new start: leica vs. harley davidson

[smokysun]

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in a strange coicidence, my d2 just arrived a couple hours ago from solmes. (three months) it looks like they did a great job of cleaning it up. i'm still charging a battery, so condition report will have to wait.

 

however, i held it up next to my canon xti with the r 50 2.0 on it. believe it or not, the d2 is about the same size and weight. alas, it looks like hummer next to a lamborghini.

 

to compare internals wouldn't be quite fair. the canons have come a long way. but one thing they did from the later film models on was test how the cameras fit in the hand. i love picking up the xti and the xsi promises to be even better.

 

guess i'm asking myself now: how has leica done market research? do they really know their real and potential customer base? have they built models and tested handling with different groups of people?

 

note: i haven't handled the m8 but the specs make it almost exactly the same weight and size as the xti. so much for being more unobtrusive!

[fotografr]

"At the same time the Supervisory Board appointed Dr. Andreas Kaufmann Chairman of the Board of Management for the period until February 28, 2009."

 

i'd like to address the issue of how to turn a company around. this certainly happened at harley davidson (as well a corel, though i think the other example more relevant).

 

maybe the motorcyle people, including sean reid who will avoid acrimonious arguments, can fill us in.

 

if i remember rightly, the issues with the harley were the same: long traditon, declining specs in the product.

 

didn't the employees buy the company? if so, it wasn't a ceo who did the job but the people who have to listen to the customers.

 

Lesson one: leica stopped sponsoring this forum. they won't allow their name in the masthead. andreas has done a great job making it independent, however. i maintain leica did not want to listen to complaints/suggestions/etc. from the ground.

 

Lesson two: no amount of pr can fix a bugged product.

 

Lesson three: like harley owners, the leica steadfast are a club. the loyal do not want everyone to have a panasonic called a leica and the small sensor pan/leica people chased off the forum.

 

Lesson four: harley owners, despite a pack mentality, like to think of themselves as individuals. the new owner immediately buys all kinds of stuff to modify the look of the bike. hd must make a fortune off these.

 

Lesson six: put out a superior product and be master of a niche business. make your buyers/customers/critics look good in their own eyes. i don't mean this as a negative. i've the d-lux 2, the d-2 (if it ever makes it back from solmes without a dead sensor), and seven r lenses which i use on canon slrs with confirm adaptors with results i love.

 

Lesson seven: keep up with the times. digital is it, and will only get better.

 

so, any thoughts? and let's try to keep it civil and on topic.

 

thanks,

wayne

 

You must not have seen HD's latest quarterly report, or noticed the declining price of it's stock.

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Michael Hiles]

Apropos of Harley Davidson and not much else, this arrived in my email yesterday. It could be editied to suit Leica users...

 

A biker is riding by the zoo, when he sees a little girl leaning into the lion's cage. Suddenly, the lion grabs her by the cuff of her jacket and tries to pull her inside to eat her, under the eyes of her screaming parents. The biker jumps off his bike, runs to the cage and hits the lion square on the nose with a powerful punch. Whimpering from the pain, the lion jumps back letting go of the girl, and the biker brings her to her terrified parents, who thank him endlessly.A reporter has seen the whole scene, and addressing the biker, says, "Sir, this was the most gallant and brave thing I have ever seen a man do in my whole life. ""Why, it was nothing really, the lion was behind bars. I just saw this little kid in danger and acted as I felt was right. ""Well, I'll make sure this won't go unnoticed. I'm a journalist, you know,and tomorrow's papers will have this on the first page. What motorcycle do you ride?"A Harley Davidson."The journalist leaves. The following morning the biker buys the paper to see if it indeed brings news of his actions, and reads, on first page:

 

 

 

BIKER GANG MEMBER ASSAULTS AFRICAN IMMIGRANT AND STEALS HIS LUNCH.

[Guest stnami]

Michael, come to Barnack's bar ........... we need you there!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pierovitch]

For sale classic reproduction some with dodgy electronics.

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[Eelco Beket Amsterdam]

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Leica M6 TTL 0.72 50 mm Summicron (1962) Rigid - Kodak 160 NC / May 2007 Memphis TN USA

 

Leica M6 TTL 0.72 50 mm Summicron (1962) Rigid - Kodak 160 NC / May 2007 Memphis TN USA