johnbuckley Posted September 25, 2006 Share #1 Posted September 25, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) This just in from German news wires. That Leica is in a position to purchase 51% of Sinar is a sign of progress in Solms. Those who know more about Sinar may have a sense of what this means beyond the investment: Ad-hoc-News DGAP-Adhoc: Leica Camera AG: Leica Camera takes over majority of shares of Sinar AG 25.09.2006, 10:01:41 Leica Camera AG / Acquisition 25.09.2006 Ad hoc announcement according to § 15 WpHG transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leica Camera AG (ISIN DE000A0EPU98), Solms, takes over 51% of the shares of Sinar AG, Feuerthalen/Switzerland, from JENOPTIK Laser, Optik, Systeme GmbH, Jena ("JENOPTIK"). JENOPTIK and Leica Camera AG have signed corresponding acquisition and transfer contracts on September 25, 2006. Confidentiality was agreed concerning the transfer price. The existing technical cooperation between JENOPTIK and Sinar AG concerning digital camera backs will be continued. Sinar AG serves professional photographers with leading solutions in medium and large format cameras, both with analogue and digital technology. Leica Camera AG will continue and develop the Sinar business with the Sinar brand and company structure, based on the shared values of excellence and innovation. Both companies will benefit from synergies in technical collaboration as well as marketing and sales. Leica Camera AG is confident that the acquisition will bring positive developments for customers, employees as well as shareholders of both companies. This is a first step on the strategic path towards growing the business of Leica Camera AG. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted September 25, 2006 Posted September 25, 2006 Hi johnbuckley, Take a look here Leica Purchases Sinar. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
marknorton Posted September 25, 2006 Share #2 Posted September 25, 2006 Very interesting development, especially on the eve of Photokina. Interesting comment from the Jenoptik web-site: "Jenoptik already cooperates with Leica Camera AG in some development projects." To my knoweldge, this is the first time there has been any confirmation of Jenoptik's involvement with Leica. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted September 25, 2006 Share #3 Posted September 25, 2006 It is Mark even though i had the connection confirmed they are doing the M8 firmware, glad to see something public being said. I have to say this is VERY INTERESTING and maybe a new path for leica . Like a MF back Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted September 25, 2006 Share #4 Posted September 25, 2006 Well yes, it could an MF back but they would never do it if it relied on Zeiss lenses, so it's possible that Leica could start playing Zeiss at their own game and produce MF lenses for Sinar and Hasselblad. Just possible that with lenses like the 50mm Summilux ASPH and the APO Summicron 75mm under their belts, producing MF lenses doesn't present too much of a challenge. In that case, we might then come to see the M8/DMR/R10 as dove-tailing nicely as the entry level models into a professional range of cameras and lenses. Plus of course, all this experience would put them in good shape for FF. Jenoptik, meanwhile, are playing to their strengths without having to get into the detail of selling cameras. Sensible move I think for all parties, interesting times ahead. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbegibson Posted September 25, 2006 Share #5 Posted September 25, 2006 Leica lenses on the Hasselblad! Now that'd be something. I'd settle for an M8 for the moment. Robbe Gibson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosuna Posted September 25, 2006 Share #6 Posted September 25, 2006 Leica needs a closer partner for digital development. They tried with Imacon, but the project failed. Imacon and Leica relationship is broken, maybe forever. Leica needs to be free from Panasonic dependence. This does not mean to abandon Panasonic cooperation, but to have a balanced partnership. Moreover, the future professional product lines of Leica must be designed in house, although manufacture and components can be brought by partners and suppliers. The future is digital. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnbuckley Posted September 25, 2006 Author Share #7 Posted September 25, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) Interestingly, Leica also put out a second news release today, reaffirming their partnership with Matsushita (Panasonic.) But that would seem to be of a lower order: 4/3rds and digicams, while the Sinar acquisition, not that I read more about Sinar and think about it, could lead to a very significant higher-end expansion. I remember in the summer of 2005, we wondered if Leica would survive to release the M8. Today, on the eve of photokina, the M8 is real, they are releasing two new lenses, three new Panasonic rebranded cameras, are acquiring Sinar, etc. This is a company poised to make an epic comeback. Good for them. And good for us ;-) JB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted September 25, 2006 Share #8 Posted September 25, 2006 Now if I could get leica lenses on a MF , i would be all over it in a nano second. i would sell a kid for that deal. LOL Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted September 25, 2006 Share #9 Posted September 25, 2006 What is even more interesting is Leica will dominate the press at photokinia with all there new announcements and products. Now that is amazing Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrgeoffrion Posted September 25, 2006 Share #10 Posted September 25, 2006 Now if I could get leica lenses on a MF , i would be all over it in a nano second. i would sell a kid for that deal. LOL You may not need an MF back to stick your Leica lenses to get what you want... If Leica is on the ball with this digital band wagon (is it here to stay? ), the future is actually NOT with an FF sensor, but rather with a square sensor that would use the full image circle. This means that instead of 24x36mm, the sensor would be 30.6x30.6mm... At just a higher pixel density than that of the DMR and M8, this would translate in a 24Mp image. Now, imagine if they enable a 2:3 or 4:3 crop mode, and you'll still have at least 16Mp. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted September 25, 2006 Share #11 Posted September 25, 2006 I think this is ACM (88% owner of Leica) putting together a consortium of "alpine" (Swiss/German/Austrian) imaging companies too small to go it alone in the digital age. Combined overhead for management, marketing, sales, R&D. How about two new Leica bodies - a square RF and a "mini-blad" to shoot 30 x 30 images with M or R lenses, as jr says? Or a "Rollei" TLR digital (not the 1.4 Mpixel micro-toy)? And I wouldn't assume Carl Zeiss is totally out of this picture - I saw one source who pointed out that the CZ Foundation still has significant involvement/investment in Jenoptik (once upon a time formerly Carl Zeiss Jena sort of - that's a REALLY complex corporate history). Could be a broader European 'circling of the wagons' going on. Also wonder if Kodak is taking a stake in all this, given their sensor connection to Leica, and their long-time link to German optics (Retina cameras, Schneider-Kreuznach lenses). Very interesting times... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overgaard Posted September 25, 2006 Share #12 Posted September 25, 2006 I've dreamt of getting a Sinar camera since I was 13 years... Who knows! It could be wise to use Leica's experience from their first digital 'studio camera' till now in relation to other manufacturers. 'Cirling the wagons' sounds like an interesting stragey if that is what is going on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosuna Posted September 25, 2006 Share #13 Posted September 25, 2006 Adan, the japanese companies are controlling all the photographic markets. European companies start to merge and to sign partnerships and collaborative agreements. It is a logical defensive (protecting) strategy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
regista Posted September 26, 2006 Share #14 Posted September 26, 2006 Funny. In my family, I've always been the big Leica fan. And my brother has always been the big Sinar fan. Guess now we'll be one big happy family! PS: I'm a big Hasselblad fan too. Maybe it could become the in-between kid in this family someday? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Ross Posted September 26, 2006 Share #15 Posted September 26, 2006 A perfect compliment to the M8 Sinar Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kobold Posted September 26, 2006 Share #16 Posted September 26, 2006 JR: that's a really intriguing idea—really intriguing. Have to wait and see, I guess. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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