Why don't Leica Co. just start selling lens in Nikon or Canon mount?

Things being the way they are right now. Leica will scrap its camera

production in about two years from now or maybe early next month. M

digital and R digital back will never realized. Are they too proud to

sell the lens in Nikon or Canon mount? It is better to make an

AutoFocus Elmarit, Summicron, Summilux,etc, in Nikon or Canon mount.

They could have generate a lot of income and keep the company in business.

That is not a crazy idea. If they made fully compatible auto-focus lenses for Nikons and Canons, I have to believe the market would be significant.

 

Not sure why Chisso thinks Leica's demise is so imminent, but a move like this would certainly seem to improve their financial performance.

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The only thing common between current Leica lenses and autofocus versions of those lenses might be a few pieces of glass. New mounts, aperture mechanisms, focusing mechanisms, etc. would be needed. Many of the M lenses would be completely incompatible because of the shorter distance between rear elements and the film than you have in SLRs.

 

When one can get an excellent 50/1.4 for about $300 or 35/1.4 for $1,100, just how many people will be willing to pay well over $2,000 for a Leica version? Remember, these Nikon and Canon users generally don't have an attachment to Leica name . . .

I don't get it. Where did you got that source from? Does Leica need to talk to Nikon or Canon just to manufacture the lens in their mount? What about vivitar, Sigma, Tamron, and those Korean/Russian manufactured autofocus offered in Nikon and Canon mount? Do they need to actually have a license from Nikon and Canon to make them? I thought the patent on those mount is allready passed the period.

Leica would dilute the value of the brand LEICA by selling lenses for competing brands of camera bodies. That would in the eyes of the buyers and users let Leica lenses rank pari passu with Nikon and Canon lenses.

 

The use of cheap lenses of other brands on Leica bodies does not dilute the brand LEICA in the same way, since everybody knows that such lenses are much cheaper and in no way on rank with Leica glass.

 

Besides, Chisso D's statement about Leica stopping to produce cameras shortly is mere speculation. Spreading such rumours is contributing to making this site a Leica hatesite for people that would like to have but do not have the means for a Leica.

 

Leica has in the last year been able to develop many new cameras and lenses, some of which must be regarded as the leading products within their range. That Leica is adapting to the new digital world by dismissing people must be seen as a sign of a fundamentally very healthy enterprise.

 

Why do you think everybody is talking about the splendid Digilux 2 and about the coming digital back for Leica R and the coming digital Leica M? Simply because theses products are or are expected to become the best of the best in the industry.

Cuz the Canon and Nikon glass is good enough.

<i>Do they need to actually have a license from Nikon and Canon to make them? I thought the patent on those mount is allready passed the period.</i><P>

Yes, they do (and yes, Sigma/Tamron/Vivitar/etc. are licensed to manufacture the Canon and Nikon mounts). No, it hasn't (the patents for the 50-year-old M mount only recently expired).

i'm sure the idea has been considered by Leica, but i would guess that a large part of the equipment to make M cameras has alreday been fully deppreciated.. so launching the same camera with a different name will probably continue to be a more profitable alternative in the short term. I don't think they'll stop their production in two years

i believe they simly don't have the funds/band-width to retool their limited manufacturing capabilities and quality control/service/distribution/licenses etc. would open a war on too many fronts for such a nische company like Leica.

 

Although a 100 APO in Canon mount would be sweet. there is always the adapter route...

OK, I�m gonna jump outta character for a minute and say that you guys who think that Leica would sell a ton on lenses if only they came out with them in Canon/Nikon mounts are delusional! Like Mike said, who (besides Leica nuts) would be willing to pay Leica prices, when they can get good to great performance from the manufacturer�s glass at a fraction of the price? <p>

Like any group of enthusiasts (avid model railroaders, completive runners, people who spend $5000+ on a bicycle frame), most of those outside of our cult really �don�t get it�.

The best way to stop a Nikon vs Canon argument is to butt in and tell them that Leica glass is better than either...then run for cover. I don't personally know any Nikon or Canon guys who would pay for Leica lenses if they could get them in N or C mount. I wouldn't and I'm a Leica man. Maybe a few people would but would it be enough?

<I>I don't personally know any Nikon or Canon guys who would pay for Leica lenses if they could get them in N or C mount.</I><P>

 

I love my 90mm Elmarit M, and have often thought about buying some R class body so I could get the SLR version which has the same optics. In the end, My Nikons are fine cameras, and I don't wish to explore a new body just for a single lens, so I keep shooting with my 105mm f/2.5. This lens is 90% as good as the 90mm Elmarit M, and only a third the price.<P>

 

However... If there was a 90mm Elmarit M in Nikon mount that would go right on my F3, I might have to pull out the plastic.

I really have tried, but I can't see any major differences between my Leica lenses and my Nikkor lenses (comparing similarly modern glass). I, like most people would tend to buy the best value option, whenever given the chance. The M system is where I don't have such an option.

Although I would guess it would be doomed to failure, I think its a great idea. Canon and Nikon both concentrate their high end lens development on expensive zooms. There are less and less fast primes available. Canon is dropping their limited fast primes left and right, (50 f1, 35 f1.4, 200f2 etc). Nikon also has less and less high quality primes. So perhaps this is a 'niche' that needs to be filled, and that is what Leica does!

Why will Leica be scrapping camera production in the next two years... "or early next month"? Do you really think that Leica aspire to being the next "third party" lens manufacturer?

<i>There are less and less fast primes available. Canon is

dropping their limited fast primes left and right, (50 f1, 35 f1.4,

200f2 etc). Nikon also has less and less high quality primes. So

perhaps this is a 'niche' that needs to be filled, and that is what

Leica does!</i><P>

I suspect those lenses are being dropped because very few

people are buying them. If Canon is only selling a few 35/f1.4

lenses at $1100, just how many do you think Leica will sell at

over twice that price?

Why don't Canon Co selling lens in Nikon or Pentax mount?

> just how many do you think Leica will sell at over twice that price?

 

Not enough, that is why I said it was doomed to failure. I still think its a great idea though,

but of course I don't really care if Leica stays in business or not!

As a business decision just think of it in terms of capturing that extra revenues and

profits. I'm quite sure there are some Canon/Nikon shooters who have the $$ and will to

buy a few Leica lenses.

Nah...wouldn't work for the above reasons- expense, market, etc. Although, maybe it'd

save Leica's already-big investment in the R line. How about manual focus, but auto

aperture and not having to fuss with stop-down metering, etc. Now that might be a

winner.

Canon isn't discontinuing the 35 f/1.4. At least I haven't heard it from any reliable source, and it would make no sense.

I suspect Leica wouldn't have the manufacturing capacity to increase its production of lenses to satisfy new markets.

Can't resist looking at this point the other way round. Maybe Canon and/or Nikon can make some limited-production bodies with a lens mount that match Leica R lenses instead? Say, a Canon 1vR or F5R would have a niche market for all those die-hard Leica users. Better still, a 10D-R or a D2x-R for the digital craze?

<i>Why don't Leica Co. just start selling lens in Nikon or Canon mount?</i>

<p><i>That is not a crazy idea.</i>

<p>No, that is not a crazy idea, it is a crazy question. Why doesn't Mercedes (Daimler Chrysler) just start selling motors in Ford or Chevy mount? Hmmm??