Leitzmac Posted March 12, 2009 Share #61 Posted March 12, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Stefan Daniel’s post on the German forum (quoted above), which asks the same question, is very positive: “I have followed the lively discussion on the production of the analog Leica MP and M7 models with great interest. I am therefore, just for once, joining the discussion directly. To put it clearly, we shall continue to produce the analog M as before. With the success of digital photography, volumes have naturally fallen, but in the last two years they have stabilized well, so that further production is economical. We would be pleased to take members of the Leica forum through the production facility – with the possibility, for once, of photographing or filming inside the production area. I am personally available to discuss and answer all questions about analog Leica M cameras. Best wishes from Solms, Stefan Daniel, Product manager Leica M System.” That is a very clear and unambiguous response! Thank you Stefan for the assurance. I enjoyed visiting Leica in 2007. It sounds like a good opportunity for forum members. I am glad production will continue. I think the key to the future is not exponential growth, but sustainability. Dear all, I talked to Stefan Daniel yesterday twice - our first conversation triggered his reply, in the second we talked about how to manage the visit of some Leica Forum "eye witnesses". We'll try to find a date in the next few weeks when I and some forum members will visit the Leica site. As only a few people can visit the M production (as it is a clean room) I'll take a video camera with me and will document everything in picture and sound. As a kind of pilot to a Leica Forum TV series I'll keep you informed! Best regards from Bonn Andreas Chaps, I was extremely heartened to read the above - simply wonderful news. I had total faith in Leica, but it's great to put the naysayers to bed - thank you Stephan! Incidentally I believe David touches on an interesting point in that perhaps Leica's business practice will reflect a change in the global approach... Judging by the current economic downturn, I'm not convinced rampant capitalism and infinite growth is a viable option for the future. Sustainability is most likely the answer, Leica have a great name, great products and they can run a successful business without succumbing to pressure to mirror the behemoths. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 Hi Leitzmac, Take a look here The end of MP/M7 production? . I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Guest Colt Seavers Posted March 13, 2009 Share #62 Posted March 13, 2009 Good news! Thank you, Mr Daniel and Andreas. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Ash Posted March 14, 2009 Share #63 Posted March 14, 2009 Dear all,. As only a few people can visit the M production (as it is a clean room) I'll take a video camera with me and will document everything in picture and sound. As a kind of pilot to a Leica Forum TV series I'll keep you informed! Best regards from Bonn Andreas Please Andreas, Video camera??? This is a real no go. You should go for a M documentary. You can pimp it up by creating a slide show if you like but no video, please. Regards Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. No Posted March 14, 2009 Share #64 Posted March 14, 2009 As only a few people can visit the M production Andreas, count me in ! OLAF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Ash Posted March 14, 2009 Share #65 Posted March 14, 2009 Of course I really would like to join you, too. Regards Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leitzmac Posted March 14, 2009 Share #66 Posted March 14, 2009 Please Andreas, Video camera??? This is a real no go. You should go for a M documentary. You can pimp it up by creating a slide show if you like but no video, please. Regards Steve I am inclined to agree with Steve. There's something slightly unsettling about using video (digital) to document film production given there has been vociferous insistence from many that digital equals the imminent end of M production! Why not shoot it on Ms loaded with available light emulsions - perhaps Tri-X, Hp5 (rated 800), Delta 3200 (a personal favourite) and for a dash of colour, Provia 400 uprated (or not depending on how well lit the rooms are). I recently shot Provia at 1600 and was really impressed with the results. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leitzmac Posted March 14, 2009 Share #67 Posted March 14, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Andreas, count me in !OLAF Me three! That way, I'm delighted for you to use your video camera - I'll cover it on film! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
E.M Posted March 14, 2009 Share #68 Posted March 14, 2009 I'd like to join the group visiting the Leica factory as well, if possible of course ? Etienne Michiels Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mindlessdocumentation Posted March 15, 2009 Share #69 Posted March 15, 2009 They could probably stimulate sales by putting their own finance plan in place - something I've never seen them do (in the US, anyway). I just can't drop that big of chunk of money all at once these days. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rona!d Posted March 15, 2009 Share #70 Posted March 15, 2009 My MP (!) is loaded with highspeed film and I´m waiting for your telephone call! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
finkaudio Posted March 15, 2009 Share #71 Posted March 15, 2009 Hi, the whole situation reminds me on what happened in the watch and the turntable industry. After the CD came out, more or less everybody jumped over and most turntable manufacturers died. Just a few survived, but production was on a very low level. And now? Vinyl is in fashion again. The market for turntables is growing - not on a high level, but stable. And I'm sure, it will grow more in the next few years, because people re-discover the fun of Vinyl. And yes, new records are coming out on Vinyl of course. Same in the watch industry. After the Quartz technology was out, the mechanical watch died. Many of the small and innovative manufacturers went out of business. Even IWC and Rolex did a Quartz watch. Many tools got destroyed (can you here my crying ). And today? The mechanical watch is back. It's fashion and lifestyle to wear a mechanical watch. New movements are coming out - even made in China to bring down prices. OK, now back to the film camera. I'm pretty sure, it will be the same situation. All others will stop the film based camera and that means more room for some smaller companies. Like in turntables and mechanical watches, there will still be a small community of users for those film based cameras and it makes perfect sense for Leica to keep production alive. And maybe in 20 years, when everybody is tired with the perfection of Digital cameras, the M7 gets re-discovered. And if Leica is clever, they buy some key electronic parts for the R9 and waits for the time to come. It might be that I'm too old to see that happen but I would bet on it Best Regards KH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leitzmac Posted March 16, 2009 Share #72 Posted March 16, 2009 I was at an event last night and one of the accredited photographers was shooting on a Contax G2 and Mamiya 7. I went up and shook his hand, telling him I was delighted to see someone shooting film to which he replied 'I'm old school' So... finkaudio/KH, it seems your theory may already have it's exponents, particularly given the fact the photographer appeared to be in his mid-late 20s. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrid Posted March 16, 2009 Share #73 Posted March 16, 2009 Glad to hear that they will continue to produce analog bodies as long as there is demand. I think there is continued demand for analog M bodies, as long as Leica doesn't price themselves out of the market. I was considering a new M body recently, but had to pass after checking the price. A lot has changed since I bought two of my bodies new, just a few years ago.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_s Posted March 20, 2009 Share #74 Posted March 20, 2009 Hi, the whole situation reminds me on what happened in the watch and the turntable industry. After the CD came out, more or less everybody jumped over and most turntable manufacturers died. Just a few survived, but production was on a very low level. And now? Vinyl is in fashion again. The market for turntables is growing - not on a high level, but stable. And I'm sure, it will grow more in the next few years, because people re-discover the fun of Vinyl. And yes, new records are coming out on Vinyl of course. Same in the watch industry. After the Quartz technology was out, the mechanical watch died. Many of the small and innovative manufacturers went out of business. Even IWC and Rolex did a Quartz watch. Many tools got destroyed (can you here my crying ). And today? The mechanical watch is back. It's fashion and lifestyle to wear a mechanical watch. New movements are coming out - even made in China to bring down prices. OK, now back to the film camera. I'm pretty sure, it will be the same situation. All others will stop the film based camera and that means more room for some smaller companies. Like in turntables and mechanical watches, there will still be a small community of users for those film based cameras and it makes perfect sense for Leica to keep production alive. And maybe in 20 years, when everybody is tired with the perfection of Digital cameras, the M7 gets re-discovered. And if Leica is clever, they buy some key electronic parts for the R9 and waits for the time to come. It might be that I'm too old to see that happen but I would bet on it Best Regards KH My daughter, who is studying music (singing) at university, has asked me to buy her a turntable, which I will do, of course. That will make three in the family (one purchased to play my parents' 78s). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicanut2 Posted March 20, 2009 Share #75 Posted March 20, 2009 The MP what a marvel, a really nice sound well build tool. I almost wanted to sell it to buy a M8.2 but every time I pick it up I can't do it. Just can not sell it. So maybe when the full frame digital M comes out I may buy one but will still keep my MP I like the fact that the MP will out last me , every now and then I may get a cold but my MP has never bin to a doctor ( repairs shop ) yet. From the threads in the M8 forum many M8'S have had a few colds. Leica will only get better and better at making digital cameras but the film M's are true masterpieces of workmanship. I have a D-LUX 4 and a V lux 1 also. Cheers Jan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Namelast Posted March 20, 2009 Share #76 Posted March 20, 2009 the whole situation reminds me on what happened in the watch and the turntable industry. I was thinking the same things as you... However, when you buy a watch, that's it. When you buy a turntable, even if new records are not manufactured in vinil, you can always play old ones and find them cheaply in second-hand shops. When you buy a film Leica... if nobody will produce film anymore then you are left with a heavy paperweight. I just hope that at least Kodak, Ilford and Fuji will find film to be a viable branch of their budgets for years to come! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnkare Posted March 20, 2009 Share #77 Posted March 20, 2009 I was thinking the same things as you...However, when you buy a watch, that's it. When you buy a turntable, even if new records are not manufactured in vinil, you can always play old ones and find them cheaply in second-hand shops. When you buy a film Leica... if nobody will produce film anymore then you are left with a heavy paperweight. I just hope that at least Kodak, Ilford and Fuji will find film to be a viable branch of their budgets for years to come! I think it tells a lot when we have competition between many different manufacturers! Kodak, Ilford, Fuji and also at least one mino one, the Agfa/Maco/Rollei (who knows about these) are producing most of their current products, even developing new ones! I see the future of film at least as bright as the vinyl records and turntables. B&W even more. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_n Posted March 20, 2009 Share #78 Posted March 20, 2009 I never think about whether film is going to last or not. Now that I'm thinking about it I have a lot more faith in smaller companies like Foma and Efke than big corporations like Kodak. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChipNovaMac Posted March 26, 2009 Share #79 Posted March 26, 2009 Coming late to the thread here. Working for a camera dealer; all I can say is I don't remember many if any R series sales over the almost 10 years I have been at the shop. We did pretty well overall with the M series - both film and digital. My thinking is that Leica may end up having the S2 and whatever they end up calling the replacement to the R series; and then the M series. With the M series I see maybe the MP being killed, but something that allows them to have both a digital and film based camera surviving. Though I would love to see them take the digital M the path that Epson did. It would allow for both digital and film cameras survive together maybe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.