Schulz, product manager for Leica professional products, who is deeply involved in the L-Mount Alliance. I also spoke to Dr. Kaufmann and Peter Karbe regarding the alliance last week. Still working on the final two interviews, but this is the discussion with Schulz:

 

Photokina 2018: Details on the L-Mount Alliance

Thanks for the correction and the great interview. But in all fairness to Leica Rumors, it was a summary of a translation of a transcript of an interview with Dr. Kaufmann. The third-handedness can obviously produce errors, but the trail itself suggests it was an honest attempt to get at factual information.  I ran the original interview through Google Translate, and yes Dr. Kaufmann quite explicitly said #1 and seems strongly to imply #3. So, the original reporter/transcriber is at fault. Looking forward to the other two interviews. 

Edited October 4, 2018 by bags27

[Irakly Shanidze]

 

3) The L-mount is proprietary Leica technology, used under license to L-mount alliance members. No one else can offer L-mount technology.

 

 

 

 

That may be true, but Kipon (Handevision) Has been making L-mount lenses for more than a year now, albeit manual focus. 

[dkCambridgeshire]

Stefan Daniel's L Mount Alliance comment http://macfilos.com/photo/2018/10/9/leica-the-l-mount-stabilisation-and-the-rangefinderless-m-camera … see paragraph 3

 

dunk

 

[bags27]

In contrast to "more affordable" lenses offered by some other manufacturers, “Leica lenses are never affordable,”  [Stefan Daniel, global product director] joked. 

[jaapv]

Joked?

[dkCambridgeshire]

7 hours ago, bags27 said:

In contrast to "more affordable" lenses offered by some other manufacturers, “Leica lenses are never affordable,”  [Stefan Daniel, global product director] joked. 

That's why I survive on tinned sardines and porridge

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[schattenundlicht]

On 10/2/2018 at 10:59 AM, wizard said:

[...] The L-mount alliance was a smart move for Leica though, as it will significantly broaden the potential customer base.

I am not so sure about that. It might incite some Leica users to put brand snobbery aside and give more products w/o a red dot a try. Once system elements can be more freely combined, products at the extreme end of the price/performance ratio might become less attractive. But then, we’re talking us Leica users here, so that’s not gonna happen 😉.

Edited October 10, 2018 by schattenundlicht

[dkCambridgeshire]

5 minutes ago, schattenundlicht said:

I am not so sure about that. It might incite some Leica users to put brand snobbery aside and give more products w/o a red dot a try. Once system elements can be more freely combined, products at the extreme end of the price/performance ratio might become less attractive. But then, we’re talking us Leica users here, so that’s not gonna happen 😉.

Nothing improves a product so much as a little competition … thus L mount competitors could bring about cheaper Leica lenses. Any manufacturer can implement cost savings to reduce prices … if they have to … e.g. to maintain market share.