To Leica R owners: R9...Shall I still buy it...?

[robsteve]

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DALSA had a very strong Q1/08 performance which beats all analysts' expectation. What's important is, their 4K HD cinema is ONLY 4k HD camera in actual production operation, the new James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" was shot with DALSA's 4K Origin camera, while RED's fancy 4k camera still remains on paper.

 

I would be VERY surprised that they'll put the cinema division on sale.

 

If you click on the news link of my above post, it mentions the board has approved the search for a stategic partner for the imaging division and a firm has been hired to do this search. It also calls it a transaction, which means some sort sale or agreement.

 

News

 

Quote from the above report:

 

"Subsequent to the end of the quarter, the Company’s board of directors authorized management to seek out strategic partnership opportunities for the Digital Cinema business. The objective of the board and management in this endeavour is to enhance the adoption rate of DALSA's product offerings in the market through the financial and industry support that a well positioned strategic partner can offer. The Company has engaged Genuity Capital Markets to assist management in identifying potential partners with the goal of completing a transaction before year end."

[sdai]

If you click on the news link of my above post, it mentions the board has approved the search for a stategic partner for the imaging division and a firm has been hired to do this search. It also calls it a transaction, which means some sort sale or agreement.

 

Rob, I've actually read a report from an analyst who was briefed before their AGM somewhere, if I'm understanding it correctly, they hired these ex-CIBC World Market folks to look for a strategic partner in Hollywood to ensure the widest possible adoption of their Origin cameras because their number one competitor Sony already has their own studios (Sony/Columbia Pictures), Panavision is also partnered with Sony too. So this is a very natural step to guarantee that they can bite a slice of the market, it's not a surprise that such a deal would involve the sale of a number of stocks.

 

The 007 movie is a good start but MGM is just too small.

 

The situation is somewhat confusing and DALSA needs to work WITH Sony as well because they have to use Sony's digital projection system to screen their HD motion pictures, I believe that currently Sony is the only one who can build projectors to resolve such high resolution on a big screen.

[mooky]

Well, this all went off topic didn't it?

 

Oh well. I'm not surprised about Lee, has any one been in a 'Beast (Best) Buy?' I think Lee was more, 'make gazillions in a day' guy who just happened to use Leica's and he pitched himself well enough for Herr Kaufmann to take a bite.

 

Dalsa and Leica? Who knows, Leica Cinema exists, that we know for sure, which would indicate they had a plan (?) before they filed. I don't think there are many of us that will be able to afford a digital camera from Leica !!! It would be cool though - shooting cinema with a Leica.

 

No R10?,,,,rumors - rumors and more rumors - SKL factor' - okay, sure. Whatever. There aren't many used R lenses for sale on ebay or elswhere - so someone is still using the R system including me (please don't mention the 'C' adapter word) - I trust that Herr Kaufmann will be up front with the situation before 'kina or at the event....We are getting closer !!!

[marknorton]

I think the Summarits will come into their own if Leica are able to introduce a lower priced camera; here in the UK, there's an $800 rebate available now; the M8 represents too high an entry point into M photography.

 

Dr Kaufmann made a fundamental mistake in recruiting SKL; how could running a box shifting operation possibly be relevant to the rarified discipine of producing some of the world's finest cameras and lenses?

 

As I've said on another thread, the damage to Leica through the loss of people is incalculable. If you're in the business of developing and promoting IP, people are your greatest asset; if you lose them, you take a step backwards. The view that Leica made no progress while SKL was in charge, signing all those 30% discount letters, is disturbing and I wonder just what they are going to be able to do at Photokina. The "relaunch" of the 28/2 and 75/2 at PMA earlier this year said it all, really.

[Rolo]

Dr Kaufmann made a fundamental mistake in recruiting SKL; how could running a box shifting operation possibly be relevant to the rarified discipine of producing some of the world's finest cameras and lenses?

 

To Company owners, shifting boxes may far preferable than handling the product three times under warranty where engineering design and development have allowed the product to hit the streets with so many avoidable flaws, or an top level urgency to get the product to market regardless of the customer experience.

 

What happens at Photokina is vital, IMO. I've been in a UK dealer's today and my observation is that "shifting boxes" is exactly what Leica are and should be doing. Your $800 rebate, the all-makes part exchange programme and the doubling of the warranty, are the evidence. Sales have really slowed and Calumet counter sales said that M7's are moving faster than M8's.

 

Don't misunderstand Mark, I take no joy from that. A future for the digital M is what most of us desire.

 

The threads highlighting the outstanding issues are an important part of the feedback process that will prompt Leica to resolve the issues/problems in spite of ruffling some feathers of loving M8 owners.

 

Rolo

[andybarton]

Sales have really slowed and Calumet counter sales said that M7's are moving faster than M8's.

 

That doesn't surprise me at all.

 

I would suggest that all the film M owners who wanted an M8 have, by now, already bought one. And I'm willing to bet that sales of M8s to non-M owners are very, very small in percentage terms.

[marknorton]

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To Company owners, shifting boxes may far preferable than handling the product three times under warranty where engineering design and development have allowed the product to hit the streets with so many avoidable flaws, or an top level urgency to get the product to market regardless of the customer experience.

 

In which case, they should have hired a top production engineer from the likes of Sony, or enlisted the help of Panasonic to sort the product out, not someone whose business decisions are more where to put another discount warehouse and how high to stack the boxes bought in by the boat load from China and Japan. Nothing in SKL's background that I can see equipped him to run a company involved in actually making things.

[marknorton]

I would suggest that all the film M owners who wanted an M8 have, by now, already bought one. And I'm willing to bet that sales of M8s to non-M owners are very, very small in percentage terms.

 

I think you would win your bet and the emphasis on the web-site to dispel any impression of rangefinder "weirdness" is surely aimed at winning over new customers.

[Rolo]

In which case, they should have hired a top production engineer from the likes of Sony, or enlisted the help of Panasonic to sort the product out, not someone whose business decisions are more where to put another discount warehouse and how high to stack the boxes bought in by the boat load from China and Japan.

 

Nothing in SKL's background that I can see equipped him to run a company involved in actually making things.

 

First point does seem obvious. I suspect there wasn't time to do that. Turning a factory over to Japanese production methods, IF that is appropriate in a small German company might take a couple of years, say. Maybe, get this product out of here ..... NOW !!!", was more the tone of the day.

 

From a strategic point, setting the brand values and defining the company capability with the M8, whilst boat loads of PanoLeicas from China appears to have been the company goals. Again, the advertising campaigns and web site designs have focussed on developing a wider customer base. A 'good old Leica boy' was never going to transform the company, take on the employees and dealers and make the transition.

 

Employing Mr Lee and giving him the brief to do a turnaround was a risk, the Board and especially the Chairman have full responsibility for..... "get in there Steve and ruffle some feathers, kick some ass, get MY MONEY back !". They knew who they were employing and what he had to do. The alternative ... "Steve, you've run a supermarket, come and have a go at this little investment I've made and see if your skills are transferrable. Couple of weeks and you'll know this industry and consumer base and we've got a great team that understand the way forward and won't mind a change in direction at all ......" , is quite laughable.

 

Their tactics failed and he had to leave, the shareholder stays. That is the rule of the jungle and it's happening all around us. It's a pity that the 'pack' put all the blame on his shoulders. He's just a guy with a mortgage and a family and a career in tatters. Been there, seen it, done it.

 

Rolo